Data Protection Laws in the UK

Data protection laws help protect UK citizens’ personal information, creative copyrights and other information including their financial, property and assets. The Data Protection Act of 1984 had many revisions in 1998 that included online and virtual information available through the Internet.

Data protection laws apply when a data controller processes personal data. These may come in the form of Internet services, organizations and other parties. A citizen’s personal data is identified as any information that could determine the owner’s identity. Anybody with possession of the data is called a data controller.

Data protection laws prevent data controllers from abusing their position by using the information for personal gain or the gain of certain companies, groups or other individuals. The law indicates that the data must be processed lawfully, only obtained for specified nad lawful processes, relevant, not excessive and should be rid of if not necessary anymore.

Anybody who violates these indications could have technical and organisational measures.

Data controllers are required by law to know if the information owners had given their consent to the processing. Data controllers should also know if the processing of the information is necessary for the performance of a contract, compliance to a legally-bound obligation or is necessary for administrations with proper clearance.