ICO launches online privacy consultation

The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) is to draw up a new set of rules governing how companies and organisations protect people’s privacy online.

Over the next 12 weeks, organisations, companies and the public can read and comment on the draft guidance which outlines recommendations for handling personal data properly.

It also suggests proposals for giving individuals the right degree of choice and control over it; for instance by giving them clear privacy choices or making it easier for people to erase their personal information at the end of a browsing session.

The privacy watchdog said that initiatives such as Phorm’s Webwise targeted advertising software as well as the increasing take-up of activities such as online social networking had all contributed to the decision to clarify the law and good practices.

Christopher Graham, Information Commissioner said: “The internet plays a huge role in our everyday lives as we do more of our business online than ever before.

“Customers can always vote with their feet and punish organisations that they feel have let them down - which serves as a very real reminder that getting privacy online wrong is a risky game to play.

“People should have control over what happens to their personal information online whether it’s correcting inaccuracies, deleting profiles or choosing the privacy settings that suit them.”

The draft guidance also gives practical advice about areas such as cloud computing, and calls for organisation to use technology to give people better rights.

The purpose of this consultation is to seek the views of those who will be affected by the new code and to ask for suggestions for improving it.

The ICO said it would be interested in case studies showing best practice or instances where it is obvious the law is not clear.

The ICO said the aim will be to develop a code of practice that will help all organisations with an online presence to negotiate areas of legal uncertainty by adopting good practice.

The consultation which began today ends on 5 March 2010.