ICO reprimands Lancashire Police Authority over data breach

The Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) has ordered the Lancashire Police Authority to tighten up procedures when publishing information on its website.

The Information Commissioner's Office said the Authority had breached the Data Protection Act when it published details of an individual's complaint online although it was clearly marked as restricted.

Lancashire Police Authority also failed to remove the details immediately once the complainant had brought the breach to its attention.

Simon Entwisle, ICO director of operations, said: "While it is important that public authorities are transparent about the work they do by publishing information online, this should never be at the expense of an individual's rights to privacy.

"There can be no excuse for publishing someone's personal information online, and the fact that the Authority failed to remove it when told makes this case all the more concerning.

An order by the ICO to the Lancashire Police Authority means it must now make sure that any information due for release on its website is checked and correctly made ready for publication before being released on the website. It will also introduce a new policy for staff, which explains the actions they must take when informed of a possible data breach.