5.3 Legislation relating to the use of ICT for storage, manipulation and access of information

Table of Contents

1. Introduction
2. Data Protection Act
   1. The eight principles of good practice
   2. The six conditions for fair data processing
   3. Sensitive data
   4. Rights under the Act
   5. Criminal offences created by the Act
   6. Unsolicited electronic communications
   7. The role of the Information Commissioner's Office
   8. Other Useful DPA websites
3. Copyright legislation
4. Intellectual Property Rights (IPR)

The role of the Information Commissioner's Office

The ICO has specific responsibilities for the promotion and enforcement of the DPA.

Under the Data Protection Act, the Information Commissioner may:

• serve information notices requiring data controllers to supply him with the information he needs to assess compliance.

• where there has been a breach, serve an enforcement notice (which requires data controllers to take specified steps or to stop taking steps in order to comply with the law). Appeals to these notices may be made to the Information Tribunal.

Let's have a look now at Other useful DPA websites ...