UK firms whose online privacy policies are designed more to cover their own backs, rather than protect consumers, could be named and shamed in a global sweep of websites.
Organised by the Global Privacy Enforcement Network (GPEN), the UK Information Commissioner’s Office is one of 19 data protection authorities from around the world involved in the project to improve websites’ privacy policies.
It will be examining 250 sites based in the UK, looking closely to see how easy the policies are to read, and how clearly they explain how personal information is being handled.
ICO international team lead policy officer Ian Williams said: “Privacy policies might not sound like the most interesting topic for such a study, but they’re crucial in making sure consumers know how their personal information is being used.
“Too often we find organisations using the notices to protect themselves rather than inform the public, and there’s no excuse for this. Our privacy notices page covers what these policies should say, and there’s a few ‘top tips’ below that even the smallest business should be following.”
“We work closely with our equivalent organisations in other European countries to make sure there is consistency in how we approach data protection, but we also look beyond that to target a level of consistency worldwide. The work we’re doing this week is a prime example of that.
The results of the ‘privacy sweep’ will be brought together by the Office of Privacy Commissioner of Canada, and a report will published in the autumn, giving a global overview of whether the privacy policies available are compliant. It is expected to also name and shame websites where further action may be required to comply with relevant national and international laws.
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Ropey sites face name and shame http://t.co/vY0fVEFoWe