Data+Protection+Act

Introduction
[|The Data Protection Act] (1998) was designed to protect the privacy of personal data when used with information technology.

What is it?
The Data Protection Act sets out rules for people who use or store data about living people and gives rights to those people whose data has been collected. The law applies to data held on computers or any sort of storage system, even paper records.

Key Terms
Data Controller - The person or organisation who processes data according to the Data Protection Act. Data Subject - The person who has data stored about themselves according to the Data Protection Act. Information Commissioner - The person who you have to register with when storing data about people on computer. Exemptions from the DPA - Police, HMRC

Data Protection Act Videos
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Task
Answer the questions listed below. You can use [|this BBC Bytesize website] to help you. 1. List 3 pieces of information about a person which could be described as personal data 2. List 3 pieces of information about a person which could be described as sensitive data 3. What is the role of the Information Commissioner? 4. What is the role of the data controller? 5. 3. What is the role of the data subject? 6. Alison believes that a ABC Ltd hold information about her which is incorrect. What can she do? 7. Drew wants to find out what information his mobile phone operator holds about him. What are Drew's rights in this instance? 8. What does the Data Protection Act say in relation to Driect Marketing?