Data Protection

Data Protection

The UK Data Protection Act (1984) and the updated 1998 new Data
Protection Act (inspired by a 1995 EU directive) cover the legal aspects
of personal data held by a company and how it may be obtained or
used. They are designed to protect personal privacy and to enable
international free flow of personal data by harmonization. Data users
must register all computerised personal data. The Data Protection
Commissioner enforces this policy.
The Data Protection Act maintains 8 guiding principles; data must be:
• Processed fairly and lawfully (fair collecting principle)
• Obtained and processed for specific purposes
• Adequate, relevant and not excessive
• Accurate and, where necessary, up-to-date
• Kept no longer than necessary
• Processed in accordance with the rights of the data subject

• Kept appropriately secure
• Kept within the EEA, unless protection is adequate