ICO's annual report shows people are taking data privacy seriously and reporting more complaints

Information Commissioner, Elizabeth Denham, published her annual report summing up the challenges and successes of the regulator over the past year.

Of course, it was an extremely busy year for the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) with the introduction of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and an unprecedented focus by organisations on making privacy a brand asset.

The ICO had to recruit hundreds of new staff to cope with the deluge of callers asking for advice on how best to become compliant with the new law.

This increased attention has had an effect on the British public too. Elizabeth said that data protection and privacy are at the centre of the UK’s consciousness like never before.

This increased awareness comes at a time when complaints are rising too. There was a significant increase in data protection complaints (up 15%), self-reported breaches (up 30%) and freedom of information complaints (up 5%). It follows that consumers are more likely to make a complaint when they have a better grasp of how their personal data is used by organisations.

It was also a record year for enforcement. The ICO issued the largest monetary penalty in their history and successfully issued 26 penalties. Not only this there were 19 criminal prosecutions as result of ICO enforcement action, that resulted in 18 convictions.

Speaking about the Annual Report, Elizabeth said: “This is an important time for privacy rights, with a new legal framework and increased public interest.

“Transparency and accountability must be paramount, otherwise it will be impossible to build trust in the way that personal information is obtained, used and shared online.”

These are two themes that have characterised Elizabeth’s time as Information Commissioner so far. She has consistently told organisations that the key to GDPR is accountability. GDPR is not a one-off exercise, it is an on-going project that will require resources, time and dedication.

The 25 May has passed but it is not a case of 'mission accomplished' just yet.