Data Protection Commissioner launches his Annual Report for 2012

In Summary in 2012:

Complaints:

* Office opened 1,349 complaints for investigation, exceeding last year’s record high number with an increase of 188. 

* Complaints from individuals in relation to difficulties gaining access to their personal data held by organisations accounted for just under one-third of the overall complaints investigated during 2012. 

* Marked increase in the number of complaints under the Privacy in Electronics Regulations during 2012 (up from 253 in 2011 to 606 during 2012).

The report includes case studies of a number of specific investigations including:

  • Prosecution of three Insurance Companies for Data Protection Registration offences after social welfare data, sourced via a private investigator, was found on insurance claim files held by those companies.
  • Prosecution of a number of companies for unsolicited marketing offences
  • High Court ruling that Dublin Bus must supply copy of CCTV footage requested under the right of access

 Data Security Breaches:

* Increased to 1666 notifications.  For the first time the annual report contains a selection of case studies regarding a number of Data Security Breach investigations,  including:

* First prosecution taken under updated security and breach notification requirements for telecommunication companies – Eircom (trading as eMobile) and Meteor arising from the theft of two unencrypted laptops containing personal data of over 10,000 customer

* Notification of postal breaches by Allied Irish Banks

 Audits:

* 40 organisations audited during 2012

More comprehensive details of the following four audits are contained in the report:

  • Full Audit report of use of INFOSYS database administered by the Department of Social Protection
  • Details of Commencement of the audit of An Garda Síochána
  • Summary of the outcome of the follow-up audit of Facebook-Ireland
  • Summary of the findings and recommendations of the audits of reporting processes within lenders to the Irish Credit Bureau

 For more details on this report go to: http://www.dataprotection.ie/docs/20-05-13–Press-Release–Launch-of-Annual-Report-2012/1300.htm