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[CLKD]

Many may be aware that the Rules for the above alter by May 2018.  Which means that any Company to which you subscribe for catalogues, information etc., has to send a letter and/or e-mail asking whether you want to continue receiving details from them.  So far I have had 4 from the many originations that I have received info. from.  This will apply to MM and other similar web-sites that hold personal information about subscribers.

Not having read the Data Protection Act for years I don't actually know what the up-date entails.  It may be a way of clearing back-log of information held so we may see the Members list here become shorter.  Many women have joined but have never contributed to threads but remain on the Members 'list'. 

When I was in a woman-only business I had to subscribe to the DPA - £72.00 4 two years.  Because I held personal information on disc even though the people whose details I had were not aware that I did the Reports etc. relating to their particular situations.  There actually wasn't a Band into which my particular business dropped so the £72.00 was picked out of the air  .  I have always thought it as a Stealth Tax as one doesn't see Court Cases relating to the Data Protection Act in the National Press.

Details were given in the Data Protection Quarterly Magazine but not more widely reported.

I have problems remember who I have given my details to over the years 

[Dorothy]

So far, I have had to fill in forms for several charities from which I have actually ASKED to receive information from (in one case, only a couple of weeks before), confirming that I do wish to receive that information.

Of course, I have had NO such form from the companies who bombard me with mailings I have never asked for and do not want to receive!  So I'm not sure how effective the new laws will be.

[CLKD]

Is that on-line?  I have started sending messages via e-mail in order to stop the catalogues etc. that have been re-directed from Mum's house, she led a secret life  .  Returning to their address wasn't working ........

How will this stop the mailings via the weekend papers and catalogues that are wrapped in plastic?

[Shadyglade]

What a nice surprise. I have re-subscribed to a hotel website, where we often stay, and they have sent me a £50 off voucher. 

[Daisydot]

Brilliant customer service that,well done enjoy x

[CLKD]

Oh how did that happen  - do share which Hotel .........

[Shadyglade]

The Crown, Westleton, Suffolk.

Think the offer is just for those confirming their email subscription, and not new subscribers. You could give it a go though.

[CLKD]

DH sent some important documents to the Pension Office a few weeks ago, via a tracked system for which he paid a lot.  Today he received those documents back, in an envelope inside another envelope - apparently the Pension Office have printed the incorrect address on the return envelope, tracked.  Not even in our village  - so that's the 1st breach of Data Protection. 

It was signed for.  Apparently by DH.  Well actually.  Nope!  The outer envelope is from the Royal Mail - so we think that the person who received the documents realised, took it to their PO opposite their house and the RM re-directed it.  DH has looked on the RM web-site at the tracked reference and it certainly is NOT his signature, wrong initial for starters - so 2nd breach.

He has sent a complaint to the Royal Mail.  Obviously no one checked that the signed for envelope was being signed by the named person.  He has spoken to the Pension Office who are putting in a complaint on his behalf to the appropriate dept. to find out a) who printed the incorrect address and b) how that happened.  He suggested that, as they had paid for the documents to be tracked back to him that the Pension Office should complain to Royal Mail.

So be warned.  Despite Data Protection and other security checks, some people really can't be arsed to get details correct.  I would take this further and compliain to the Data Protection Office and ask that the person who put the incorrect details onto the envelope, be taken to Court.  It will be interesting to see how his complaint is upheld.

[Ladybt28]

OK - so I have to be registered at the information commissioners for Data Protection and I have to be trained in the new GDPR legislation otherwise I can get fined by the Financial Conduct Authority or taken to court by my clients or anyone I upset by not following the rules!  The rule apply mainly to email and are only applicable to business or persons inside the EU.

Anyone can send you catalogues or advertising by post via the postal system unless you have registered on the Mailing Preference Service to say you don't want to receive any.  My deceased mother-in-law was an avid collector of such catalogues and they took a while to cancel and for some to get the message but they can send them and are not breaking the law but just costing themselves a lot of money in printing and posting.  Slightly different scenario to unsolicited advertising.

Anyone whom you have contacted via email or from whom you have bought stuff online or who have taken you email address in a shop is entitled to email you but they should be getting your consent somewhere in the email to opt in.  In subsequent emails there must be a place to opt-out.

If you are a business or use a business email then "random" people with whom you have never had contact are allowed to email you once but must ask your permission to continue to do so and there must be an opt-in box for you to give consent.

If you have a personal email then "randoms" should not send "spam" emails to you at all.  However, you will continue to get them because these are the ones who are usually outside the European Union/and or who dont care beacuse they cant be caught and fined.

Despite having some of my clients for more than 20 years and I have been writing and emailing them for that long. I am obliged to write each year to get their consent to write, email or text them.  They must personally tick the boxes sign and return me the form.

There are rules for charities who must train even their volunteers on data protection and on sharing personal information with 3rd parties, for example if you phone the arthritis charity and they offer you advice about getting help from a third party they must have a record of you consent to pass you onto that 3rd  party.  It should even apply to Church Wardens getting the flower lady to help on a Sunday if you apply the letter of the law.  To be honest if you said on Facebook or by text to a friend- "email xxx, he's a great plumber, and you need one because you have a leak" then XXX could sue you because you didn't have permission to pass on their name and email address without their written permission.

If any business "thinks" they have had a breach of their information they hold on clients by hacking or theft they must report to Information Commissioners within 48 hours for investigation and prove they have done everything to protect it and got all the relevant permissions to hold it.

The fine is now 4% of turnover (which if you are Talk Talk and have breach that's mega bucks!)  The Information Commissioners who deal with the complaints have 500 employees but are only going after the big boys where complaints are likely to be raised by customers who feel their privacy has been breached (oh and the nutters who complain about everything to the letter of the law whether it bothers them or not just because they can!)

I understand what they are trying to stop but the legislation is overkill, and a right bundle of laughs...NOT!