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ICO Finally granted Warrant for access to Cambridge Analytica

It has been reported this afternoon, that after several days, including a delay due to the company in question not having an available barrister for the hearing, the Information Commissioner (ICO) has the warrant they sought to search the offices of Cambridge Analytica.

The delay highlights the weaknesses, however, of the system designed to protect the personal information and data of individuals – something coming into sharp focus with the onset of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and the Data Protection Bill, currently moving through Parliament, that will deal with related matters and those at the behest of nation states, that will govern the UK’s data protection regime going forward.

After May, it is hoped that the UK regulator will have stronger powers to better protect the personal information of data subjects, as companies and businesses continue to prepare for the new rules – our own approach and practical workshops around Data Protection Advice have focused on the competitive advantages for business in fully embracing a Privacy by Design approach throughout their organisations – something we suspect that consumers (particularly given the light being shone on these issues as a result of the misuse of Facebook data within this case) will themselves embrace, exercising their stronger and new-found data protection rights.