This is the ODPA's monthly round-up of data-related developments from around the world.
On 1 August, the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) issued a reprimand to NHS Lanarkshire, following staff’s unauthorised use of WhatsApp to share patients’ personal data over the course of two years:
ICO reprimands NHS Lanarkshire for sharing patient data via WhatsApp | ICO
On 2 August, the Guardian reported that Meta will ask Facebook and Instragram users in the EU for permission to show them personalied adverts:
Meta to ask EU users’ permission to show targeted advertising | Meta | The Guardian
On 8 August, the UK's elections watchdog has revealed it has been the victim of a "complex cyber-attack" potentially affecting millions of voters:
Cyber-attack on UK's electoral registers revealed - BBC News
On 9 August, the details of police officers in Northern Ireland were published in error in response to a freedom of information (FoI) request:
PSNI data breach: Officers and staff 'frightened' after details leaked - BBC News
On 15 August, the Guardian reported other police-related breaches:
Norfolk and Suffolk police admit breach involving personal data of 1,230 people | Police | The Guardian
On 16 August, the BBC revealed more details of the wrongful conviction of a man for rape in 2004. Andy Malkinson’s conviction was quashed in July 2023, despite the fact that the DNA of another man was identified just three years after he was wrongly jailed:
Andy Malkinson: DNA evidence identified three years after rape conviction - BBC News
On 22 August, a UK High School mistakenly sent a message to parents containing the A-Level results of all the school’s pupils:
John Taylor High School shares pupils' exam results in data breach - BBC News
On 24 August, the UK Information Commissioner’s Office published a joint statement on data scraping signed by twelve authorities brought together by the Global Privacy Assembly:
Joint statement on data scraping and data protection | ICO
On 25 August, the UK government announced the date for AI safety talks:
Bletchley Park to host AI safety talks in November - BBC News
On 31 August, the BBC reported that MPs have warned that the prime minister's plan for the UK to take the lead in AI regulation is at risk unless a new law is introduced in November:
Pass AI law soon or risk falling behind, MPs warn - BBC News
On 31 August, the Spectator published an article inspired by the recent UNESCO report encouraging limits on screens in classrooms:
My fight to get screens out of schools | The Spectator
&
Indulge