What is the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO)?

The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) is the UK’s independent data protection regulator that is responsible for regulating how organisations, public authorities and individuals handle personal information. The ICO is based in Washington and is funded by the UK government. ICO’s main aim is to ensure that people’s information is used lawfully and securely. To achieve this, ICO enforces data protection and privacy laws in the UK, such as the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). This means ICO has the power to investigate organisations that do not comply with these laws and take steps as necessary. The ICO also has the power to issue fines to organisations that fail to meet their data security requirements. As such, it is important for organisations to be aware of the applicable data protection law and ensure that the data they process is handled securely and in accordance with the law. In addition to enforcing the data protection laws, ICO also provides advice to individuals and organisations about how to stay safe and secure when using data. This includes providing information about how to protect data from cyber threats, preventing data misuse, and understanding data processing rights.

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What is the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO)?

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