The number of data breaches reported by whistleblowers to the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) has jumped 175 per cent in since the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) was introduced.
A Freedom of Information request from law firm RPC revealed that the number of breaches highlighted by individuals concerned over consumer data privacy rose to 379 reports in 2018-2019, from 138 in 2017-18.
The findings come after the ICO stepped up its enforcement action for breaches under the GDPR rules, which last week saw the data watchdog announce its intention to fine British Airways £183m and Marriott International £99m over data breaches.
The fines represent a 53-fold increase on the £3.4 million in penalties levied by the ICO last year.
RPC suggested that the introduction of GDPR in May 2018 has led to greater awareness over the consequences of data and cyber security breaches for personal data, as well as the requirement to report identified breaches within a 72 hour window.
Richard Breavington, partner at RPC, said: “The jump in whistleblowing reports of data breaches will be a concern to businesses – the ICO’s large fines mean data security continues to be a C-suite issue for businesses that hold personal data.
“GDPR has driven a cultural shift in how people perceive personal data and its value, more people now see it as part of their personal property, and they are more likely to act if they believe it is being misused.”
He added: “Boards should be moving to ensure their businesses are not just GDPR-compliant on paper, but that they are culturally doing everything possible to ensure appropriate standards of technical and organisational security.”
Latest News
NEW BUILD IN FOCUS - NEW EPISODE OF THE MORTGAGE INSIDER PODCAST, OUT NOW
Figures from the National House-Building Council saw Q1 2025 register a 36% increase in new homes built across the UK compared with the same period last year, representing a striking development for the first-time buyer market. But with the higher cost of building, ongoing planning challenges and new and changing regulations, how sustainable is this growth? And what does it mean for brokers?
The role of the bridging market and technology usage in the industry
Content editor, Dan McGrath, sat down with chief operating officer at Black & White Bridging, Damien Druce, and head of development finance at Empire Global Finance, Pete Williams, to explore the role of the bridging sector, the role of AI across the industry and how the property market has fared in the Labour Government’s first year in office.
Does the North-South divide still exist in the UK housing market?
What do the most expensive parts of the country reveal about shifting demand? And why is the Manchester housing market now outperforming many southern counterparts?
In this episode of the Barclays Mortgage Insider Podcast, host Phil Spencer is joined by Lucian Cook, Head of Research at Savills, and Ross Jones, founder of Home Financial and Evolve Commercial Finance, to explore how regional trends are redefining the UK housing, mortgage and buy-to-let markets.
In this episode of the Barclays Mortgage Insider Podcast, host Phil Spencer is joined by Lucian Cook, Head of Research at Savills, and Ross Jones, founder of Home Financial and Evolve Commercial Finance, to explore how regional trends are redefining the UK housing, mortgage and buy-to-let markets.
The new episode of The Mortgage Insider podcast, out now
Regional housing markets now matter more than ever. While London and the Southeast still tend to dominate the headlines from a house price and affordability perspective, much of the growth in rental yields and buyer demand is coming from other parts of the UK.
In this episode of the Barclays Mortgage Insider Podcast, host Phil Spencer is joined by Lucian Cook, Head of Research at Savills, and Ross Jones, founder of Home Financial and Evolve Commercial Finance.
In this episode of the Barclays Mortgage Insider Podcast, host Phil Spencer is joined by Lucian Cook, Head of Research at Savills, and Ross Jones, founder of Home Financial and Evolve Commercial Finance.
© 2019 Perspective Publishing Privacy & Cookies
Recent Stories