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UK: Getting off lightly: police and personal data breaches

05 July 2016

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Police staff in the UK were responsible for at least 2,315 data breaches between June 2011 and December 2015, according to a new report by Big Brother Watch. More than 800 staff accessed personal data "without a policing purpose" while data was shared with third parties over 800 times, with organised crime groups amongst the recipients. More than half of the cases led to "no disciplinary or formal disciplinary action being taken."

See the report: Safe in Police hands? How Police Forces suffer 10 data breaches every week and still want more of your data (pdf)

Press coverage:

  • 5 years, 2,300 data breaches. What'll police do with our Internet Connection Records? (The Register, link)
  • UK Police Accessed Civilian Data for Fun and Profit, New Report Says (Motherboard, link)
  • UK report details police data breaches, including suspect tip-offs (CNet, link)

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