The UK data privacy regulator the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) is launching a ‘Be Data Aware’ campaign. Their aim; to help people understand how organisations might be using their data to target them online, and how people can control who is targeting them.
This includes understanding how organisations use people’s data to reach them with social media adverts to market goods or services and for political marketing.
The ICO says that its investigation into the use of data analytics for political purposes has uncovered the ‘behind the scenes’ processing of personal data, including algorithms, analysis, data matching and profiling that involves people’s personal information. Hence education of the public on the impact of new and developing technologies and the use of data analytics in political campaigns. That’s including downloadable factsheets on privacy and advertising settings, information about people’s rights under the GDPR and how to exercise them, and how online micro-targeting works.
Information Commissioner Elizabeth Denham said: “Our goal is to effect change and ensure confidence in our democratic system. And that can only happen if people are fully aware of how organisations are using their data, particularly if it happens behind the scenes. New technologies and data analytics provide persuasive tools that allow campaigners to connect with voters and target messages directly at them based on their likes, swipes and posts. But this cannot be at the expense of transparency, fairness and compliance with the law.”
Visit ico.org.uk/bedataaware.
