November 7, 2015,  Council of Ministers, Data Protection Act 1998, EU General Data Protection Regulation, European Commission, European Data Protection Supervisor, European Parliament, Martin Hickley, Thought Leadership  No comments

It’s not as easy as it looks, is it? And that goes for the differences between the Data Protection Act (DPA) 1998 and the forthcoming EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) on course to gain consent from the European Commission, European Parliament and European Council of Ministers in early January2016.

That means it will be fully implemented at the end of 2017 after the 2-year transition period expires.

Once GDPR has achieved agreement, the Data Protection Directive 95/46/EC is repealed and the basis for the DPA 1998 has effectively been removed.

The legal position as to what happens during the transition period is still to be worked out but by far the safest course ...

October 25, 2015,  data protection, News  No comments

TalkTalk has been caught in the eye of a storm over its data protection and privacy policies and procedures leaving a wake of very angry customers threatening to take legal action for the breach of their personal data.

And as the Information Commissioner’s Officer (ICO) starts to investigate the mobile provider, it may like to read the advertisement TalkTalk placed on LinkedIn on the 19 October for the post of Information Security Officer.

When we checked on Sunday 25 October, there had been 15 applicants for the post – now with the level of national media interest in how TalkTalk is culpable in its failure to adequately protect its customers, maybe there will be deluge of ...

October 4, 2015,  data protection, EU General Data Protection Regulation, News, Thought Leadership  No comments

Each day more and more comment is emerging on the lack of preparedness of business to deal with the forthcoming EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and the need to put education and training on the top of the business agenda – and you may find these two very recent news items of interest and helpful.

We’ve been briefing a Member of the Government’s Treasury Select Committee a few weeks’ ago when we highlighted the issue of GDPR is simply much bigger than a digital marketing issue under ICO’s remit reporting into the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS).

Check out this recent news item

We strongly support the idea of a debate in the British Parliam...

October 3, 2015,  EU General Data Protection Regulation, News  One comment

In the news this week was the much publicised anger of the youthful looking CEO of T-Mobile John Legere at the announcement that Experian, the world’s largest credit rating agency had suffered a sensitive personal data breach affecting 15m T-Mobile customers after its servers were hacked.

Under the forthcoming EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) both data controllers (T-Mobile) and data processors (Experian) are jointly and severally liable in the event of a personal data breach or sensitive personal data breach. So such an incident that took place at Experian will have far reaching consequences for T-Mobile under the new EU Regulation when it comes into force.

Exp...

September 24, 2015,  Council of Ministers, data protection, EU General Data Protection Regulation, European Commission, European Parliament, Legal update, News, Thought Leadership  No comments

This week the blogosphere went into overdrive with the news that the non-binding legal opinion of the Advocate General of the European Court of Justice claims that EU user data transferred to the US by various technology companies is a violation of current EU data protection and privacy laws.

Even before this opinion, the European Commission was already attempting to re-negotiate the Safe Harbor Agreement with the US...

September 24, 2015,  Events, News  No comments

Massive thanks to Lord Karan Bilimoria for an inspirational speech about the journey of Cobra beer to a global brand and its use of iconic advertising, marketing, illustration – and sponsorship! Thanks for your kind words about the book.

Thanks to Malcolm Deboo, President of the Zoroastrian Trust Funds of Europe for supporting the launch and to the fabulous team at the House of Illustration – profits from last night will go to both charities.

Special thanks to my wonderful friend and sponsor Tricia Lichfield and to the film crew from Skatta TV – you guys are the best!

Also big thanks to Amy Laurens my publisher from Routledge and for taking part in a filmed interview! Good jo...

September 15, 2015,  Events, News, Sponsorship News  No comments

If you would like to attend this FREE event, please RSVP events@skatta.tv

Share the Guru...

September 9, 2015,  Council of Ministers, EU General Data Protection Regulation, European Commission, European Parliament, News  No comments

This morning (Wed 9 September 2015) European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker has revealed the priorities in the business of the European Commission and this includes reform of Europe’s data protection and privacy laws against the backdrop of a connected single digital market.

Juncker indicated in his speech today as well as in an open letter to European Parliament, co-signed by Frans Timmermans, first Vice President of the European Commission that “over the next few weeks the Commission will engage actively with the European Parliament and the Council to take forward discussions on these issues.”

In a ten-point priority list, Juncker clearly signalled the refor...

September 5, 2015,  Events, News  No comments

The Queen is expected to make a rare public speech thanking her British and Commonwealth subjects for 63 years of support when she becomes our longest-reigning monarch on Wednesday.

Her Majesty, who had originally wanted to spend the landmark day in private, has already bowed to the clamour for a public appearance by agreeing to interrupt her holiday at Balmoral and open a railway in the Borders.

Now she is said to be contemplating going even further by speaking at the end of her journey aboard a steam train, when she would be likely to pay tribute to her great-great-grandmother Queen Victoria, the woman whose record reign she will overtake.

Queen Victoria’s reign of...

August 31, 2015,  EU General Data Protection Regulation, Thought Leadership  No comments

Yes, how many years can some people exist

Before they’re allowed to be free?

Yes, how many times can a man turn his head

Pretending he just doesn’t see?

Yes, how many times must a man look up

Before he can see the sky?

Yes, how many ears must one man have

Before he can hear people cry?

The answer, according to Dylan is blowin in the wind.

Back in 1962, Blowin’ in the Wind became the anthem of the civil rights movement. In fact, Peter, Paul & Mary performed it on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial in August of that year, a few hours before Dr Martin Luther King delivered his ‘I have a dream’ speech.

Years later, Dylan explained that the song can mean whatever you want it ...