Increase in data protection complaints

The ICO’s annual report also found that self-reported data protection breaches increased by 30%, while freedom of information complaints rose by 5% in the 12 months to 31 March.

With the introduction of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) in May, the regulator experienced 30,000 more calls between January and March than in the previous quarter.

The ICO also issued the largest number of civil monetary penalties in its history, including 11 fines totalling £1.29m for security failures under the Data Protection Act.

Information commissioner Elizabeth Denham said: “This is an important time for privacy rights, with a new legal framework and increased public interest.

“Transparency and accountability must be paramount, otherwise it will be impossible to build trust in the way that personal information is obtained, used and shared online.”

The ICO’s investigation into the use of data for political purposes, focusing on Facebook and Cambridge Analytica, continues.