The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) has the power to issue fines of up to £17.5 million or 4% of your annual worldwide turnover for serious breaches of the data protection principles. Therefore, you can understand that if you believe your personal data has been breached, it is serious, and therefore, you are entitled to an amount of compensation.
Many of these breaches can be dealt with fairly swiftly, especially if the complainant is unable to quantify any loss due to the breach. The concern is when the complainant reports the matter to the ICO. As with any regulatory body, we would not recommend any additional scrutiny, as this can be time-consuming and cause anxiety.
Our members should be aware of whom they are sharing their data with, and ensure any third-party companies are registered with the ICO. An example of a third-party company could be a marketing company that assists you with promotional events. Sending a text to a customer who has previously opted out of marketing can be a problem. These messages may not have been sent by our member directly, however, the data that is shared by our member with another company needs to be accurate, have the correct consent, and the reason shared should be clearly stated within a privacy policy.
Earlier this year, a financial services company received a £50,000 fine from the ICO, as they had sent thousands of spam text messages without valid consent. This was a breach of the Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulations (PECR). The company blamed the third party who sent the texts, the ICO advised that relying on third parties leaves organisations open to enforcement.
As the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) came into being on 25 May 2018, it may be time to review your policies. Our HR Manager software, which is free to our members, helps dealers conduct their GDPR audits and keep on the right side of any breach and consequential claim. If you are unsure or need assistance with GDPR issues, you can give us a call for any advice.
Octane Finance is the broker of choice for new and used car dealers nationwide. With our uncompromising service levels and our genuine and professional approach, you and your customers can trust us to deliver.
