Data Protection vs. Freedom of Information

FOREWORD

The Freedom of Information Act (FOI) was a milestone in UK legislation and, for the first time, the lid was legally lifted on a lot of what the UK government was doing in the name of the citizens of the country. While the FOI applies only to public sector organisations, it covers a wide range of information. The Data Protection Act, which applies equally in both the public and private sector, had already given individuals the right to find out what information was being held about them, and to insist on having that information kept accurate and up to date. Of course, the Data Protection Act also placed an obligation on organisations to protect the personal data of those people about whom they collected this information and to ensure ...