Data Loss Culprits Face Fines Of £500,000.
Secretary of State for Justice, Jack Straw, has given the go-ahead to proposals to fine organisations up to a whopping £500,000 for serious breaches of data loss.
The new penalties will come in to play on the 6th April, and aims to act as a deterrent to those who fail to effectively protect any sensitive information that they hold.
The size of the fine imposed will be determined on a case by case basis, although will be largely be affected by the extent and factors that to the data loss.
The severity of the fine aims to send a clear message to organisations that they need to review and tighten their data protection, or face the truly crippling consequences.
The government’s Information Commissioner, Christopher Graham, welcomed the new penalty systems and warned:
“When things go wrong, a security breach can cause real harm and great distress to thousands of people. I remain committed to working with voluntary, public and private bodies to help them stick to the rules and comply with the Act. But I will not hesitate to use these tough new sanctions for the most serious cases where organisations disregard the law.”
The new proposals have been met with praise by many, and as spy and surveillance equipment becomes more and more advanced, the implications of data loss become increasingly frightening.