Genomics is a relatively recent branch of scientific study. It focuses on the interplay of genes with each other and their environments and how these can impact our traits and characteristics. Genomics offers an opportunity to radically advance our understanding, diagnosis, support and treatment of a variety of illnesses and conditions.
Quantum technologies harness the principles of quantum mechanics to offer revolutionary advances in computing, communications, sensing, timing and imaging. They encompass a broad range of enabling technologies, with potential applications across diverse fields from medicine to finance, defence, law enforcement, materials science and public infrastructure.
As the UK’s data protection regulator, we want to ensure that people’s personal information, privacy and information rights are protected in a quantum-enabled future. We also want to encourage the UK’s quantum industry to innovate responsibly, and consider any privacy implications at an early stage. This report examines what a quantum-enabled future could look like, through a data protection and information rights lens.
Privacy-enhancing technologies (PETs) are technologies that support fundamental data protection principles by minimising the use of personal information and maximising information security. We have called for organisations to use PETs, supporting this recommendation through our guidance, case studies and continued efforts to drive responsible adoption of PETs for safe data sharing. Despite these efforts, PETs adoption remains low.
On 20 February 2024, we held an in-person workshop to gain a deeper understanding of the barriers to adoption that exist for both suppliers and users of PETs. We also wanted to identify potential solutions. This report presents a summary of findings from the workshop, key actions for us and recommendations for relevant stakeholders to increase responsible PETs adoption. This work is the culmination of a wider policy project aimed at increasing the adoption of PETs.
A citizen jury is a way to understand the public’s opinion on specific subjects that, in turn, helps to inform how we write our guidance. Impact Research conducted a citizen jury on our behalf to find out what the public thought about Internet of Things (IoT) products.
The research focused on IoT products available to people on the consumer market, such as fitness trackers, doorbells, connected TVs and smart speakers. The citizen jury articulated their expectations from manufacturers for these products.
The research explored six areas of data protection with a nationally representative sample of participants: consent, transparency, profiling and advertising, individual rights, accountability and security.
We’re using the research findings and recommendations from the citizen jury to inform drafting of our guidance on consumer IoT which will provide manufacturers with regulatory certainty.
Our work is at an early stage and we’ll be reviewing the recommendations from the citizen jury alongside the rest of our stakeholder work which includes manufacturers of IoT products, trade associations and the third sector.
As the UK’s data protection regulator, the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) seeks to foster trust in how organisations process personal information. We want to empower people to safely share their information and harness the benefits innovation has to offer. By identifying the privacy and data protection implications of emerging technologies before they are widely used, we are better placed to proactively set out our regulatory responses and enable innovators to consider these challenges in the design-phase of development.
In our first annual Tech horizons report, published in 2022, we highlighted the implications of four of the most significant technological developments for privacy in the next two to five years.
In light of continuing rapid technological advancement, this second edition considers a further eight technologies we believe may have a particularly significant impact on our societies, economies and information rights in the next two to seven years.
Neurotechnologies have continued to proliferate in the health and research sector over the past decade and may soon become part of our daily life. Our workplaces, home entertainment and wellbeing services may use neurotechnology to provide more personalised services in the years to come.
As the UK’s data protection regulator, the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) seeks to foster trust in how organisations process personal information. We want to empower people to safely share their information and use the products and services that will drive our economy and our society.
In our ICO25 strategy, we committed to set out our views on emerging technologies to reduce burdens on businesses, support innovation and prevent harms. These technologies advertise significant opportunities to make our lives easier, safer, more comfortable, efficient and fun; they also present a range of risks that may harm people’s privacy and their trust in these technologies, if they are not addressed as the technology develops.
Our first annual Tech Horizons Report examines the implications of some of the most significant technological developments for privacy in the next two to five years. This includes consumer healthtech, next generation IoT, immersive technologies and decentralised finance.
Further information is available in the report below which has been published to support organisations exploring the use of these emerging technologies.
The ICO has been working to find out more about some aspects of biometrics, to inform future work.
The ICO are often asked about end-to-end encryption (E2EE), this is a complex topic and to help people consider the issues we publish this paper setting out a framework for considering the impact of end to end encryption on online safety.
In November 2018 the ICO set up the Regulators’ Business Innovation Privacy Hub (the Innovation Hub). The Innovation Hub was set up to collaborate with other regulators, offering data protection expertise to a greater breadth of innovative businesses.
On 28 August 2020, the ICO published a project report, reflecting on the Innovation Hub's successes.
Project ExplAIn is a collaboration between the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) and The Alan Turing Institute (The Turing) to create practical guidance to assist organisations with explaining artificial intelligence (AI) decisions to the individuals affected.
As part of this project, the ICO and The Turing conducted public and industry engagement research. This helped us understand different points of view on this complex topic.
This report sets out the methodology and findings of this research. Key
findings are:
The possible interpretations of these findings and their implications for the development of the guidance are discussed, including:
We acknowledge the limitations of the research, and a conclusion summarises the findings, setting out their value to the project and beyond.
The report ends with next steps for the project, including a summary of the planned guidance.
The ICO and The Turing gratefully acknowledge the support and input given to this project by Citizens’ Juries c.i.c., the Jefferson Center, the Greater Manchester Patient Safety Translational Research Centre, techUK, and all the industry representatives and members of the public that took part in our engagement.
Adtech is an area that has evolved and grown rapidly in recent years and is underpinned by advertising technology (adtech), allowing advertisers to compete for available digital advertising space in milliseconds, placing billions of online adverts on webpages and apps in the UK every day by automated means.
In February 2019 the ICO launched a review of Real-Time Bidding (RTB) due to its complexity and scale, the risks posed to the rights and freedoms of individuals and the complaints the ICO has received.
It is an area that has evolved and grown rapidly in recent years and is underpinned by advertising technology (adtech), allowing advertisers to compete for available digital advertising space in milliseconds, placing billions of online adverts on webpages and apps in the UK every day by automated means.