Under the Data Protection Act any person or organisation holding personal information must deal with that information fairly. It will not be ‘fair’ if you do not give a written notice to the person from whom you collect personal information giving the reason for which the information was collected. It is important that you fully understand the regulations and that your company has relevant notices in place and compliant with the Act.
General marketing purposes
This notice will be prepared to suit your particular business activities.
Business cards
Information relating to business contracts (i.e. individuals who are employees of the business) is personal data and a data protection notice must be given to them.
Telemarketing script
For businesses using a telephone to make outbound marketing calls, sell goods and services or regularly obtain personal data via telephone.
Website ‘contact us’ forms
As these forms invariably ask for personal information, a data protection notice must be given before an individual submits his or her personal data.
Customer feedback forms
Such forms may include personal information, so a data protection notice is needed. Additionally a business may wish to implement suggestions as how a website can be improved and the notice should also provide for this eventuality.
Online registration forms
For use on a website where personal information is collected for the purposes of membership or access to password protected parts of the website.
Unsolicited CV’s
If your business scans an unsolicited CV onto a computer system or stores it in a structured file, the Data Protection Act applies and the business or organisation is obliged to give a data protection notice as soon as possible after the letter has been processed. It does not matter if the letter is not scanned immediately. The simple intention to do so will make it subject to the Data Protection Act.
Job application forms
An application form will collect large amounts of personal data and often this is scanned into a computer system or stored in a structured file. In either case the Data Protection Act applies. The notice must be included on the application form itself, either at the beginning or prominently where the applicant signs.
Existing employees
This notice will either serve as a reminder to the employee of the purposes for which personal data is being processed or, if no consent has been obtained, ask for specific written consent to the processing of his or her personal data.
CCTV
If you operate a CCTV system you must display a sign in close proximity to the CCTV cameras. The sign must be clearly legible although the size can vary according to the circumstances. We will provide you with the wording you need which is compliant with the Data Protection Act.
Please contact us to discuss your requirements.