Happy Data Protection Day!

What… you didn’t know? Today is Data Protectection Day, an initiative of the Council of Europe, designed to be:

“an occasion for European citizens to become more aware of personal data protection and of what their rights and responsibilities are in that regard.”

But, in this regard, UK citizens have been rather spoiled of late. And last weekend was no exception: The Daily Telegraph revealed that HMRC had advised certian high profile celebrities, MPs and royals to refrain from using its online tax return system amid concerns that their confidential details would be put at risk, and a Financial Times editorial called for the government to rethink its wrong-headed ID card scheme because of the opportunity for abuse of personal details on an undreamed of scale. If their newspapers are anything to go by, then, it looks like the British people have never been more aware of their data protection rights.

But are your elected representatives aware of your concerns about data protection? You might consider using today to make sure. If you haven’t already, write to them and let them know your thoughts on the Government’s privacy timebomb.