Organisations beware – changes in the definition of personal data mean that emails, minutes of meetings and even telephone bills may now be classified as personal data. The Data Protection Act 1988 lays out a strict framework for the treatment of personal data.
Only data falling within the definition set out in the Act will be subject to the rules of good information practice imposed by the Act, so a clear definition is crucial for both organisations seeking to use, and individuals wishing to protect, their personal data. The rules in the Act can create worry and expense for organisations holding personal data and they could find themselves at risk of having to disclose confidential documents.
