Personal data is information that, either on its own or when added to other information, can identify a living individual. This can include names, addresses, phone numbers, email addresses, dates of birth, etc.
It can also include letters, emails, photographs, video footage and call recordings.
Some data is classified as Special Category Data. This data is sensitive and is treated with an extra level of confidentiality. This data includes data about ethnic origin, religious and philosophical beliefs, sexual orientation and preference, trade union membership and political views, health data, biometric data (e.g. fingerprints and facial recognition) and genetic data.
Your rights
You can request that the council does the following things with your personal data:
- Amend any personal data we hold about you that is inaccurate. (The Right to Rectification).
- Erase information that you no longer want the council to keep about you. Please note: - this right is only applicable in certain situations. (The Right to be Forgotten).
- Restrict how the council uses your personal data. Please note: - this right is only applicable in certain situations. (The Right to Restriction).
- Object to how the council is using your information and ask us to stop doing so. Please note: - this right is only applicable in certain situations. (The Right to Objection).
- Ask the council to provide you with your personal data so that you can move it to a new provider. Please note: - this right is only applicable in certain situations. (The Right to Data Portability).
- Stop the council from making automated decisions about you.
The Information Commissioner’s Office regulates data protection law within the UK. The ICO has provided summaries of all the Rights of the Individual under the UK GDPR on their website. This gives specific information about how rights can be used by an individual and the situations in which they apply.