Court of Appeal Upholds ICO Decision to Prioritize Complaints Effectively

The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) recently had their decision to dismiss a complaint against an organisation on the basis that further investigation was not needed supported by the Court of Appeal. This case raised important questions about the extent to which the ICO must go in investigating and making a decision on each complaint it receives. In response to this, John Edwards, the Information Commissioner, expressed his pride in providing a great customer service whilst ensuring the best outcomes for people exercising their data rights. He also noted that the Court’s decision agreed with their position that they should be able to prioritize appropriately and take into account the merits of each case and the likely outcome of further investigation. In light of this issue, he pointed out that they have recently launched a new service to help people exercise their subject access requests more easily.