Opt in before online firms can harvest your details

CONSUMERS who have unwittingly handed firms their personal information will be protected in the future under measures announced today.

Under new legislation, customers will have to tick a box giving their consent before companies can harvest their data, with pre-selected opt-ins – which often go unseen by users – to be banned.

Social media firms will also be required to delete information they hold on children and adults when asked, under laws aimed at giving people a greater ‘right to be forgotten’ online.

Extra powers will also be handed to the information watchdog, allowing it to issue fines of up to £17million to firms who use customers’ data without their consent.

The Data Protection Bill, to be introduced in Parliament next month, requires people to give explicit consent for their information to be collected online. It will

‘Consumers’ data will be protected’

be a blow to social media giants, which typically opt customers in automatically, so allowing them to harvest and share details on users’ profiles, such as their interests and where they live and study.

Individuals will also have the right to ask for their data to be erased. It means people can ask social media sites to delete information posted during their childhood.

Digital minister Matt Hancock will say: ‘Our measures are designed to ... give consumers the confidence that their data is protected and those who misuse it will be held to account.’

The legislation, which will bring the EU’s General Data Protection Regulation into domestic law ahead of Brexit, will also make it easier – and free – for individuals to require a firm to reveal the personal data it holds on them. And it will hand the Information Commissioner’s Office significantly tougher powers, with the maximum fine it can levy being increased from £0.5million to £17million, or 4 per cent of a firm’s global turnover.