TalkTalk was heading for security chief before it was hacked

TalkTalk logoTalkTalk has been caught in the eye of a storm over its data protection and privacy policies and procedures leaving a wake of very angry customers threatening to take legal action for the breach of their personal data.

And as the Information Commissioner’s Officer (ICO) starts to investigate the mobile provider, it may like to read the advertisement TalkTalk placed on LinkedIn on the 19 October for the post of Information Security Officer.

When we checked on Sunday 25 October, there had been 15 applicants for the post – now with the level of national media interest in how TalkTalk is culpable in its failure to adequately protect its customers, maybe there will be deluge of ...

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Wake up call for all major UK companies as GDPR is now around the corner

wake up callEach day more and more comment is emerging on the lack of preparedness of business to deal with the forthcoming EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and the need to put education and training on the top of the business agenda – and you may find these two very recent news items of interest and helpful.

We’ve been briefing a Member of the Government’s Treasury Select Committee a few weeks’ ago when we highlighted the issue of GDPR is simply much bigger than a digital marketing issue under ICO’s remit reporting into the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS).

Check out this recent news item

We strongly support the idea of a debate in the British Parliam...

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MNCs like Experian won’t be showed any mercy under forthcoming GDPR

CEO T-MobileIn the news this week was the much publicised anger of the youthful looking CEO of T-Mobile John Legere at the announcement that Experian, the world’s largest credit rating agency had suffered a sensitive personal data breach affecting 15m T-Mobile customers after its servers were hacked.

Under the forthcoming EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) both data controllers (T-Mobile) and data processors (Experian) are jointly and severally liable in the event of a personal data breach or sensitive personal data breach. So such an incident that took place at Experian will have far reaching consequences for T-Mobile under the new EU Regulation when it comes into force.

Exp...

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Goodbye to ‘Safe Harbor’ as US companies need to start playing by the same rules

not so safe harborThis week the blogosphere went into overdrive with the news that the non-binding legal opinion of the Advocate General of the European Court of Justice claims that EU user data transferred to the US by various technology companies is a violation of current EU data protection and privacy laws.

Even before this opinion, the European Commission was already attempting to re-negotiate the Safe Harbor Agreement with the US...

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Thank you to everyone who came last night to the book launch!

20150923_201954Massive thanks to Lord Karan Bilimoria for an inspirational speech about the journey of Cobra beer to a global brand and its use of iconic advertising, marketing, illustration – and sponsorship! Thanks for your kind words about the book.

Thanks to Malcolm Deboo, President of the Zoroastrian Trust Funds of Europe for supporting the launch and to the fabulous team at the House of Illustration – profits from last night will go to both charities.

Special thanks to my wonderful friend and sponsor Tricia Lichfield and to the film crew from Skatta TV – you guys are the best!

Also big thanks to Amy Laurens my publisher from Routledge and for taking part in a filmed interview! Good jo...

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FREE event – Wed 23 Sept 6.00-8.30pm

If you would like to attend this FREE event, please RSVP events@skatta.tv

Invite to be issued

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GDPR is a top priority for the EC this year – Juncker

JunckerThis morning (Wed 9 September 2015) European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker has revealed the priorities in the business of the European Commission and this includes reform of Europe’s data protection and privacy laws against the backdrop of a connected single digital market.

Juncker indicated in his speech today as well as in an open letter to European Parliament, co-signed by Frans Timmermans, first Vice President of the European Commission that “over the next few weeks the Commission will engage actively with the European Parliament and the Council to take forward discussions on these issues.”

In a ten-point priority list, Juncker clearly signalled the refor...

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Queen Elizabeth II becomes our longest serving monarch on 9 September 2015  

Andy Warhol QE2The Queen is expected to make a rare public speech thanking her British and Commonwealth subjects for 63 years of support when she becomes our longest-reigning monarch on Wednesday.

 

Her Majesty, who had originally wanted to spend the landmark day in private, has already bowed to the clamour for a public appearance by agreeing to interrupt her holiday at Balmoral and open a railway in the Borders.

 

Now she is said to be contemplating going even further by speaking at the end of her journey aboard a steam train, when she would be likely to pay tribute to her great-great-grandmother Queen Victoria, the woman whose record reign she will overtake.

 

Queen Victoria’s reign of...

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What has Bob Dylan, ethics in data collection and GDPR have in common? More than you think.

Yes, how many years can some people exist

Before they’re allowed to be free?

Yes, how many times can a man turn his head

Pretending he just doesn’t see?

Yes, how many times must a man look up

Before he can see the sky?

Yes, how many ears must one man have

Before he can hear people cry?

The answer, according to Dylan is blowin in the wind.

Bob DylanBack in 1962, Blowin’ in the Wind became the anthem of the civil rights movement. In fact, Peter, Paul & Mary performed it on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial in August of that year, a few hours before Dr Martin Luther King delivered his ‘I have a dream’ speech.

Years later, Dylan explained that the song can mean whatever you want it ...

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Navroz Mubarak!

Zoroaster

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