- guardian.co.uk, Thursday November 22 2007 23.54 GMT
- The Guardian, Thursday November 22 2007
It will call on the government to give the information commissioner greater powers of sanction against both private and public sector databases, as well as a right to make spot checks without the consent of the holders of databases.
Gordon Brown has agreed that the commissioner should be given rights of access to government departments, leaving the procedures of hundreds of big private owners of databases, including Google, free from intrusive checks.
He is also aware of the implications of Google keeping information on the searches carried out by its customers.
The Demos report will argue that the government needs to lead a more open debate on the balance between allowing government departments to share information to personalise and improve public services and the potential privacy risks.
It is expected to argue that each government department using personal information must say how it accesses personal information, for what purpose, and how it affects people. Departments should also use "cash-handling" disciplines for dealing with personal information.
By this, Demos means that no one in government departments should be allowed to shift information around without a proper paper trail. Demos will say: "The information commissioner's office (ICO) needs greater capacity to cope with the range of demands of an information society, which continue to extend away from just security of data towards data use and the nature of information sharing.
"For example, that could include the ability for the ICO to audit organisations' use of personal information without needing their consent."
The report will call on the government to reopen the debate on identity cards, and to be braver in setting out the benefits and dangers. Otherwise, the scheme should be dropped. "There needs to be more open consideration of what kind of information the cards would hold, why, and in what circumstances they will be used," the report will say.
Although it will propose new duties on the private sector to look after the data it holds, and set out where it is held, the report will also suggest that individuals have a responsibility to protect their personal information.
