Social networking and privacy Part III

5 April 2010

Social networking and privacy Part III

By Paul Bicknell

Under the Data Protection Directive ('the Directive') there are a number of rights bestowed on users of social networking sites ('SNS').

By Articles 12 and 13 of the Directive users have the right to a description of the data held together with the purpose for which it is being held and processed.

Here the SNS should have a systems process under which the SNS can provide this information quickly and without eating too much of its recourses. Though I do not envisage a plethora of users submitting information requests on SNSs to the same level as that experienced by our financial institutions.

An important right to users which the SNS should be aware of is the right of a user to object to the processing of their information for the purposes of marketing.

Paul Bicknell is a trainee solicitor who specialises in intellectual property law with an emphasis on commercial and consumer litigation. Paul can be contacted via paul.bicknell@lawit.co.uk <mailto:paul.bicknell@lawit.co.uk>.