Security News > 2021 > November > UK data spillers fined, but enforcement slows: £5m in ICO penalties not yet paid

More than half of data protection fines issued by the Information Commissioner's Office over the last two years, totalling more than £5m, have not been paid.

The SMS Works pointed out that fines to home improvements companies appear to be least likely to be paid, with £1.6m in fines issued to these firms resulting in just £280,000 being repaid to date.

Cold-calling companies tend to break data protection laws the most, having attracted 72 fines in total since 2015.

The figures tend to show that ICO fine enforcement has got less effective: at this point last year £2m in fines, representing 68 per cent of penalties issued, was unpaid.

Data breach fines totalling £6.994m were issued between January 2020 and September 2021.

While doubtless satisfying, in one case highlighted by El Reg last year the data protection watchdog spent £138,000 hunting down scofflaws who tried to evade a £40,000 fine.

News URL

https://go.theregister.com/feed/www.theregister.com/2021/11/03/ico_fines_5m_pounds_outstanding/