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Send a GDPR request.

• oliwarner 7y ago
  This! GDPR Subject Access Requests are a godsend for forcing non-compliant companies to come to terms with their shitty practices. I emailed an estate agent recently to request information about a listing. I immediately started getting regular "Have a house to sell?", "Interested in these listings?" emails. I had not requested these, or given permission. One SAR later and I've got a hand-signed letter from their legal department, promising to investigate (as required). A week later I got a lovely report of the bollockings and training that had been doled out in the local office. I've since verified with alternate details. They're behaving now.
  • mcv 7y ago
    Excellent idea. So, how do you actually go about sending such a Subject Access Request? Mail it to a random email address? Use their contact form? What if they don't have a contact form? (Google and similar companies are notoriously hard to contact, for example.)
    • oliwarner 7y ago
      Companies of a certain size are required to have data protection officers, some publish details of those on their privacy pages (though I'm not sure if that's required). That's how I actioned this instance. Otherwise an email to wherever. The threat of ICO involvement is enough to motivate people to resolve errors quickly, because the ICO (in the UK) does take regular action at all levels (not just the big fish). https://ico.org.uk/action-weve-taken/enforcement/ https://ico.org.uk/action-weve-taken/enforcement/