The government has also announced that John Edwards is its preferred candidate to take over from Elizabeth Denham as its information commissioner later in 2021.
UK government has announced plans to change its post-Brexit data laws. The government wants to make the data protection regime more “innovation-friendly”. According to the Digital, Culture, Media and Sports (DCMS) select committee, the British government would also launch a consultation on changes in the coming weeks.
The consultation would look at changes to promote innovative yet responsible uses of data. It would also include the role of the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO). However, it is still unclear how much any reforms would diverge from the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).
As proposed, John Edwards – currently serving as New Zealand’s privacy commissioner – would appear before the members of parliament on DCMS select committee for scrutiny next month. DCMS said that, unlike previous commissioners, Edwards would “be empowered to go beyond the regulator’s traditional role of focusing only on protecting data rights, with a clear mandate to take a balanced approach that promotes further innovation and economic growth.”
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