Re: Fined 0.5p per call
ICO seem a soft touch!
ICO operate within a strict legal framework that limits how much they can fine people, AND there's an established "methodology" for regulatory fines that would mean if the ICO zapped everybody with the current maximum £500k penalty on the basis that it ought to be higher, it would be easy to successfully challenge in court.
The essential problem is that the government have acted like slugs over all data protection issues, have deferred to the EU rather than whacking in a decent framework of their own, haven't fixed the loophole of disposable companies (despite promising to), and the various regulators and enforcers (OFCOM, TPS. ASA, Insolvency Service, even police, CPS etc) don't work together to ensure that offending directors and managers are barred, fined and if need be imprisoned.
I'd also have thought the ICO should not send their own "cease and desist" type of warning shots, but get courts orders to the same effect. Then the repeat offenders and those who ignore the warning are in contempt of court, and could be treated accordingly.
Biting the hand that feeds IT
