Privacy campaigners, including Open Rights Group, Big Brother Watch and Unlock Democracy have drawn attention to powers in the Data (Use and Access) Bill which could allow the Government to use personal data to target voters. In a joint letter addressed to the Minister of State at the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology, Chris Bryant MP, the groups branded the new data law as “Henry VIII powers”.
“The Bill increases the likelihood of looser rules, undermining democratic trust, by making trivially easy for a government to rewrite them to their short term advantage,” the letter states.
The Guardian – Data protection bill leaves room for governmental abuse, campaigners warn