Data profiling by UK Political Parties can put your privacy at risk and threaten electoral integrity.

But data protection hands power back to voters

ORG has developed a tool for you to opt-out of data processing by the different Parties.

Find out more

https://action.openrightsgroup.org/opt-out-political-parties-processing-your-data-0

As voters head the polls in the Local Elections, we urge the Political Parties to clean up their data practices.

We urge voters to ask: What do they know about me? And what are they doing with it?

Use our tool to request what personal data the UK Parties hold about you

https://action.openrightsgroup.org/who-do-political-parties-think-we-are-4

Voters still have power over their data. But rights must be given effect.

When people used our tools to make a Subject Access Request or opt-out of profiling, no UK Political Party performed well.

Respecting voter privacy must be a key part of rebuilding trust and protecting electoral integrity.

While profiling by race has declined, voters are still profiled using wealth and income indicators, plus data of who voted in past elections.

If you're scored as unlikely to vote, you probably won't be contacted at all.

Such profiling leads to a vicious cycle of disenfranchisement rooted in class.

All UK Parties rely on international companies for their digital campaigning infrastructure.

Labour is particularly close with Experian – a credit reference agency with extraordinary powers to harvest personal data.

The lack of transparency leaves us with questions about the lawfulness of how data is separated and shared.

This year, ORG published a report into the canvassing apps used by UK Political Parties.

In the rush for a competitive advantage, the Parties are cutting corners with data protection and voter privacy may be put at risk of commercial exploitation.

Read more

https://www.openrightsgroup.org/publications/moral-hazard-voter-data-privacy-and-politics-in-election-canvassing-apps/

There's a Data Arms Race to win elections.

Data paints a picture of who we are, our values, our interests. This is used to predict how likely we are to vote and who for.

Political Parties use these profiles to tailor messaging and target resources in ways that can pollute the democratic process.

The UK Data Use and Access Bill will take away controls we have over our data and hand more power to government bodies and companies.

We'll be vulnerable to our data being used against us and less able to do anything about it.

Find out more in our briefing

https://www.openrightsgroup.org/publications/briefing-the-data-use-and-access-bill-second-reading/

The UK Data Bill introduces a framework for digital ID verification services that could create barriers to access, such as for older people.

Steffan Aquarone has tabled an amendment that gives people a right to use non-digital forms of ID to improve accessibility and digital inclusion.

The UK #DataBill makes it easier for personal data to be transferred outside the UK, including to countries that lack strong data protection laws.

Once abroad, it can be accessed or misused in ways that would be illegal in the UK. A single data breach could have life-altering consequences.

Alex Sobel MP has tabled an amendment to strengthen safeguards, so UK citizens' data isn't exposed to harmful misuse of data abroad.

An amendment to the UK #DataBill tabled by @sianberry would introduce:

A statutory complaints procedure with the Information Commissioner's Office for people in vulnerable situations.

A right of appeal to the Information Tribunal.

This would give survivors of domestic abuse and gender-based violence a clearer route to justice.