Individual Rights

• to apply for a copy of your personal data;
• a limited right to tell the data controller to stop processing information about you if it is causing you unwarranted and substantial damage or distress;
• to send a notice to the data controller requiring them to stop or not to begin processing your personal data for the purpose of direct marketing;
• if you believe your personal data is inaccurate, to notify the data controller telling them what you believe is wrong with your information and what should be done to correct it;
• a limited right to prevent significant decisions being taken about you solely by automatic processing. This affects only those decisions made by a computer where there is no human involvement in the decision. It could include, for example, a decision about your performance at work. You also have the right to be told, as soon as reasonably possible, when this type of decision has been made about you;
• to ask the Information Commissioner to assess whether your personal data has been processed lawfully and/or to claim compensation from the data controller for damage or distress caused by misuse of your personal data by the data controller;
• sometimes the data controller is not obliged to observe all your rights. This is because different exemptions apply in different circumstances.

As an individual you may be able to claim compensation for distress caused by any contravention by a data controller of the requirements of the Data Protection Act.