Mediaboss Marketing

The new Data Protection Bill will see extra powers given to the information watchdog and allow them to issue fines of up to 17 million

SOCIAL media firms like Facebook and Instagram will be forced to delete information on children and adults when asked or face fines under new laws.

The Governments new Data Protection Bill is aimed at giving people a greater right to be forgotten online.

Getty - Contributor

And it will make it simpler for people to control how companies use their personal details, with extra powers for the information watchdog to issue fines of up to 17 million.

The new powers will mean people can ask social media platforms to delete information they posted in their childhood.

The bill will also require people to give explicit consent for their information to be collected online, rather than firms relying on pre-selected tick boxes.

The legislation will bring the European Unions General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) into domestic law.

The Information Commissioners Office will be given significantly tougher powers, with the maximum fine it can levy being increased from 0.5m to 17 million, or 4% of a firms global turnover.

The bill, which was announced in the Queens Speech, will be introduced in Parliament when MPs and peers return from the summer break in September.

Digital Minister Matt Hancock said: Our measures are designed to support businesses in their use of data, and give consumers the confidence that their data is protected and those who misuse it will be held to account.

The new Data Protection Bill will give us one of the most robust, yet dynamic, set of data laws in the world.

It will give people more control over their data, require more consent for its use, and prepare Britain for Brexit.

Refer to Source

We have some of the best data science in the world and this new law will help it to thrive.

Information Commissioner Elizabeth Denham added: We are pleased the Government recognises the importance of data protection, its central role in increasing trust and confidence in the digital economy and the benefits the enhanced protections will bring to the public.

See the rest here:
Social media firms like Facebook will be forced to delete information or face fines under new laws - The Sun