The link below is to a template for requesting computer stored or written data under the data protection act.
http://www.mtcp.co.uk/documents/written.doc
The link below is to a template for requesting video data under the data protection act.
http://www.mtcp.co.uk/documents/onfilm.doc
The rights you have under the Act are:
The right to access data held about you.
The right to prevent processing where it is causing you substantial distress under some cases
The absolute right to prevent processing for direct marketing.
The right to prevent automatic decisions being undertaken based solely on the data held about you, under certain cases.
The right to claim compensation from a Data Controller for damage and distress under certain cases.
The right to rectification, erasure and destruction of incorrect data or expression of opinions.
The right to ask the Commissioner whether the Act has been contravened
How To Use Them:
If an organisation holds information on computer or certain paper files about you personally, you have the right of access to that information. This is called the 'Right of Subject Access'. If that information is not correct, you also have the right of alteration or deletion of that information.
You may need to supply £10. The organisation is entitled to make a maxium charge of £10 to cover costs of searching for your data. This should be a cheque or postal order and is payable only once.
When you have done this you are entitled to a reply within 40 days from the Data Protection Officer. However this reply may not be the data you are requesting, merely a letter to say they are looking into it and need more time, or that they will not be releasing the data. Apart from a few exceptions, you should get back all the information held in the organisations various files and systems that mention or refer to you personally or an opinion about you. This can include personnel department files; emails from, to and mentioning you; letters on file; reports mentioning you etc. You may not receive the full email/report; however, you should receive enough for you to be able to understand the context in which you are mentioned. References to third parties should have been removed or obscured.
