Data and Democracy
Open Rights Group’s Data and Democracy project seeks to prevent digital technologies from eroding public trust in the democratic process.
The UK’s electoral systems are undergoing a stress test of a sort that they have rarely experienced. On one hand, innovations such as online deliberation present an opportunity to open up policy making. On the other, political actors are using personal data to make conflicting promises to discrete demographics – with no accountability or consent. These practices can help, or hinder, the ability of elections to be free and fair in the digital age.
To mitigate these threats and restore integrity to our elections we aim to influence debate, conduct research, mobilise supporters and develop principles to shape the ethical use of these technologies.
Click here for our latest blog post on how Covid-19 can make or break digital democracy.
What data do political parties hold on you?
Online, political parties want to be your best friend. In reality, they don’t know you at all.
Who do they think you are? Click here.The Story So Far
Blindspots in new guidance on use of data in campaigning
The Information Commissioner’s Office published their new “Guidance for the use of personal data in political campaigning”.ORG Takes Political Parties to Privacy Watchdog
On 11 December 2020, the eve of the anniversary of the 2019 General Election Open Rights Group submitted complaints, represented by the data rights firm AWO, to the Information Commissioner’s Office on behalf of data subjects on the processing of personal data by the Labour Party, the Conservative and Unionist Party and the Liberal Democrats.10,000,000 voters racially profiled by Conservatives
The summary report of ICO’s audits of UK political parties have finally been published.Digital Imprints, GDPR and Enforcement
Yesterday ORG submitted its response to the Cabinet Office’s technical consultation on digital imprints.Bigger than Cambridge Analytica
ORG’s view on the ICO’s personal data and political campaigns investigation.Hot Take: the Russia Report and Elections
Amongst the many revelations in the Russia report, a battle is playing out for the future regulatory landscape of UK elections.Winners, losers, and unanswered questions
In their report released on Monday the House of Lords’ Democracy and Digital Technologies Select Committee produced a comprehensive overview of problems it considers to be of high importance to a functioning democracy.Political parties: listen to your members
ORG’s Data and Democracy Project has been working for over a year to limit the use of personal data by political parties.Democracy and Covid-19
The Covid 19 epidemic has disrupted our economic and social life unlike anything seen in peacetime.Imprints: who’s responsible?
Many proposed electoral reforms are highly contested.We need political accountability more than ever- and the ICO can lead the way
We are living in an unprecedented historical moment.APPG on Electoral Campaigning Transparency adopt ORG reforms
Last summer, Open Rights Group gave oral evidence to the All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Electoral Campaigning Transparency.Profiling, Political opinions, and Data Protection – The Legal Background
We’re campaigning to stop political parties abusing personal data in their rush to try and win elections.Out for the count : the £9 million white elephant in London’s next election
Electronic counting in London – the subject of criticism from the Electoral Commission and Open Rights Group for many years – is now spiralling in cost.Hunting for a solution? If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it
It seems apt that it was at this week’s ‘digital hustings’ for the Conservative Party leadership that Jeremy Hunt unilaterally came out in favour of online voting.More Information
04 August, 2020
Data and Democracy
Democratic Innovations: Polis and the political process
Open Rights Group and Demos yesterday published an exciting new report that provides insight on public attitudes towards data driven campaigning.
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23 June, 2020
Data and Democracy
Who Do They Think We Are?
Political Parties, Political Profiling, and The Law.
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16 December, 2019
General Election 2019 – Digital disruption by the political parties, and the need for new rules
Evidence from the 2019 General Election shows that the need to overhaul the system of electoral administration has gone from urgent to critical.
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15 October, 2019
Response to the Consultation of the House of Lords Democracy and Digital Technologies Committee
Response to the Consultation of the House of Lords’ Democracy and Digital Technologies Committee
14th October 2019
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04 October, 2019
ORG response to ICO consultation on draft framework code of practice for use of personal data in political campaigning
ICO consultation on the draft framework code of practice for the use of personal data in political campaigning
It is vital in any democratic society that political parties, candidates and campaigners are able to communicate effectively with voters.
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Press Releases
26 January, 2021
ICO’s Elizabeth Denham Confirms illegal racial voter profiling by the Conservative Party
Responding to ICO’s Commissioner Elizabeth Denham’s confirmation of the Conservative Party’s illegal racial voter profiling, Jim Killock, Executive Director of Open Rights Group said: [1]
“The Conservative Party’s racial profiling of voters was illegal.
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24 June, 2020
Voters angered by stereotyping by UK parties
A report released yesterday by the Open Rights Group (ORG), shows UK political parties are attempting to profile millions of individuals for their income, religion, and political views.
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06 March, 2020
Political parties deny true scale of using personal data for campaigning to Select Committee
The House of Lords Democracy and Digital Technologies Committee have received written evidence from the Liberal Democrats, Labour, and the Conservatives on their digital campaigning practices.
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10 January, 2020
Public are kept in the dark over data driven political campaigning, poll finds
Open Rights Group commissioned YouGov, a polling company, to conduct two polls to gauge public attitudes towards data driven campaigning practices.
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09 December, 2019
Campaigners demand answers over parties use of personal data in General Election
Directors, staff, and members of the Open Rights Group have demanded that the Liberal Democrats, the Conservatives, and Labour cease the processing of their data and to have their profiled data created about them erased.
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04 December, 2019
Campaigners release tool for the public to discover the extent of political party profiling during general election.
Open Rights Group (ORG) have released a tool to help UK voters turn the tables on political parties, by seeing what personal data they hold on them.
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22 November, 2019
Poll finds strong support for policies combating nefarious online campaigning activity
A poll commissioned by civil society organisation Open Rights Group has found strong public support for policies designed to curb the worst excesses of online campaigning.
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31 October, 2019
Twitter ban on political ads welcome move but ultimately symbolic one
Matthew Rice, Scotland Director, Open Rights Group, reacting to the Twitter ban on political ads said:
This decision by Twitter is a welcome move but ultimately a symbolic one.
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04 October, 2019
Civil Society organisations raise concerns over rules designed to prevent a new Cambridge Analytica
The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) recently issued a draft framework code of practice for the use of personal data in political campaigning.
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29 August, 2019
Loophole in Facebook’s new ID rules on political ads leaves door wide open for astroturf groups
Facebook announced in a blog post that, from mid September, organisations and individuals in the US buying political ad space on its platform would have to provide more information than previously required.
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19 August, 2019
Cost and security issues fuel concern for 2020 GLA elections
The Greater London Authority (GLA) Elections use e-counting machines to tally votes.
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07 May, 2019
Regulating Online Political Advertising Needs Data Use Transparency
Pascal Crowe, Data and Democracy Project Officer at Open Rights Group responded saying:
“Effectively regulating online political advertising needs to go beyond campaign spending and require greater transparency over parties’ use of personal data.
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