WHO WE ARE AND WHAT WE DO

INTRODUCING ARTICLE EIGHT

Article Eight Advocacy is an independent1We’re all volunteers and we’re not funded by industry, nor do we plan to be. We defend the fundamental rights of individuals. not for profit organisation which advocates for data subject rights in Ireland. We support data subjects by using all the tools available to us to ensure their fundamental right to protection of their personal data is respected.

We do this by providing easy to understand information2Data protection can appear confusing. We don’t think it should be. In fact, the law says it shouldn’t be. on what data protection means for people on our datasubject.ie website, submitting complaints3The GDPR encourages this. Many data protection issues are complex and require some knowledge of technical and legal issues. There’s more about this on our press pack page. to the Data Protection Commission on behalf of individuals and managing the progress of these, and litigation4The GDPR also specifically allows us to take legal action on behalf of individuals if they ask us to. where necessary.

WHY WE DO WHAT WE DO

WHAT WE BELIEVE

Article Eight of the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights says: “Everyone has the right to the protection of personal data concerning him or her.”

The first sentence of the first recital of the General Data Protection Regulation reads: “The protection of natural persons in relation to the processing of personal data is a fundamental right.”

Fundamental rights matter. Respecting fundamental rights makes all our lives better. We believe in this and we have specialist knowledge of this area. We want to help people by providing clear information and supporting them in exercising their rights.

The system which is supposed to reassure people that their personal data is being used legally and appropriately is unnecessarily bureaucratic and unintuitive to individuals. We can help bring the focus back to data subjects.

Data protection law is frequently misunderstood. By individuals, by media outlets and, most importantly, by the businesses and organisations who collect and use our personal data.

We believe in transparency. It’s part of the first principle of data protection.5“Personal data shall be … processed lawfully, fairly and in a transparent manner in relation to the data subject” (Article 5.1 GDPR) We want to see more transparency in every part of the system.

The GDPR offers new mechanisms by which data subjects can hold organisations to account for improper uses of their personal data.

All of this can be changed. We want to help make that change happen.

You can follow us on Twitter for updates. There’s more detail on the type of activities we will engage in and who we are on our Press Pack page.