School GDPR breach incidents won’t go unpunished

The new legislation that came into force in May 2018 could lead to many incidents and violations, and this includes issues involving a school GDPR breach.

We must remember that all organisations – no matter how big or how small, or whether they’re private or public – are responsible for complying with the GDPR. For schools, not only is the duty there, but we must also account for the fact that the data subjects are young; and therefore vulnerable individuals.

Although schools will need to have adapted in similar ways that businesses have, they cannot take for granted the extra care required given that it’s children involved. If a breach occurs, victims should know their rights.

A school GDPR breach can easily occur

A serious school GDPR breach can easily occur, so it’s key for those in charge to know what to do to avoid incidents, and it’s important for victims to know their rights.

And one of the biggest things to consider is this: consent is key.

Schools must ensure that they have permission from parents and guardians to be able to process and store the data that they do for the children in their care. As organisations find new ways to be efficient, schools must ensure their changing behaviours do not breach the rights of their pupils by accident.

Some easy examples include the growing use of cameras and recording equipment for security and monitoring. The use of biometric technology must also come with proper consent protocols as well. The use of technology in general to stay efficient means that the school must ensure that the data processed and stored is done so with proper consent, or they may find themselves in breach of the law.

Cybersecurity is also important

We cannot overstate the importance of cybersecurity when it comes to ensuring that a school GDPR breach does not occur this way.

The 2017 WannaCry incident that hit the public sector (the NHS in particular) hard specifically targeted older and more outdated systems that were weaker to being compromised. Given that funding issues are rife across the whole of the public sector, any weaknesses in school systems could be an open doorway for hackers to try and exploit.

And we know that cybercriminals like to target data that can be more sensitive as well as going for what they may deem to be “easier” targets. A ransomware attack could be profitable for criminals who want to try and force a school to pay a modest ransom to avoid sensitive information for children being leaked.

What to do about a school GDPR breach

If your child or dependent has been the victim of a school GDPR breach, you could be entitled to bring a claim for compensation on their behalf as their formal Litigation Friend.

With schools often having data that can be very private and sensitive, we know that the distress a child may suffer due to this kind of data breach can be significant. Data breach compensation amounts in cases where the exposed or misused information is particularly sensitive can be high.

We may be able to offer you No Win, No Fee representation for a legal case – make sure you speak to our team for some free, no-obligation advice today.

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