BCS Practitioner Certificate in Data Protection PDP9 Exam Questions

Answer : B

The Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulations (PECR) are a set of rules that regulate the use of electronic communications for marketing purposes, as well as the use of cookies and similar technologies, and the security and privacy of electronic communications services. PECR apply to all organisations that market by phone, email, text, fax, or online, or that use cookies or similar technologies on their websites or other electronic services. PECR do not apply to postal marketing communications, which are not considered electronic communications under the definition of PECR. However, postal marketing communications may still be subject to the UK GDPR and the Data Protection Act 2018, as well as other regulations, such as the Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations 2008 and the Advertising Standards Authority codes of practice.Reference:

ICO Guide to PECR, What are PECR?4

ICO Guide to PECR, Electronic and telephone marketing5

Answer : B

Article 5(2) of the GDPR introduces the principle of accountability, which requires that the controller is responsible for, and be able to demonstrate compliance with, the data protection principles set out in Article 5(1). These principles are: lawfulness, fairness and transparency; purpose limitation; data minimisation; accuracy; storage limitation; integrity and confidentiality; and data protection by design and by default. The controller must implement appropriate technical and organisational measures to ensure and demonstrate compliance, such as policies, procedures, records, audits, reviews, and DPIAs. The controller must also cooperate with the supervisory authority and provide any information requested by it. The other options are not the basis of the accountability and data governance obligation, although they may be related to other obligations under the GDPR.Reference:

Article 5(2) of the GDPR3

ICO guidance on accountability and governance4

Answer : D

Artificial intelligence (AI) is the use of digital systems to perform tasks that would normally require human intelligence, such as recognition, decision making, learning and adaptation. AI can bring many benefits to society, such as innovation, efficiency, personalisation and convenience. However, AI also carries new and complex risks that are not present in other technologies, such as opacity, unpredictability, bias, discrimination, intrusion, manipulation and harm. These risks can affect the rights and freedoms of individuals, especially their data protection rights, such as privacy, transparency, fairness, accuracy and accountability. Therefore, a risk-based approach to the use of AI is necessary, which means identifying, assessing and mitigating the potential adverse impacts of AI on individuals and society, while balancing them with the benefits and opportunities.A risk-based approach also means complying with the relevant legal and ethical frameworks, such as the UK GDPR and the DPA 2018, and following the best practices and guidance issued by the ICO and other authorities on AI and data protection234.Reference:

Guidance on AI and data protection2

Explaining decisions made with AI3

AI auditing framework4

Answer : B

The crime and taxation exemption in Schedule 2, Part 1, Paragraph 2 of the Data Protection Act 2018 (DPA 2018) provides an exemption from the UK GDPR's transparency obligations and most individual rights, including the right of access, but only if complying with them would prejudice the prevention or detection of crime, or the apprehension or prosecution of offenders. This means that the public authority does not need to disclose details of the investigation to the individual who submitted the subject access request, as doing so would be likely to hinder the investigation and enable the individual to evade justice. The public authority should assess the likelihood of prejudice on a case-by-case basis and document its reasons for relying on the exemption. The other options are incorrect because:

The legal and professional privilege exemption in Schedule 2, Part 1, Paragraph 19 of the DPA 2018 applies to personal data that is subject to an obligation of confidentiality arising from the provision of legal advice or legal representation, or from the conduct of legal proceedings. This exemption does not apply to the information held by the public authority about the investigation, as it is not related to any legal advice or representation, or any legal proceedings.

The term ''criminal offence data'' refers to personal data relating to criminal convictions and offences, or related security measures. This type of data is subject to specific rules under Article 10 of the UK GDPR and Part 3 of the DPA 2018. However, this does not mean that there is no obligation to disclose criminal offence data in response to a subject access request. The public authority still needs to consider whether any of the exemptions in the DPA 2018 apply, such as the crime and taxation exemption, before disclosing or withholding the data.

The right to be informed does apply in relation to criminal acts, as the UK GDPR requires controllers to provide data subjects with information about the processing of their personal data, including the purposes and legal basis of the processing, unless an exemption applies. The fact that the information has not yet been passed to the police does not affect the applicability of the right to be informed or the right of access.Reference:

Data Protection Act 2018, Schedule 2, Part 1, Paragraph 21

ICO Guide to Data Protection, Crime and Taxation2

Data Protection Act 2018, Schedule 2, Part 1, Paragraph 193

UK GDPR, Article 104

Data Protection Act 2018, Part 35

UK GDPR, Article 13 and 146

Answer : D

The two businesses are both joint controllers of the information contained in the single order system, because they jointly determine the purposes and means of the processing. They have a shared purpose of selling their products by mail order and they agree on the means of processing by using a single online website and a single order system. Their decisions complement each other and are necessary for the processing to take place. The processing by each party is inseparable and inextricably linked. Therefore, they meet the criteria for joint controllership under the GDPR.Reference:

Article 26 of the GDPR1

Guidelines 07/2020 on the concepts of controller and processor in the GDPR2, pp. 16-24

Answer : B

Schedule 3 of the Data Protection Act 2018 (DPA 2018) provides exemptions from some of the UK GDPR provisions for certain types of personal data processing, such as health data, social work data, education data, and child abuse data. These exemptions are intended to balance the rights and freedoms of data subjects with the public interest or the legitimate interests of data controllers in specific contexts. For example, the exemptions may allow data controllers to restrict the data subjects' access to their personal data, or to process their personal data without their consent, if complying with the UK GDPR would be likely to prejudice the purposes of the processing, such as the provision of health care, social work, education, or child protection. However, Schedule 3 of the DPA 2018 does not provide any exemption for credit checking agency data, which is personal data processed by credit reference agencies for the purposes of assessing the creditworthiness of individuals or organisations, or preventing fraud or money laundering. Credit checking agency data is subject to the UK GDPR provisions as normal, unless another exemption applies. For example, credit reference agencies may rely on the crime and taxation exemption in Schedule 2, Part 1, Paragraph 2 of the DPA 2018 if disclosing personal data to a data subject would be likely to prejudice the prevention or detection of crime, or the apprehension or prosecution of offenders.Reference:

Data Protection Act 2018, Schedule 31

ICO Guide to Data Protection, Exemptions2

ICO Guide to Data Protection, Credit3

Answer : A

The UK GDPR and the Data Protection Act 2018 set a maximum fine of 17.5 million or 4% of annual global turnover, whichever is higher, for infringements of the data protection principles, the rights of data subjects, or the rules on transfers of personal data to third countries. This is the higher maximum penalty that applies to the most serious breaches of the UK GDPR. A security breach that exposes the details of a hundred thousand members of the public would likely fall under this category, as it would compromise the confidentiality and integrity of personal data, and potentially cause significant harm and distress to the data subjects. Therefore, the maximum fine that the UK public body could receive for this breach is 17.5 million or 4% of gross annual turnover, whichever is higher.Reference:

Penalties3

GDPR Penalties & Fines4

Three years of GDPR: the biggest fines so far5