Businesses should think of how to use consumers' data properly, ex-British watchdog urges

British privacy expert says local companies must carefully plan how they deal with ‘toxic liability’ of consumers’ information

Ex-information commissioner Richard Thomas. Photo: David Wong

Local businesses should draw up their own ways of managing data collected from customers to maximise the value of the materials without running afoul of a privacy breach, a former British regulator of information rights says.

While the "big data" can spell ample business opportunities, a company must be careful not to antagonise consumers when tapping into their private data, or it may risk a strong backlash that can destroy its hard-earned reputation, Richard Thomas says.

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