The Data Protection Act (DPA) and the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act (RIPA) are, in the United Kingdom, the first in this new wave of ‘cyberlaws’ - legislation designed to reinforce privacy rights threatened by the unregulated dissemination of information, in a world where everything from birth records to shopping habits are stored electronically.

Much of the thinking behind cyberlaw is so new however, that the majority of companies are unaware it even exists, let alone realize they must now comply. And yet, unless business leaders take formal action to protect the integrity of their data, it could become a major threat rather than an important asset.

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