Police Taking ‘Excessive’ Data From Mobile Phones – Expert Insight

Police in England and Wales are taking “excessive” amounts of personal data from smartphones during investigations, the UK’s data watchdog has warned. Taking too much data may deter people from reporting crime or assisting the police, Information Commissioner Elizabeth Denham said. Her report on police mobile phone data extraction (MPE) calls for a “statutory code of practice” for police. An investigation into MPE in Scotland and Northern Ireland continues. In some cases, police ask for data from a witness or victim’s smartphone, not just the suspects’ devices. The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) started its investigation following concerns police forces were inconsistent in how they collected data and many took “an overly wide approach to extracting data”.