Category: GDPR
Virgin Media data breach class actions
Any form of Virgin Media data breach class actions could be a style of Group Litigation Order (GLO) here in England and Wales, which is what we refer to them as.
Data breach class actions is typically the Americanised sort of term for large group actions, but it is widely used here in the UK as well sometimes, especially in the media. They mean the same thing really, as they are about a collective legal action where many people can come together to claim as part of one set of court proceedings. This is common in cases like this where there is a single event that has affected many thousands of people.
Read on for more information about how data breach class actions can work, and what may happen with the Virgin Media case.
First GDPR fine – data breaches and financial penalties
The GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation) was introduced in the UK in 2018 as a means of updating existing data protection law. This important piece of legislation means that all organisations and individuals that store and process the personal data of others are obliged to comply with designated principles. Where they fail to do so, they could be found responsible for a data protection breach. In such cases, a data controller can face its first GDPR fine.
The ICO (Information Commissioner’s Office) is responsible for the enforcement of data protection law in the UK and has the power to impose financial penalties on companies that have failed to keep personal information secure. This power has been used in a number of high-profile data breach cases in the past few years, in which some data controllers have faced GDPR fines in the millions of pounds mark.
Alongside action by regulators, we believe it is important that victims are fairly compensated for the data breaches that they have been involved in. Those affected by the Virgin Media data breach, which involved the exposure of around 900,000 people’s personal information, can be eligible to join our group action against the company to fight for the compensation we say that they deserve.
Cyber theft compensation claims
When hackers seek to gain access to a business or another organisation’s systems, it is often for the purpose of data theft. With such threats looming over them, it is essential that data controllers do their best to protect the personal information that is in their charge, or they risk compromising the security of customers and employees. In such cases, victims could be eligible to make cyber theft compensation claims.
In the Virgin Media data breach, a cybersecurity failing enabled anyone – which could have included hackers – to access a huge company database, potentially allowing them to steal the information of the 900,000 victims whose data it held. In our eyes, the breach was caused by the negligence of Virgin Media itself, which is why we are bringing a group action against the company. An unknown third party did access the database, and it remains unknown as to who they are or what their intentions are.
In accordance with the GDPR, all companies are required to protect the information that they hold and process in accordance with the legal principles. This includes implementing necessary technical measures and organisational policies. Where they fail to do so, they can be held liable via data breach compensation claims.
Big GDPR fines and data breach compensation claims
In recent years, the development of data protection law has allowed for greater penalties to be issued by regulators. In 2018, the GDPR was introduced in the UK as part of a rollout across the EU and, since then, some organisations have been levied with big GDPR fines, sometimes even reaching the millions or tens of millions of pounds.
In the UK, the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO), the official data protection regulator, has issued some fines using the GDPR, imposing serious punishments for the data controllers involved. As important as this enforcement action is, it does not automatically allow the victims of data breaches to receive the compensation they deserve.
At Your Lawyers, we are specialists in data breach claims and group actions, and we have been involved in some of the biggest data protection lawsuits of recent years. In these group actions, we fight to win compensation for our clients, who have unjustly had their privacy rights breached. If you were affected by the Virgin Media data breach, you may be able to claim in our group action today.
How to claim GDPR compensation for the Virgin Media leak
If you need to know how to claim GDPR compensation as a victim of the Virgin Media data leak that was revealed in early 2020, we can help.
We have made the process for initiating your claim for compensation quick and easy with this dedicated site here where you can sign up to join the action here now. In this article, we will also briefly go into what you could claim for and give you a little insight into how it works as well.
Data protection laws breached in the Virgin Media case
The Virgin Media data leak that was revealed in early 2020 stemmed from what we consider to be clear breaches of important data protection laws, and justice must be achieved.
This is why we are able to represent victims of the data breach for a compensation claim on a No Win, No Fee basis. Because we are confident that we can succeed with the legal action that we have launched, we are able to work for our clients on the basis that we can waive our legal fees if the claim doesn’t succeed, subject to the terms and conditions in place (which we have to point out!)
Getting started is easy. All you need to do is start your claim for compensation here now if you have been affected, and you can join our group action without delay.
Reflecting on Cybersecurity month 2021
It is important to reflect on Cybersecurity month 2021, as we do each year, and look at how leaks like the Virgin Media incident could – and should – have been avoided in the first place.
This incident was an entirely avoidable breach, and it has had a huge impact on the thousands of people that we are representing for data breach compensation claims on a No Win, No Fee basis.
If you have yet to start your case and join the action, you can do so here now.
Malicious cyberattacks and data leaks
In the digital age, cybercriminals are constantly trying to take advantage of the huge online and cloud data stores used by many companies. Personal information is now a commodity for both legitimate businesses and malicious cybercriminals, with the latter often seeking to misuse data for financial gain. Data controllers must, therefore, defend against malicious cyberattacks on a regular basis, but many do not appear to be taking this threat seriously enough.
With the current climate of cybercrime as it is, it is unacceptable for companies to be negligent of their duties to protect personal data. In fact, in cases where data controllers fail to meet the mark, they may be liable for a breach of data protection law.
As specialist data protection lawyers, we firmly believe that we cannot afford to let companies off lightly in the wake of data breaches, or the problem of non-compliance may only exacerbate. We are, therefore, aiming to hold Virgin Media to account for its failure to protect personal data, as we believe that those affected are entitled to fair compensation for the harm caused even with the event not being a cyberattack but risking one taking place.
Cyber leak compensation claims
There can be a tendency for businesses and the media to present malicious hackers as the primary threat to data security. It is true that cybercriminals have been growing in strength, with many trying to seize the opportunities presented by the global crisis of the coronavirus pandemic. However, in data breaches, it is the failed cybersecurity of legitimate businesses and organisations that can cause private information to be leaked. As a result, those affected could be eligible to make cyber leak compensation claims to recover damages for any harm caused.
As specialists in data breach claims, we have seen how companies can underestimate the importance of cybersecurity measures. When this occurs, the consequences often fall heavily on the customers or employees of these companies, whose data may become exposed to misuse.
In the Virgin Media data breach, approximately 900,000 people had their data made vulnerable to unauthorised access due to what we believe to be Virgin Media’s negligence. All those affected by the incident may be eligible to make a compensation claim, so if you were notified of your involvement in the data breach, you can register for a claim today via our online form.
Claim for loss of control following a data breach
There are number of consequences to data breaches, with victims often suffering stress or anxiety, and sometimes becoming vulnerable to data misuse and cybercrime. Traditionally, data breach claims have been brought for reasons of distress and financial loss but, as this area of law continues to develop and gain traction, it is now also possible to claim for loss of control of personal data as part of this.
It is established in law that all organisations have a duty to protect the personal information that they hold, ensuring that appropriate data protection procedures are followed, and that strong cybersecurity defences are imposed. Unfortunately, despite the mass digitisation of personal information and the continuing evolution of hackers and cybercriminals, many companies still fail to take their data protection duties seriously.
Virgin Media is one among many companies to have compromised personal data in recent years, having been responsible for the exposure of around 900,000 people’s private information. We believe that Virgin Media must answer for its breach of data protection law, which is why we are taking on compensation claims for any victims affected by the incident. Victims can sign up for a legal case here now.
