United Kingdom: Opened consultation on ICO guidance on application of data protection regulations to online content moderation processes

On 27 April 2023, the ICO opened a public consultation on the adoption of guidance to clarify the application of data protection regulation in the context of online content moderation processes until 9 June 2023. Content moderation involves analysing user-generated content on online platforms to determine whether it meets certain standards or is appropriate for a given context. This content often contains personal data, and the analysis may lead to subsequent actions such as content removal, escalation to human moderators, or the application of content warnings. The objective is to ensure that personal data is processed in compliance with data protection laws during the content moderation process. This initiative represents the initial step towards fulfilling the commitments outlined in the Joint Statement issued by the ICO and Ofcom in November 2022.