Insights
-
Why Most DSAR Redaction Processes Fail Under Scrutiny
Data Subject Access Requests are often treated as a delivery exercise. The emphasis falls on speed, volume, and producing a final bundle of documents that appears compliant. In practice, however, DSAR handling is not primarily about output. It is about record creation.
-
The Silent Risk of ‘Non-Relevant’ Documents in Disclosure
In many disclosure processes, the most significant decisions are the least visible. Documents that are disclosed are reviewed, redacted, and delivered. Documents that are deemed non-relevant often disappear quietly from view. This disappearance creates a false sense of safety.
-
CCTV and Video DSARs: Where Good Processes Break Down
DSARs with video inclusion expose weaknesses in disclosure processes that document-heavy requests often conceal. CCTV footage, body-worn video, and other visual media introduce complexity at every stage of the process, from identification through to disclosure.
-
Audit Trails Are Not Evidence Unless They Capture Reasoning
Audit trails are widely cited as a marker of good disclosure practice. They appear in procurement documents, compliance statements, and internal policies. Yet under scrutiny, many audit trails prove to be surprisingly thin. They record activity, but not judgement.
-
Why Speed Is the Wrong Primary Metric for Disclosure
Statutory time limits exert a powerful influence on disclosure practice. Deadlines are visible, measurable, and difficult to ignore. It is therefore unsurprising that speed has become a dominant metric in DSAR and FOI handling. However, when speed becomes the primary objective, it can distort decision-making in subtle but consequential ways.
-
When Disclosure Becomes a Governance Issue Rather Than an Operational Task
Disclosure is often delegated as an operational responsibility. It is assigned to teams, supported by tools, and measured by outputs. In many organisations, it sits some distance from formal governance structures, surfacing at board level only when something goes wrong.