UK's chief data watchdog resigns over ‘inappropriate humour’
-
UK Information Commissioner John Edwards has resigned after a workplace investigation found his conduct fell short of what is expected from a public official.
-
Edwards admitted he had shown poor judgement and made inappropriate attempts at humour that caused offence, saying his position had become untenable.
-
Deputy Commissioner and Chief Executive Paul Arnold will continue leading the ICO’s operations until a new Information Commissioner is appointed.
The UK’s Information Commissioner, John Edwards, has officially resigned from his position after a workplace investigation into his conduct.
Edwards stepped back from his duties in April during an independent workplace investigation and now acknowledges that his position, which he had held since 2022, “has become untenable.”
“Since February of this year I have been the subject of an investigation. While I have not agreed with how that investigation has been conducted, I accept that my position has become untenable,” Edwards wrote in a post on LinkedIn.
“From the time the investigation was launched, I have accepted that there have been occasions where I exercised poor judgement and made attempts at humour that were inappropriate and caused offence.”
He said that for this reason, he has decided to resign from his position as he does not wish to be “a distraction to the ICO’s important work.”
The Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) is responsible for enforcing data protection and privacy in the UK, as well as regulating AI.
“As technology continues to evolve, and the AI tsunami breaks over us, we must redouble, and continuously adapt our collective efforts to ensure safety, accountability, and trust online,” Edwards said, adding that no country can address these challenges alone.
Has your password leaked?
Although details of the inappropriate conduct were not disclosed, and it’s currently unclear whether the investigation’s results will ever be made public, Science Secretary Liz Kendall shared more information on LinkedIn:
“I have seen evidence of the vulgar and highly sexualised language that was used in his interactions with his staff and am extremely concerned that he continues to describe these incidents as misplaced humour, including on his social media post announcing his resignation. Such conduct does not belong in the workplace, least of all exhibited by the leader of an organisation.”
“Multiple women shared testimony to the investigator on feeling offended, shocked and uncomfortable following interactions with Mr Edwards. I am deeply grateful to all who came forward to share their experiences as part of this investigation,” she added.
The ICO later confirmed that Edwards had resigned. The resignation follows the Information Commissioner's Office announcing that there was “a case to answer” regarding Edwards' conduct.
"The investigation concluded that there was a case to answer and made clear that his behaviour fell short of the conduct expected from a public official," the ICO said in a statement.
Edwards became the UK's Information Commissioner in 2022 after serving as New Zealand's Privacy Commissioner from 2014 to 2021. Until a new Information Commissioner is appointed, Deputy Commissioner and Chief Executive Paul Arnold will continue leading the regulator's operations.
Unlock more exclusive Cybernews content on YouTube.
