Entrance forms & the Data Protection Act
- Entrants to a competition should normally complete an electronic "entrance form" which should only request the minimum amount of personal information necessary to enter the competition. The reasons for requesting any additional information should also be declared under the Data Protection Act. The user should be offered a clear option to enter the competition without providing the additional information, for example by putting an asterisk in the fields which are optional.
- Personal information (which can be as little as a name and email address) should not be passed on to third parties without the user's prior knowledge and consent. If this is a possibility, it must be made clear to the user.
For more advice on the Data Protection Act, see Section 16: The Law.