Trump resort will not be charged for breaching data laws

Donald Trump's Aberdeenshire golf resort will not be investigated or prosecuted, despite failing to register with the Information Commissioner's Office under the Data Protection Act.

Every company that handles personal information is required by law to register under the DPA, but Trump International Golf Links Scotland, established in 2012, failed to do so until Thursday, the ICO told IT Pro.

The hotel and golf course complex has now registered under the act, and the data privacy watchdog says that it has no intentions of prosecuting the organisation for its four-year lapse.

"Where data controllers respond to advice from the ICO that they need to notify and complete the registration process," a spokesperson said, "it generally would not be a proportionate response to then commence a prosecution.

"We treat those that we regulate in a consistent way and to pursue the golf course in these circumstances would be inconsistent to how we have dealt with others in similar circumstances."

However, an ICO spokesman pointed out to IT Pro that just because an organisation is registered under the Data Protection Act does not mean that it is automatically compliant with it. Trump's resort could still find itself in hot water if it does not take adequate steps to ensure the security of its' customers' data.

The company, which claims to have hosted tens of thousands of guests, told The Guardian that the lack of registration was a "clerical oversight".

"We take the security of our employees and guests' personal data very seriously," a statement read, "and comply with all aspects of the Data Protection Act."