About the Data Protection Foundation
We're a non-profit Community Interest Company protecting UK citizens from data misuse.
Our Mission
The Problem
Companies routinely breach data protection laws, but enforcement is weak and inconsistent. They have technical expertise and legal resources that individual citizens can't match. The result? Your data is collected, shared, and exploited without meaningful consent or accountability.
Our Solution
We level the playing field by combining technical expertise with legal action. Our team conducts forensic analysis of how companies actually handle data, then uses that evidence to hold them accountable through collective legal action and regulatory complaints.
Our Tools
We've developed DataGator, a free tool that helps you discover what data companies hold about you and exercise your legal rights. It automates the complex process of making Subject Access Requests and tracks company responses, making data rights accessible to everyone.
How We Work
Technical Research
We conduct forensic analysis of how companies collect, process, and share personal data. Our technical experts uncover hidden tracking, unauthorized data sharing, and violations of data protection laws.
Legal Action
We bring collective actions and strategic litigation against companies that break data protection laws. Our legal team works with leading data rights solicitors to hold companies accountable.
Public Education
We translate complex data protection law into clear, practical guidance. Our resources help UK citizens understand their rights and take action against data misuse.
Member Advocacy
We provide direct support to our members, helping them exercise their data rights and take action against companies that misuse their information.
Our History
The Data Protection Foundation was founded in 2021 as a Community Interest Company - a special type of non-profit organization designed to benefit the community. We're funded by our members and operate independently of government and corporate interests.
Key Achievements
- •Stopped Oracle from tracking 500,000 UK citizens through hidden browser identifiers
- •Conducted major investigations into Meta, TikTok, and Google's data practices
- •Made submissions to UK government consultations on GDPR adoption and data protection reform
Board of Directors
Our board brings together expertise in technology, law, campaigning, and data protection.
Mark Stoter OBE
Chair
Senior technologist with extensive experience in the British Army and intelligence community. Expert in digital security and data protection.
Kate Wellington
Board Member
Former Head of Legal at Which? and CEO of the Costs Lawyer Standards Board. Leading expert in class action litigation and consumer protection law.
Hannah Lownsbrough
Board Member
Executive Director of SumOfUs. Experienced campaign professional focused on corporate accountability and digital rights.
Advisory Board
Our advisory panel provides structured, collaborative expertise in digital rights, child protection, data law, and strategic litigation.
Dr Mark Leiser BSc, PhD
Digital Regulation & Platform Governance
Specialist in digital regulation, disinformation, and dark patterns. Visiting professor at the University of Riga and research scholar at the University of Milan. Advises governments and industry on the human impact of digital technologies.
Duncan McCann
Child Safety & Data Rights
Head of Accountability at the Good Law Project. Previously led accountability at 5Rights Foundation, helping develop the UK's Online Safety Act. Expert in children's rights online and surveillance advertising.
César Manso-Sayao
Strategic Litigation & Digital Rights
Legal Officer at Digital Freedom Fund. Holds Master's degrees in Human Rights and Sociology, with postgraduate studies in Technopolitics. Advocates for strategic litigation and open-source approaches to digital age challenges.