UK ICO reprimands Met Police over unlawful uploads to Auror platform

The UK's ICO has reprimanded London's Metropolitan Police and issued an enforcement notice after officers used the Auror retail crime platform without approval or data protection checks. Between March 2023 and September 2024, officers unlawfully uploaded data on 179 people, including three children, to the platform.

• Officers created around 500 free Auror accounts without approval or a DPIA
• Data on 179 people was unlawfully uploaded: 128 names only, 49 names and birth dates
• Auror access was blocked on September 26, 2024; ICO probe began in April 2025
• After formal approval, the platform is again used in 14 London boroughs