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Data compression meaning
Published by a LexisNexis Dispute Resolution expert
What does Data compression mean?
Data compression is the process of encoding digital information so it takes up less storage space or bandwidth. In legal practice it is used to archive matter files, exchange electronic bundles, manage eDisclosure/eDiscovery data sets, and store back-ups. It is a descriptive computing term rather than one defined in legislation or case law, but it carries legal and evidential implications.
Lossless compression (for example ZIP) preserves the original data exactly and is generally required for documents or digital evidence to protect evidential integrity, metadata and chain of custody. Lossy compression (common in some image, audio or video formats) discards information; its use for evidence or disclosure should be risk-assessed and usually avoided unless quality is sufficient and the original is retained.
Compression is “processing” under the UK GDPR, the Data Protection Act 2018 and the EU GDPR (Ireland). Controllers should document purpose, apply data minimisation and storage limitation, and maintain audit trails and hash values. Compressed archives may impede searchability; review typically requires decompression and careful handling to avoid spoliation.
Usage is broadly consistent across England & Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland and Ireland, with procedural rules on disclosure/discovery and SARs governing when and how compressed data must be expanded and produced.
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NEWS
Information Society Services under the EU E-Commerce Directive and UK Regulations: Definitions, Remuneration, Liability Shields, Scope and Grey Areas
What are the definitions of ‘service provider’ and ‘information society services’ under the E-Commerce Directive and the Electronic Commerce (EC Directive) Regulations 2002? The E-Commerce Directive (Council Directive 2000/31/EC) and the Electronic Commerce (EC Directive) Regulations 2002 (SI 2002/2013) state that a ‘service provider’ is any natural or legal person who supplies an information society service. Recital 17 of the E-Commerce Directive describes ‘information society services’ as any service typically supplied for remuneration, delivered at a distance, using electronic equipment for the processing (including digital compression) and storage of data, and provided at the individual request of the recipient. The notion of ‘information society services’, together with related terms such as ‘at a distance’ and ‘at the individual request of a recipient of services’, is further clarified in Article 1(1) of Directive 2015/1535/EU. The condition that a service is ‘normally provided for remuneration’ has been interpreted by the courts. Remuneration does not mean the recipient or user must pay for the service. In Google France SARL and...
14 September
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View the related Practice Notes about Data compression
PRACTICE NOTES
UK EMIR Practical Guide: Clearing, Trade Reporting, Margin for Uncleared OTC Derivatives, Risk Mitigation, Exemptions, CCP and Trade Repository Regimes, and Recent Reforms
This Practice Note sets out the principal features of Assimilated Regulation (EU) 648/2012 (UK EMIR), namely: (1) the clearing obligation, (2) the duty to report trades, (3) margin rules for non‑centrally cleared over‑the‑counter (OTC) derivatives, and (4) further risk mitigation for uncleared transactions, including timely confirmation, portfolio reconciliation, portfolio compression, and dispute resolution. Section 1(1) and Schedule 1 Part 1 of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2023 (FSMA 2023) empower the revocation of UK EMIR on a date, or dates, to be set by HM Treasury; no such date has been set to date. UK EMIR—Introduction Key requirements of UK EMIR UK EMIR is the leading UK instrument regulating the OTC derivatives market. Its core elements are: a mandate for certain standardised OTC derivatives, traded by specified counterparties, to be cleared through a central counterparty (CCP)—see Clearing obligation below an obligation to report derivative contracts to a trade repository (TR)—see Trade reporting obligation below margin standards for non‑centrally cleared OTC...
22 May
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