Any business with a website must prepare for a crackdown by European Data Protection Registrars, according to national law firm, Rowe Cohen Solicitors.

In a recent case brought before the European Court of Justice, Mrs Bodil Lindqvist, a community-minded parishioner and volunteer worker, was prosecuted for publishing a small, home-made website to assist fellow church-goers in their confirmation preparations.

Mrs Lindqvist of Alseda, Sweden, made the error of publishing personal information about a small group of parishioners without their consent, and therefore breached the 1995 European Data Protection Directive.

This information included their names, phone numbers, job descriptions, family circumstances and, in one case, their physical health.

Stewart Room, Partner and head of Rowe Cohen's Data Protection Unit, said:

"It's easy to sympathise with Mrs Lindqvist. After all, her actions were motivated by the very best of intentions. This landmark ruling stands as a cautionary tale to illustrate the strict nature of data protection regulations, where a person's good intent is irrelevant.

"Businesses must be aware that, if a seemingly innocuous website like Mrs Lindqvist's can result in prosecution, corporate and e-commerce websites that hold millions of pieces of personal information are a significant data protection liability.

"Businesses must review their online activities immediately to ensure their compliance with Data Protection Regulations. Rowe Cohen's recently launched Data Protection For Business service offers advice and practical assistance to enable businesses to achieve full compliance with the law. We provide fixed-price website reviews within 5 days."