LAST week’s announcement from the National Privacy Commission that it will penalize those in the private sector who engage in data privacy violations is very welcome.
The concept of data privacy is, regrettably, under-developed. We need a clearer understanding, by law, as to the concept of data privacy. We necessarily provide personal data to various government departments, to financial institutions, and to many other entities.
Not many of us know what restraints exist for disseminating our personal information. There are those who barely recognize the concept of data privacy at all. Salesmen can often be cavalier about seeking our personal information, sometimes under the guise of “friendship” but have no compunction about selling this information to third parties.
Call centers have “outbound” calls in which our personal information has been illicitly acquired and then used to market unwanted products and services to us.
A substantial family expenditure is incurred as a result of our telecommunications activity. A long time ago we received approaches from Citibank. It transpired that these approaches were as a result of information provided by Globe. Was the provision of our contact details legal or is there a breach of privacy laws? To receive unwanted missives from Citibank seems scant reward for paying our telecommunications bills on time. I should add that at the time we complained to Globe which expressed regret for its action.
I wholeheartedly support the principles of the National Privacy Commission (NPC). In fact, I believe it should be allocated greater resources so that it can explain more fully, and to a wider audience, the scope of its activities and the legal boundaries embodied by the concept of privacy.
Otherwise, we are sitting ducks from those who think the concept of privacy is non-existent and that we, and our personal data, are fair game./PN
