Vigilance and Awareness First Lines of Defence in Data Protection

Jamaicans are being urged to be vigilant when navigating the digital space as the growing connectedness of the world continues to create privacy challenges.

Chief Technical Director (CTD) in the Information and Communications Technology Division in the Office of the Prime Minister, Wahkeen Murray, in making the call said that “vigilance and awareness are our first lines of defence in protecting our personal data”.

“We must be mindful about automatically clicking ‘accept cookies’ on a website or wantonly granting permission to applications we download. We must scrutinise every request and not be afraid to rescind our consent once given,” she advised.

Ms. Murray was addressing Thursday’s (January 25) Data Privacy Commemorative Conference staged by the Office of the Information Commissioner (OIC) at the University of the West Indies Regional Headquarters, St. Andrew.

She noted that personal information has become a commodity that is traded and monetised in the digital marketplace, and this data commoditisation not only poses a threat to one’s privacy “but also our autonomy, freedom and prosperity”.

With data breaches becoming a growing problem, she said, the issue affects citizens’ trust in national digital systems, their freedoms of expression and their right to privacy.

“But it is not all gloom and doom. We stand at a crossroads where meaningful action can make a difference. On an individual level, we must become more aware and educated about our digital footprints. For instance, it is crucial to understand the privacy settings of the platforms we use and to be mindful of the information we share online,” she pointed out.

Ms. Murray called on businesses and organisations to embrace a culture of privacy and treat it as a “cornerstone of customer trust and corporate responsibility”.

She pointed to the Data Protection Act, which she noted is designed to protect a person’s dignity and to put people back in control of their information.

The Act, which came into effect on December 1, 2023, provides greater safeguards for the handling of the personal information of Jamaicans held in physical or electronic form.

“The Data Protection Act is a compass that will help us as individuals, as businesses, and as a nation to navigate this journey of respect. Remember, technology is not the adversary here. When used responsibly, it has the power to enrich our private and public lives in countless ways,” the CTD pointed out.

Ms. Murray argued that as the country takes advantage of the benefits of the digital world, such as the national broadband initiative and the upcoming national identification system (NIS), there is need for a balance between leveraging technology and safeguarding privacy and dignity.

“The OIC, as it is being operationalised, stands ready to maintain that equilibrium,” the CTD said.