shloboe boe
Leonard Ncube, [email protected]
ROBUST regulatory interventions, coupled with harmonisation of global standards are urgently needed to safeguard personal data and reduce risks that come with the “Internet of Things”.
This emerged during discussions at the second edition of the Postal and Telecommunications Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe (Potraz) Data Privacy Symposium in Victoria Falls yesterday.
More than 400 data protection officers drawn from a cross-section of the information technology sector, including policy makers, regulators, business, academics, researchers, security and data experts are attending the three-day symposium that ends tomorrow.
The event is being held under the theme: “Bridging Technology, Policy, Law and Practice: Towards Strengthening Data Protection in Zimbabwe”.
Giving welcome remarks, Potraz director general, Dr Gift Machengete said regulation is one of the key elements of success of the data ecosystem.
He said today’s world economy is driven by data yet there is always a risk of its acquisition through illegal and unethical means.
“Our personal data is not safe from abuse and manipulation as long as there is a high price tag on it. As a regulator, together with civil society and like-minded individuals, it’s our duty to ensure that our personal information across all sectors and divide is safe and protected,” said Dr Machengete.
“As we delve into these discussions, we must recognise that robust regulatory intervention are fundamental to safeguarding personal data. Effective regulations must strike a balance between fostering innovation and protecting privacy.
“This involves harmonising global standards, addressing cross border data flows and ensuring algorithmic accountability to build resilient data protection framework,” he added.
Dr Machengete said it was important to note that the proliferation of artificial intelligence, Internet of Things devices and 5G connectivity heightens vulnerabilities in data protection.
He said data protection is a fundamental human rights issue, especially for vulnerable populations such as children and marginalised communities and called for targeted policies that address specific emerging challenges.
“These technologies thrive on data and while we need them to succeed for the betterment of humanity, we are also worried of the threats they pose to data privacy,” said Dr Machengete. “Targeted policies and initiatives such as stricter regulations on children’s data and efforts to bridge the digital divide are crucial to ensuring inclusivity and protection for all.
“To address these risks, we must promote secure by design principles, enforce strong encryption standards and enhance public awareness of digital security,” he added.
Dr Machengete said collaboration was key as Potraz and Government alone cannot win the war on data protection.
He said the conference topics to be delivered through panel discussions, presentations and masterclasses seek to come up with tangible outcomes with regards to data protection.
Yesterday’s discussions were around issues of consent, challenges and opportunities for the banking industry in the age of data protection, securing personal data in the era of IoT and 5G connectivity, regulatory interventions in strengthening data protection in Southern Africa, understanding the role of legal profession in data protection and another masterclass on the complementary role of data protection officers.
The country has enacted several pieces of legislation, including the Cyber Data Protection Act, to safeguard sensitive personal information.
