Jamaicans encouraged to develop data privacy culture

The Ministry of Science and Technology is encouraging Jamaicans to develop a culture of data privacy and to be vigilant in securing their personal information online.

The call comes as Jamaica joins the rest of the world in celebrating Data Privacy Day on January 28, under the theme, “Respecting Privacy, Safeguarding Data and Enabling Trust”.

Acting Permanent Secretary Miss Wahkeen Murray while acknowledging that there is no such thing as an impenetrable system, says that “through deliberate and consistent effort, organisations and individuals can develop safe cyber habits that protect their identity and increase their safety online”.

“Data breaches increase in size and scope every year and as we increase the types of activities that are carried out online, consumer’s personal information and valuable business information are at increasing risk of unwanted exposure,” Murray said.

She noted that the Government is developing legislation, policies, standards and guidelines to guide how personal data is received, stored, retrieved and shared, the Acting Permanent Secretary said.  

Data Privacy Day is led by the National Cyber Security Alliance, and began in the United States and Canada in 2008 as an extension of the Data Protection Day celebration in Europe.

It aims at increasing awareness about privacy and educates citizens on how to secure their personal information. The day also encourages businesses to be more transparent about how they collect and use data.

We want to hear from you! Send us a message on WhatsApp at 1-876-499-0169, email us at editors@gleanerjm.com or onlinefeedback@gleanerjm.com.