The Jamaica Observer posted an article on January 21, 2021, questioning a data security revolution in the region. Below are some key highlights:
- The issue of data security and protection has recently made an eruption as it concerns social media giants and their quest to transform their service offerings and platforms to better serve their users — more so themselves
- Up to January 15, it was imposing on its over two billion users new user policies which include sharing data collected to its mother company, Facebook, and affiliates, which they needed to have accepted in order to continue using the platform
- The company has maintained that this is part of its B2B strategy (WhatsApp Business), which aims at helping micro and small enterprises to facilitate more efficient communication with their clients via the platform
- What are the implications for the Caribbean region, though, which accounts for over 22 million Internet users (2019)?
- While entrepreneurship and B2B are undoubtedly a burgeoning phenomenon across the world, including in the Caribbean, how is Caricom ensuring that citizens data are protected and users of any application are not obliged to accept seemingly double-dealing user conditions? Will small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the region be guaranteed a competitive advantage, if even a benefit, from the collection and distribution of the data being targeted?
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