The Jamaica Gleaner posted an article on July 19, 2020, about the reach of Jamaica’s Data Protection Act (DPA). Below are some key highlights:
- Businesses engaged in the practice of using private information shared by customers, such as emails and telephone contact, to promote their operation, could find themselves facing fines of up to $2 million under the Data Protection Act, DPA.
- The bill is still to be enacted into law. The updated DPA, which was passed in Parliament on May 19, was delayed for nearly two years, following the departure of former portfolio minister Dr Andrew Wheatley from the Cabinet at the height of the Petrojam scandal. “So, for example, a Facebook or Amazon offering goods or service or a company that’s tracking persons in Jamaica, they could fall within the ambit of this act even though they are not established in Jamaica.
- The eight data protection standards covered by the bill allows for fair and lawful processing of data, which ultimately means that consent must be obtained from the individual for the collection of data that would be deemed necessary for compliance with legal obligations and administrative purposes. The DPA will become law after the governor-general signs the legislation and it is gazetted.
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