Broaden your focus from big data to the data implications of POPISo much has already been said about POPI, the Protection of Personal Information Act, but so much of that has led to confusion. Danny Aaron, director of 3Way Marketing, explains... Big data's the current buzzword, but more important for marketers than how we interpret data to generate effective business leads should be how that all-important data is accessed and stored in the first place. Especially as one of the implications of POPI is that you could face jail time or huge corporate fines to the tune of R10m for doing so incorrectly. Aaron clears some of the misconceptions...
Aaron: POPI is a law not just about consent but about data in general. It doesn't just have implications for our industry, either. For example, if you're a satellite TV subscriber, it will affect how the company stores your information. At its core there are eight pillars: Companies must abide by POPI; personal information may only be processed in a fair and lawful manner and must ensure that personal information is only processed for specific, explicitly defined and legitimate reasons relating to the functions or activities of the company; further processing of personal information must be compatible with purpose of collection, unless the data subject has consented to such further processing; companies must maintain the quality of the personal information in terms of ensuring that it is reliable, accurate, up-to-date and relevant to the purposes for which it was collected; data subjects must also be aware of the specific personal information held about them; all personal information should be kept secure against the risk of loss, unauthorised access, interference, modification, destruction or disclosure; and data subjects have the right to access and/or request the correction or deletion of any personal information held about them that may be inaccurate, misleading or outdated.
Aaron: While we've been hearing about POPI for years already, nothing will happen until an information regulator is appointed and regulations are published. The last rumour was that this will happen in the next three years. After that, the President will proclaim a commencement date, after which it would be followed by a one- to three-year grace period. So there's no need to panic just yet, but you do need to start making sure your data collection and storage processes pass muster - no-one can actually talk with any confidence about deadlines at this stage. |