Sony Pixel Power calrec Sony

South Africans don't trust companies to protect their data privacy

22/05/2019

Adele Da Veiga, University of South AfricaBut the reality in South Africa is very different. In 2017, a massive data breach saw tens of millions of South Africans' personal information leaked. A real estate company using an open web server was responsible. There have been other instances also involving large companies.

There are legislative measures in place to protect people's data, among them the Protection of Personal Information Act. An Information Regulator has been established with the objective of protecting citizens' personal data. It is also responsible for monitoring and enforcing organisations' compliance of all organisations with the requirements of the Act once it comes into effect.

Ultimately, though, organisations remain accountable for implementing measures in line with the Act to protect their customer data. Public and private organisations are legally obliged to implement minimum requirements to protect consumer data when they process it.

But research conducted at the University of South Africa has found there's a huge disconnect between the privacy that consumers expect and are legally entitled to, and what organisations are doing to meet their obligations.

And a survey we conducted as part of the research found that consumers are becoming increasingly disenchanted with South African organisations when it comes to issues of privacy and data protection.

These issues can be addressed in several ways. Organisations must start complying with the Protection of Personal Information Act. This will bring South Africa in line with more than 120 countries that have already enacted data privacy legislation.

Organisations can also adopt and adapt guidelines issued by Information Regulators elsewhere in the world, and can study best practice from other jurisdictions. It could also help organisations if the Information Regulator in South Africa issued guidelines to implement the Act. It would also be useful to set up ways of holding organisations to account. Consumers need to know where to report companies that don't protect their data.

Deep mistrustOur survey found that consumers' were very concerned about the protection of their data. As much as 64% of the participants know someone personally whose personal data has been misused. Unwanted marketing was common, suggesting that contact information which was meant to be kept private, had been shared with others.

Of the 1007 people who responded to our survey across South Africa's nine provinces, 83% were concerned about the protection of their data. About 94% were especially worried about safeguarding their identity; 92% expressed concerns about the security of their financial data, and 80% about their health-related data. These concerns were higher (79%) for online transactions when compared to face-to-face transactions (57%).

Consumers also weren't sure what to do if their privacy had been violated. Only 37% felt they knew where they have to submit a complaint in a violation.

Overall, the survey suggested that South African consumers weren't confident that organisations always used their information lawfully and for the agreed purposes. The survey outlined all of the act's major conditions - and most respondents felt companies weren't meeting any of these. This, of course, affects consumer trust and confidence.

It has bigger implications, too. If a private or public company is domiciled in South Africa, it must comply with the Protection of Personal Information Act. If it processes the data of citizens in another jurisdiction, like the European Union (EU), it must also comply with the EU's regulations for the processing of personal information.

But, given that consumers feel that so many South African companies seem not to be complying with local data regulations, it's unlikely they are operating in line with global data rules such as the EU's General Data Protection Regulation. This may affect companies' ability to engage in international trade.

InterventionsOrganisations must take heed of their consumers' privacy concerns, and ensure the methods they use to process and store data are in line with both the law and customers' expectations. Compliance plans would be useful as compiled by organisations based on international best practice.

It is also obvious from the survey that consumers don't know who to complain to when their privacy has been violated. Consumers may also not know what the Act entails and what their rights are as only 44% indicated that they have good knowledge about it. The Information Regulator and other consumer organisations should consider awareness and education campaigns to address these gaps.

Consumers indicated that their preference for receiving more information about their privacy rights are mainly the Internet followed by organisations to whom they give their data, as well as the government and banking institutions.

Adele Da Veiga, Senior lecturer, University of South Africa

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

Tags: ckzvxjdataprivacySouth Africa
LINK: https://www.thesouthafrican.com/tech/south-africans-dont-trust-compani...
See more stories from thesouthafrican

Africa Stories

28/06/2025

Press Release: NFVF Marks Youth Month by Empowering Future Creatives Through Film & TV Bursaries

Johannesburg, 27 June 2025 - As the nation commemorates Youth Month 2025, the N...

13/06/2025

Press Release: NFVF Opens Call for Public Film Screenings on GBV Awareness as South Africa Confronts Ongoing Femicide Crisis

Johannesburg, 12 June 2025 - The National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF), an a...

11/06/2025

Press Release:NFVF Reaffirms Commitment to Transparent Funding and Fair Access Amid Industry Commentary By Ms Weaam Williams

Johannesburg, South Africa - 10 June 2025 - The National Film and Video Foundati...

10/06/2025

Press Release: NFVF Reaffirms Commitment to Transparent Funding and Fair Access Amid Industry Commentary By Ms Weaam Williams

Johannesburg, South Africa - 10 June 2025 - The National Film and Video Foundati...

06/06/2025

CALL FOR CO-DEVELOPMENT AND WORK-IN-PROGRESS PROJECTS OF FEATURE AND DOCUMENTARY ON THE AFRICAN DIASPORA SO PAULO (BRAZIL) SOUTH AFRICA

S o Paulo Film and Audiovisual Company (Spcine) and the National Film and Video ...

05/06/2025

Press Release: NFVF Celebrates Xoliswa Sithole's Selection for the 2025 Documentary Slate

Johannesburg, South Africa 4 June 2025 - The National Film and Video Foundatio...

29/05/2025

PRESS RELEASE: Remembering a South African Icon - Presley Chweneyagae (1984-2025)

Rest in Power, a True Legend of Our Screens Johannesburg, South Africa 27 May...

29/05/2025

Statement on the NFVF CEO's resignation

Johannesburg, South Africa 28 May 2025 - The National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF), Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Mr. Vincent Blennies, has resigned from...

22/05/2025

Call for Public Screening Proposals in Raising Awareness on Gender-Based Violence through Film

The National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF), an agency of the Department of Sp...

13/05/2025

The National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF) call for Applications for the Marketing and Distribution Cycle 1 Funding is Open

The NFVF, an agency of the Department of Sport, Arts and Culture that was create...

10/05/2025

The National Film and Video Foundation Members of the Appeal Review Committee Call is Open

The National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF), an agency of the Department of Sp...

09/05/2025

The National Film and Video Foundation Marketing and Distribution Advisory Panel Call.

The National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF), an agency of the Department of Sp...

09/04/2025

Call for NFVF funding applications to attend Film Festivals and Markets taking place from 1 June 2025 to 31 July 2025

The National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF) is pleased to announce that the ca...

08/04/2025

Press Release: The National Film and Video Foundation Announces its New Chief Executive Officer

We are pleased to announce the appointment of Mr. Vincent Blennies as Chief Exec...

04/04/2025

ANNECY 2025 STUDENT MENTORSHIP PROGRAMME

The National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF) invites final-year animation students to submit character designs inspired by lead characters from any South Afric...

14/03/2025

Call for NFVF Funding Applications To Attend Film Festivals and Markets Taking Place From 14 April 2025 To 31 May 2025.

The National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF) is pleased to announce that the ca...

01/03/2025

agua bacteriostatica comprar en lnea 18

Antis pticos Orales: Revisi n De La Literatura Y Perspectiva Actual Influenza son contradictorios, dadas las elevadas tasas de curaci n espont nea. De ser neces...

28/02/2025

The Future of Green Energy

The Future of Green Energy: Challenges and Prospects Green energy, also known as renewable energy, has emerged as a critical solution to global energy challenge...

27/02/2025

ai chat bot python 10

Beginner Coding in Python: Building the Simplest AI Chat Companion Possible AI-powered Personal VoiceBot for Language Learning by Gamze Zorlubas You can ear...

24/12/2024

PARTICIPATE AT SERIES MANIA FORUM 2025

The National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF) is calling for applications from South African film and television filmmakers to be part of the NFVF's delegat...

30/11/2024

Call for NFVF funding applications to attend Film Festivals and Markets taking place from 15 January 2025 to 31 March 2025.

The National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF) is pleased to announce that the ca...

16/11/2024

The National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF) Call for Market and Festival Hosting Funding Applications is Open

The National Film and Video Foundation, an agency of the Department of Sport, Ar...

16/11/2024

The National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF) Call for Current Masters Students to Attend Carthage Film Festival in Tunis, Tunisa.

The National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF) invites current masters students t...

30/10/2024

18TH ANNUAL SOUTH AFRICAN FILM AND TELEVISION AWARDS (SAFTAS) HONOURED THE BEST OF THE SA FILM AND TELEVISION INDUSTRY

Johannesburg, 26 October 2024 - The 18th Annual South African Film and Televisio...

30/10/2024

SAFTAs18 Winners List

BEST ACHIEVEMENT IN SOUND DOCUMENTARY !Aitsa Practitioner: Simon Kohler Production House: MED CINE BEST ACHIEVEMENT IN EDITING DOCUMENTARY Rise: The Si...

24/10/2024

PUBLIC INVITATION TO THE INTERVIEW OF NOMINATED CANDIDATE FOR THE COUNCIL OF THE NATIONAL FILM AND VIDEO FOUNDATION (NFVF)

In accordance with Section 6 (2) (c) of the National Film and Video Foundation A...

19/10/2024

Call for Applications: Masters Students to Attend the African International Film Festival (AFRIFF) in Lagos, Nigeria.

The National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF) invites postgraduate students to s...

15/10/2024

EXTENSION OF: INVITATION TO SUBMIT DOCUMENTARY SLATE PROPOSALS 2024

The National Film and Video Foundation (herein referred to as NFVF) is a statutory body set up by the government to grow and develop the South African Film and ...

11/10/2024

NFVF Announces Old Righteous Blues as South Africa's Official Entry for the 97th Academy Awards (Oscars)

10 October 2024 Johannesburg, South Africa - The National Film and Video Found...

09/10/2024

SPORTEL Monaco 2024 Ravel Booth G06/07

Sportel stand number: Ravel Hall G06/07 After a summer filled with intense sport emotions in Paris, France and beyond, Globecast will be happy to welcome you...

04/10/2024

Press Release

SAFTAs 18 Announces Date and Theme: Honouring Excellence in South African Film and Television with the theme Back to Basics . Johannesburg, South Africa Wedn...

04/10/2024

SAFTAs18 Announces Date and Theme: Honouring Excellence in South African Film and Television with the theme Back to Basics

Johannesburg, South Africa Wednesday, 2 October 2024 The South African Film ...

01/10/2024

National Film and Video Foundation Announces Leadership Changes

Johannesburg, South Africa - Monday, 30 September 2024 - The National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF), an agency of the Department of Sport, Arts and Culture (...

24/09/2024

Invitation for people with disabilities to submit proposals for short films under the theme: Not What Society Expects

Every little girl out there who has felt different because they are not what soc...

09/09/2024

INVITATION TO SUBMIT DOCUMENTARY SLATE PROPOSALS 2024

The National Film and Video Foundation (herein referred to as NFVF) is a statutory body set up by the government to grow and develop the South African Film and ...

06/09/2024

The 18th Annual South African Film and Television Awards (SAFTAs18) Nominees Announced.

Johannesburg, 05 September 2024 - The National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF),...

09/08/2024

National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF) Mourns the Passing of Veteran Actress Mme Connie Chiume

Johannesburg, 8 August 2024 - It is with profound sadness that the National Film...

01/08/2024

Globecast at IBC 2024 Booth 5.C75

Globecast to Showcase the Broadcast Industry's Most Advanced Connectivity and Hybrid Cloud Solutions at IBC 2024 PARIS, 1 August 2024 Globecast, the lead...

16/07/2024

18th Annual South African Film and Television Awards (SAFTAs) open the call for Discretionary Award Nominations

The National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF), an agency of the Department of Sp...

13/07/2024

Invitation for South African filmmakers to submit films for the 97th Annual Academy Awards (Oscars) International Feature Film category.

The National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF), an agency of the Department of Sp...

09/07/2024

The National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF) call for Marketing and Distribution cycle 2 funding applications is open

The NFVF, an agency of the Department of Sport, Arts and Culture that is created...

02/07/2024

Global Arabic Bouquet (GAB) renewed deal

Arabsat, ASBU and Globecast are commemorating 20 years with a renewed multi-year deal for Global Arabic Bouquet (GAB) services, providing a wide range of DTH di...

11/06/2024

30 YEARS OF SOUTH AFRICA'S DEMOCRACY CELEBRATED THROUGH THE FILM LENS AT THE 77TH INTERNATIONAL CANNES FILM FESTIVAL

Tuesday 11 June 2024, Johannesburg. The National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF...

31/05/2024

Statement on the alleged ill treatment of cast members

The National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF), the custodians of the South African Film and Television Awards (SAFTAs), has learned of the allegations of ill-tr...

22/05/2024

Judge blocks auction of Elvis Presley's Graceland estate

Judge blocks auction of Elvis Presley's Graceland estateA judge in Tennessee has temporarily halted a foreclosure sale of Graceland, the historic home of El...