Finally! Data Protection Law to be passed in Singapore!!

[Rogue Trader]

Data-protection law to cover all text messages


By Joy Fang
my paper
Tuesday, Mar 20, 2012

Consumers with Singapore telco subscriptions may be able to opt out of receiving intrusive marketing messages sent through smartphone applications, after the national Do-Not-Call (DNC) registry is set up.

These apps will include popular ones such as WhatsApp Messenger.

The Ministry of Information, Communications and the Arts (Mica) had previously proposed that the DNC registry would cover only SMSes, MMSes, faxes and phone calls.

Under proposed data-protection legislation to be introduced in the third quarter of this year, individuals may also have their personal data protected for up to 10 years after their death.

These are some of the details that Mica is proposing in the draft Personal Data Protection Bill.

The first reading of the Bill in Parliament is slated for the third quarter.

Mica will hold a third round of public consultations on these proposals from now until April 30. The DNC registry is slated to start operations by the end of next year.

There is currently no overarching consumer-privacy law in Singapore, only specific regulations in three areas - banking, telecommunications and health care.

The legislation aims to protect one's personal information and prevent it from being collected indiscriminately and used for marketing purposes.

Companies will not be able to contact consumers who register their numbers in the registry.

The new legislation will apply to all companies - even those located overseas - that collect, use or disclose the data of consumers here.

Mica admitted that it will be difficult to enforce the legislation when it comes to companies abroad, but said it is working with partners overseas and will depend on bilateral agreements and relationships with overseas regulators.

There are key exemptions to the rules.

These include data used for police investigations and information used by news organisations for news activities.

Personal information collected for evaluation to determine suitability for employment or school entry, medical emergencies, research, artistic and literary purposes will also be excluded.

Companies will have 18 months to conform, from the time the legislation is passed to the time it takes effect.

A Data Protection Commission will be set up to investigate and penalise companies suspected of misconduct, even if no complaint has been lodged. The maximum fine is set at $1 million.


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[Rogue Trader]

Personal Data Protection Bill to be presented in Parliament


AsiaOne
Monday, Mar 19, 2012


SINGAPORE - Unsolicited marketing calls or text messages are to be gradually phased out with a Personal Data Protection Bill to be presented in Parliament by the third quarter of 2012.

Under the new proposed law, organisations can only collect, use or disclose personal data with the individual's consent.

The Act also includes the creation of a national Do-Not-Call (DNC) Registry, which allows consumers to sign up to disallow marketing companies from calling them.

The proposed Bill - which will be called the Personal Data Protection Act (PDPA) after it is passed - includes the suggested position on areas such as the scope of coverage of the Act; rules and exclusions on the collection, use, disclosure and care of personal data; as well as the Act's penalty and enforcement regime.

It also outlines the scope of the DNC Registry, which is estimated to be set up and operational at least one year from the time the Bill is enacted.

After the Bill is passed, a sunrise period of 18 months - during which the PDPA is not enforced - will allow organisations time to comply with the Act.

In the drafting of the Bill, feedback received from consultations with the public late last year were taken into consideration, said the Ministry of Information, Communications and the Arts (MICA).

Some of the feedback include:

1) While recognising the practical challenges of covering overseas organisations under the proposed law, the majority of respondents approved of doing so. Otherwise, it may make local companies less competitive as compared to overseas firms, respondents noted.

2) The public was divided on whether the failure of consumers to "opt out" should be deemed consent for use of personal data.

Some were worried that organisations may incur additional costs if failure to opt out is not deemed as consent, while others voiced concern over the possible abuse of such a provision.

3) There was general support for excluding business contact information from the law. Some respondents also suggested data contained in examination scripts and university applications be excluded as well.

Before the Bill is to be presented in Parliament, MICA is seeking further public feedback in a public consultation exercise to be held from March 19 to April 30.

More details on the Bill is available on MICA's online consultation website at www.mica.gov.sg/dpbillconsultation.

Members of the public can submit their views in writing or via email to [email protected] by April 30, 5 pm.


[email][email protected][/EMAIL]

 

[breaknews]

So late angmo countries already have this law.

Well better late than never!