Protecting data means protecting your clients

WINDHOEK, Jan. 31 – This year in Europe a major new regulation will come into force to safeguard
customers and clients’ data. The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR)
becomes law across the European Union as of 25th May, 2018. Which lets us in
Namibia breathe a sigh of relief; “At least it is not here.” This may be the
case, but data protection is essential and the fact that it is now to be
regulated comes as no surprise, especially if we think about how much data,
well our own data, details and information is flying around out there in
cyberspace or stored somewhere. How do we know who has access to it, who can
use it or perhaps leverage for fraudulent activities? Can our data or
identities be stolen, simply because we once filled out a form which has
been digitised by a company or organisation? Or whether a company simply
sells your information on to a third party without your knowledge.

Whether you shop online, use social media or have a bank account, insurance
policy, driver’s license you can be sure there’s an organisation that has
your details. This does not have to be a problem, as long as the
organisation knows how to handle, store, and protect your data. It is after
all…your data!

Most people would feel uneasy or downright offended if someone was just to
start scrolling through their smartphone. The information, details and
perhaps pictures on there may not be for everyone’s eyes. The same can be
said for information that is stored on company servers or in the cloud. They
need excellent protection to avoid, pre-empt and stop data leaks, data hacks
or data simply being stolen. The European Regulation’s aim is to give
individuals more rights over their data and restrict how companies process
private information and with whom they share it. This will become the norm
across the globe.

As more and more services move online in Namibia, more data is collected.
With the increasing stability of Internet and higher speeds, services that
were beyond our reach in Namibia are now accessible. Just think of Amazon,
Netflix, online insurance brokers, banking and many others. Often we only
see the convenience in being able to buy, sell, apply or subscribe to things
online. We are more than willing to give our personal details and simply
assume they will be handled, carefully, securely and with the greatest
respect for privacy. This data is immensely powerful and we have all heard
of the horrors of ‘identity-theft’ and people having their credit cards
maxed out or their bank accounts depleted. Countering this starts with
ensuring you protect your own information and knowing that the organisations
that have your information for whatever reason, know how vital it is to keep
it safe and secure and protected from prying eyes.

Whether the organisation is large or small, their responsibility to
safeguard your information and data is no less. This is what the new
European Regulation deals with in broad strokes. One can be confident that
across the world and therefore, right here in Namibia similar regulations
will become the norm. Companies and organisations will expose themselves to
lawsuits, criminal damages and immense fines if they cannot ensure that
their clients’ data is protected. Often it pays to be ahead of the curve and
with protecting your customers’ data this is definitely the case. It is
something that customers and clients will appreciate and seek out
organisations that protect their information and data. Additionally it is
only a matter of time before it becomes law here in Namibia as well.

Johann van Rooyen
Senior Technical advisor, Green Enterprise Solutions