With the pervasiveness of technology, it is important to ensure your personal data is used the way you want it to be.

Here are some tips for you*:

In general

• Always think about who you are giving your personal data to and why. If it is not clear why your personal data is needed, always ask.
• Be cautious about providing any personal detail to unsolicited callers by phone, fax, post, or email, unless you are able to confirm the authenticity of the call.
• Shred or destroy all documents containing any personal details before throwing them away.
• Choose to transact with organisations that are Data Protection Trustmark (DPTM) certified, as they have accountable data protection practices to better manage and safeguard your personal data.

Going online

• Carefully consider how much personal data you choose to post or share online. Once the information becomes publicly available, it may be difficult for you to safeguard or manage how your personal data may be used.

• Read website privacy notices. Look out for the purpose of collecting your personal data as well as how it is used and disclosed to third parties. For example, if you are concerned that your personal data is being used to market other products and services to you, check the website for such clauses before providing your personal data.

• Control your browser settings and decide how you want to be tracked, if at all. Many websites collect data such as usage profile through the use of ‘cookies’. Examples of such data may include browsing habits of users or details such as IP addresses. However, some of the data collected may not constitute personal data if an individual cannot be identified from the data, or from that data and other information to which the organisation has or is likely to have access. The data may be collected for marketing and research purposes, or they may be used to provide you convenience and a more personalised experience on the website.

You have a responsibility to protect your own personal data. By being careful about how you manage your personal data, you can greatly limit potential risks of misuse of your personal data.

Find out more about the enhanced PDPA here.

 

 

^{*The tips provided here are for your information only and not to be construed as legal advice. They are not legally binding and do not modify or supplement the legal effect and interpretation of the PDPA and regulations issued under the PDPA or any other laws.}