By Wilfridah Murenga
The Office of the Data Protection Commissioner in Kenya has issued a stern warning to the public regarding the sharing of personal information without consent.
In a statement issued on Wednesday 19, June, the data Commissioner Immaculate Kassit warned that such behavior infringes upon the privacy rights of individuals stated in Article 31 of the Constitution.
“In view of the foregoing, the office wishes to advise members of the public to refrain from further sharing of personal information which infringes on individuals’ rights to privacy,” said the Data Commissioner.
“This practice has been happening without the affected citizens’ consent contrary to the provisions of Article 31 of the Constitution of Kenya, the Data Protection Act, 2019 and its attendant regulations,” she added.
As per the statement, some of the information shared without consent includes names, telephone numbers, location, and details of family members.
The Data Commissioner has called on those whose information has been displayed to the public through various social media platforms to file their complaints at the ODPC.
“The office encourages any member of the public whose privacy has been violated to file a complaint via complaint@odpc.go.ke,” she said.
This follows the emergence of a new trend where a section of internet users took to social media platforms mostly X to expose numbers of political leaders to pressure them into voting against the proposed Finance Bill 2024.
Several Lawmakers have spoken up about receiving text messages and phone calls from members of the public.
Among the numbers leaked was that of the head of state President William Ruto.