The safety of people’s data was central to a panel discussion hosted by the Information Regulator (IR) – South Africa’s regulatory authority on access to information and data protection rights – in commemoration of International Data Privacy Day on Thursday 28 January.
“They are the most valuable public corporations in the world as measured by their market capitalisation. What makes them rich is our personal information,” said Alison Tilley, a senior attorney, seasoned campaigner for socioeconomic justice, and newest member of the IR.
Tilley is referring to the likes of Facebook, WhatsApp and Twitter, whose “big corporation” status is derived from users’ private information.