The Protection of Personal Information Act or POPI Act is South African legislation relating to the EU GDPR. The reason the POPI Act is such a vital consideration is because it is designed to safeguard the public’s data from fraud or discrimination and failing to comply puts you at risk of financial penalties or even prosecution and imprisonment.
4 Fast Facts about POPI Compliance
As consultants responsible for collecting data and handling advertisements on our clients’ behalf, we regularly collect analytical data about our users, which is why we take POPI compliance very seriously. Read on to learn more about POPI and your compliance.
> Read More: What is POPI?
1. What is the Purpose of the POPI Act?
According to Gov.za, “The Protection of Personal Information Act 4 of 2013 aims to promote the protection of personal information processed by public and private bodies…, to regulate the flow of personal information across the borders of the Republic and to provide for matters connected therewith.”
> Read More: Affirmative Portfolio’s POPI policies.
2. How Important is POPI Compliance for My Business?
Almost all businesses need to be mindful of the code of conduct followed in the Act, as it pertains to any entity that captures, uses or stores personal information.
3. What if I Don’t Comply with POPI?
Businesses that do not comply with the regulations mandated by the POPI are liable for sanctions, fines or imprisonment – not to mention fines of up to R 1 million.
4. How Do I Ensure My Business is Compliant with POPI?
In order for your business to be compliant, it needs to follow the code of conduct and adhere to the 8 principles it outlines, as set forth by the EU, OECD (Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development) and the APEC (Commonwealth and the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation). The eight principles covered by the POPI Act are;
Principle 1: Accountability,
Principle 2: Processing Limitation,
Principle 3: Purpose Specification,
Principle 4: Further Processing Limitation,
Principle 5: Information Quality,
Principle 6: Openness,
Principle 7: Security Safeguards, &
Principle 8: Data Subject Participation.
> Read More: Our POPI policies are covered in our terms and conditions.
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