As elections approach, political parties in Ghana are leveraging the digital space to enhance their campaigns.
We are in a digital era where individuals spend most of their time on social media platforms. Political parties leveraging the space to voice out their policies is a prudent strategy however they might be getting it wrong.
Ghanaians on X have lamented on the issue of receiving unsolicited campaign messages from political parties. Their concern is why and how third parties (political parties) have access to their private data.
Some shared instances where they received messages via SMS and even through email.
Also read: Data breaches in Ghana and Africa — Q1 of 2024
How do political parties access your data?
Ghanaians on social media have shared their views, with many believing and accusing the Electoral Commission (EC) and NCA (National Communication Authority) of sharing their private information without consent.
Another suspect of Ghanaians is the telcos. Some believe the private nature of these companies will not permit them to leak such data because they understand what is at stake.
Whether one of the EC, NCA or telcos is responsible for disclosing your private information, what you must understand is they cannot do that without seeking the consent of the data subject — the person who owns the data.
What you should know about data privacy in Ghana
The Data Protection Act, of 2012 (Act 843) was enacted to safeguard individuals’ privacy and personal data. It establishes rules for how personal information is collected, used, and disclosed by data controllers and processors.
It works with the following principles:
• Accountability: Data controllers are responsible for ensuring compliance with data protection laws.
• Lawfulness of Processing: Personal data must be processed lawfully and transparently.
• Specification of Purpose: Data must be collected for specific, legitimate purposes.
• Compatibility of Further Processing: Any further processing must align with the original purpose of collection.
• Quality of Information: Personal data should be accurate and kept up to date.
• Openness: Individuals must be informed about how their data will be used.
• Data Security Safeguards: Adequate measures must be taken to protect personal data from unauthorized access or breaches.
• Data Subject Participation: Individuals have the right to access their data and request corrections or deletions
Also read: 12 common cyber attacks and trends in Ghana (2024)
The Data Protection Commission is responsible for ensuring compliance with this Act in the country, and whether they will take action to prohibit this course of action lies in their hands.
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