KINGSTON, Jamaica: The Office of the Information Commissioner (OIC) is warning against fake online registration sites as Jamaica prepares for the full implementation of the Data Protection Act 2020 on December 1.
The Office of the Information Commissioner, the regulatory authority under the Act, said it has received information about a website purporting to accept online applications for registration as a Data Controller under the Act.
Passed in 2020, the Data Protection Act provides guidelines on how personal data should be handled in physical or electronic form, with the government indicating that data protection and cybersecurity are critical for Jamaica’s transformation to a digital powerhouse.
The Data Protection Act provides individuals with rights, including the right to know what information is held about them and the right to access that information. It states that anyone who processes personal data must comply with the principles of the Act.
Registration will begin on Friday, December 1. Operation Commissioner Celia Barclay says details on registering as a data controller will be published in the local newspapers and on its website.
“People also have to look out for any possibility of fraudulent links or communications that may represent themselves to be from the Office (of the Information Commissioner),” she said, urging people “if you are not certain whether a post or email or website or any communication for that matter is connected to the OIC then you can contact us… to verify”.
and then  is warning against fake online registration sites as Jamaica prepares for the full implementation){kind=link}