In response to a troubling surge in online vigilantism, the Office of the Data Protection Commissioner (ODPC) of Kenya through the government has issued a stern warning against the public dissemination of personal information on social media platforms.
This cautionary statement follows a disturbing trend where individuals have been targeted for public humiliation through the unauthorized sharing of their personal details.
The ODPC highlighted that this disturbing practice gained traction recently, particularly after the unauthorized disclosure of phone numbers belonging to President William Ruto and Members of Parliament.
These actions were part of a public campaign against contentious tax proposals outlined in the Finance Bill 2024. The repercussions were felt immediately, with affected officials reporting inundations of unsolicited messages and calls.
Further exacerbating the issue, personal information of law enforcement officers involved in managing protests against the Finance Bill was also exposed online this week.
Such acts have prompted the ODPC to intervene, emphasizing that sharing personal information without consent violates constitutional provisions, including Article 31 of Kenya’s Constitution, as well as the Data Protection Act of 2019.
In an official statement released on Wednesday, the ODPC underscored the legal implications of these privacy breaches, cautioning that perpetrators could face legal consequences.
The Commissioner stressed the importance of upholding individuals’ right to privacy and called upon the public to refrain from perpetuating these violations.
“The Office of the Data Protection Commissioner has observed a disturbing trend of consolidating and sharing personal information of certain citizens on social media platforms without their consent,” stated the ODPC in their advisory.
The Commissioner further encouraged individuals who have fallen victim to such privacy violations to report incidents to the commission for appropriate action.
