Exceptions to Personal Data Protection Act may put women, children at risk of rights violation
The exceptions provided in the Personal Data Protection Act to law enforcers, journalists and researchers in having to adhere to the legal bindings of the act will put women and children at risk of rights violations, said a platform called Cyber Support for Women and Children.
The platform consists of organisations like BLAST, Brac, Digitally Right, Naripokkho, Aroddho Foundation, Article 19, Institute of Informatics and Development among others.
The exceptions provided in Section 33, excuse law enforcers from having to follow the law for purposes of crime prevention.
It also excuses data collection and processing for journalistic purposes and research from the legal framework set out by the law.
"This can create a risk of privacy for women and children and lead them to self-censorship," said a statement sent by the platform.
They said that the law that was accepted in the cabinet also allows a supervisory board called the Data Protection Board to gain access to personal data, and this provision could lead to privacy concerns to all, but women disproportionately more.
They also pointed out that the law allows parents and guardians to sign away rights to data on behalf of children and expressed concern that there may not be adequate understanding or awareness among them about rights to data.
The cabinet on November 27 approved in principle the draft Data Protection Act.
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