ARTICLE · 31 OCTOBER 2019

POPIA and RICA – Acronyms And Privacy

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The right to privacy is a fundamental right afforded to all South African citizens in terms of the Constitution.

South AfricaPrivacy

Ahmore Burger-Smidt

In digital era, privacy must be a priority. Is it just me, or is secret blanket surveillance obscenely outrageous?

– Al Gore

The right to privacy is a fundamental right afforded to all South African citizens in terms of the Constitution. The Protection of Personal Information Act, 2013 ("POPIA") gives credence to this right and brings with it responsibilities and duties that cannot be ignored.

The world around us is rapidly becoming a completely digitalised environment informed by technology. To this extent, disclosed or concealed personal information is an important aspect to consider, together with the extent of the minimum level of information required by businesses to conduct their operations.

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