Amendments To Singapore's Personal Data Protection Act

Singapore's Personal Data Protection Act 2012 (PDPA) is now a fairly old piece of legislation relative to similar acts around the globe and advancements in use of data by commercial organisations. Amendments were approved by the Singaporean parliament on 2 November 2020 that look to keep pace with those advancements, to permit businesses to utilise them reasonably but to also retain confidence of consumers in the security and responsible use of their data. The amendments also bring the PDPA into line with international norms on data protection legislation, allowing international organisations to adopt a more consistent compliance approach.

The amendments are comprehensive and will come into effect when published in the government gazette. Generally, no grace period has been provided for compliance, so we recommend that you react to these developments without delay.