Privacy in the Wake of Digital Lending and Surveillance Technologies
In 2019, the Data Protection Act was enacted into law after over a decade of efforts to bring it to life. It is the operative legislation that governs how personal data is protected in Kenya. It is also backed up by three sets of regulations passed into law in 2021. The Act also established the […]
“Where My Data At?”: Imagining resistance to data processing with African Feminists
This report is one of three reports funded through the ADAPT project that explore how data is used and abused by governments and non-state actors alike, and how users can better advocate for their privacy. How does one build resistance to datafication with those already at the front lines of fighting gender inequality? The report, […]
Understanding the Challenges Data Protection Regulators Face: A Global Struggle Towards Implementation, Independence, and Enforcement
Available in English, Portuguese, and Spanish (see links below) This report received the 2022 Privacy Papers for Policymakers Award for its pioneering look into the real but often overlooked challenges that regulators face in the fight for rights-respecting data privacy laws. Since 2018, over sixty countries around the world have enacted or proposed […]
Data Practices & Protections in Kenya and Nigeria
These two separate reports are part of a series funded through the ADAPT project that explore how data is used and abused by governments and non-state actors alike, and how users can better advocate for their privacy. Both reports are based on extensive research conducted by Seyram Avle, an Assistant Professor of Global Digital Media […]
The History of Data & Elections in Kenya: The New Data Protection Act & the Challenges Ahead
How SIM Card Re-registration Violates the Data Protection Act in Kenya
The past few weeks have been abuzz with public outcry over the call to update SIM registration details for all sim card owners by the Communications Authority of Kenya (CAK). The move has been touted as a step towards improving national security by establishing a comprehensive registry of sim cards and their owners. It is […]
Regional Coordination: Lessons from the Data Privacy Learning Series
The fourth workshop of the Data Privacy Learning Series took place on March 10th, 2022, and discussed regional coordination among civil society organizations in the Global South to advance data protection. The discussion departed from concrete cases and built on some of the points made in previous workshops, especially regarding advocacy strategies and campaigns carried […]
Voter Data and the Ballot: The Impact of the Data Protection Act on Kenya’s 2022 General Election
The election period in Kenya has always been a high stakes and tense atmosphere. Equally, the uptake of technology and the arising issues of data storage, accessibility and transparency have also grown increasingly controversial in recent years. When the two concepts react together it often leads to an explosive mixture of high-octane politics, immersive litigation […]