ICT specialists stress importance of securing personal data 

AMMAN — ICT specialists stressed the need for personal data protection, calling on social media users to not post their photos or personal information except in cases of dire necessity.

Executive Director of the Jordan Open Source Association Issa Mahasana, in remarks to the Jordan News Agency, Petra, said that maintaining users’ privacy is a fundamental right. He noted that disclosing personal data could lead to company losses, even if the data is not sensitive.

Mahasana added that the data could be utilised by others to reveal the companies’ operation mechanisms, according to Al Rai Arabi daily.  

The Ministry of Digital Economy and Entrepreneurship said that the draft law on the protection of personal data has been reviewed by the Legislation and Opinion Bureau in partnership with the ministry, pending approval from the Cabinet’s Ministerial Legal Committee, in preparation for its referral to the Lower House.

Under the law, everyone has the right to personal data protection, the ministry noted, adding that written or electronic approval is a prerequisite for data processing. 

The ministry said that transferring personal data outside the Kingdom to anyone who does not have sufficient levels of personal data protection is not allowed. He noted that the level of protection is determined by the law.