Understanding PIPA: Defining Our Individual Rights

In this four-part series, Conyers continues diving into different topics relating to Bermuda’s privacy legislation, including: why we need privacy legislation and its purpose, how to prepare for the Personal Information Protection Act 2016 (“PIPA”), the role and requirements of privacy officers, and what are our rights as individuals? In this fourth and final part, Conyers discusses our individual rights under PIPA.

Data protection, privacy and individuals’ rights relating to their personal information are quite the hot topic in these days of Big Data and growing consumer privacy concerns, but what exactly are those rights? An individual’s rights will vary depending on where their personal information is being collected, stored or used. In Bermuda, PIPA sets out the rights and protections that apply to our personal information and to those organisations that we interact with on a daily basis, whether renewing your vehicle insurance, visiting the dentist or engaging in some retail therapy.

How can I find out what personal information an organisation holds?

For individuals looking to ascertain what personal information an organisation holds, or what options they have with respect to that personal information, an organisation’s “privacy notice” will be the first place to look. Organisations are required to provide individuals a clear and easily accessible statement about their personal information practices and policies in the form of a “privacy notice”. One required element of the privacy notice is the inclusion of the choices and means that an organisation provides individuals for limiting the use of, and for accessing, rectifying, blocking, erasing and destroying, their personal information.

What rights does an individual have in relation to personal information?

PIPA provides individuals with a number of rights with respect to their personal information held by an organisation.

 

To continue reading full articles in PDF format:
Understanding PIPA: Defining Our Individual Rights

 

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This article was first published in The Royal Gazette.