Zambians are being asked to take care of their personal information because of increasing exploitation.

The Zambia National Women’s Lobby and the Copperbelt Network for Faith-Based Organizations are telling Zambians to protect their personal data, especially since exploitation is on the rise.

In an interview during a Data Protection training organized by Panos Institute Southern Africa in Kitwe, Komiwe Zulu, a member of the Women’s Lobby Provincial Board, pointed out that vulnerable groups, especially women and market vendors, often share their personal information out of need, not realizing the dangers involved.

Ms. Zulu urged people to be careful and to ask important questions before sharing personal details, like where the information will go, how it will be used, and when it will be deleted.

Additionally, Moses Sampa, the Coordinator of the Copperbelt Faith-Based Network, expressed concern about the increasing number of exploitation cases, where individuals are deceived into giving away information such as National Registration Cards (NRCs) for someone else’s financial benefit.

Mr. Sampa stressed the importance of being alert and knowing where to report these incidents. He mentioned that the Data Protection Commission is the official organization that deals with data misuse.

Zambia’s Data Protection Act of 2021 provides clear legal protections for the personal information of its citizens.