Kenyan telecommunications giant Safaricom has vehemently denied allegations that it provides customer data, including sensitive Call Data Records (CDRs), to the police without due legal process. This follows a report published in the Daily Nation on October 29th, which claimed that the telco granted law enforcement agencies free access to such information, potentially infringing on users’ privacy rights.
In a statement released on Thursday, Safaricom asserted its commitment to protecting customer privacy and adhering to Kenya’s data protection laws. The company emphasized that it only shares customer data when explicitly required to do so by a court order.
“We respect our customers’ privacy and adhere strictly to the country’s data protection laws,” the statement read. “As such, we do not share any customer data unless explicitly required of us via a court order.”
The company further clarified that CDRs, which contain information about calls made and received, do not provide real-time location or movement data. This directly contradicts the Daily Nation report, which suggested that the police were using CDRs to track individuals in real-time.
Safaricom’s History with Data Privacy
This is not the first time Safaricom has faced scrutiny regarding its handling of customer data. In 2019, the company was accused of sharing user information with third-party advertisers without consent. However, Safaricom denied these allegations and maintained that it only uses anonymised and aggregated data for advertising purposes.
Safaricom’s denial of the latest allegations highlights the growing importance of data privacy in the digital age. With increasing reliance on technology and the vast amounts of personal data generated through online activities, protecting user information has become a paramount concern for both individuals and businesses.
Kenya’s data protection laws, which are modeled after the European Union’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), provide a framework for safeguarding personal data and ensuring that it is collected, processed, and stored in a lawful and ethical manner.
Safaricom’s statement emphasises its commitment to complying with these laws and obtaining proper legal authorisation before sharing any customer data with law enforcement agencies. This commitment is crucial for maintaining public trust and ensuring that user privacy rights are upheld.
