This week features updates on local data privacy developments and issues relating to student privacy.

1. The NPC Circular on Personal Data Processing System registration is finally out. Circular No. 2017-01 details the requirements for registration and renewal, the procedure, as well as the grounds for revocation of registration. Noteworthy here is that while the Circular states that the deadline would be March 8, 2018, it does not indicate that applications for registration will start in January 2018. The latter date was posted on the Facebook page of the National Privacy Commission (NPC).

2. Finally, a data privacy workshop focusing on online privacy. The Internet Society (ISOC) and the NPC brings you DPO6: An Online Privacy Workshop (which does not mean that the event takes place online but that the focus of the conference would be on online privacy). Speakers will be coming from the NPC and ISOC. I’ll be posting the agenda once it’s been finalized. Don’t forget to reserve your tickets here.

3. Who owns your data? This article, written by the Chairman of the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI), gives a thoughtful discussion of the push and pull over data ownership between the data subject and the companies that harvest and process the data. Aside from issues of data privacy, the TRAI has also been at the forefront of grappling with issues of net neutrality and competition. Our local regulators could learn a thing or two from the TRAI (and I hope they do!).

4. This cure may be worse than the disease. The Department of Education has approved the conduct of mandatory random drug-testing among students of public and private schools. A reading of the guidelines (DepEd Order No. 40, Series of 2017) shows that while there are repeated mentions of the confidentiality of the results, there does not appear to be fixed procedures and standards for confidentiality. I think this is an issue that the National Privacy Commission needs to actively take part in. The consequences of any leak in the results may prove to be fatal, considering the times. Want to read the DepEd’s issuance? Here is the link for download.

5. While we’re on the topic of student privacy, here’s an article from the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) on what parents can do to advocate for privacy protection in schools. Article lays down important questions that parents can ask and also links to an EFF report on student surveillance. Do you know what schools do with your children’s data? Maybe it’s time to find out.

#nationalprivacycommission #workshop #InternetSociety #studentprivacy #drugtesting #dataownership