Singapore has updated its Personal Data Protection Act (PDPA) to allow local businesses to use consumer data without prior consent for some purposes, such as business improvement and research. The amendments also allow for harsher financial penalties to be meted out for data breaches, above the previous cap of SG$1 million.
The changes were passed in Singapore Parliament on Monday, some eight years after the legislation was introduced in October 2012. The Act is administered by the Personal Data Protection Commission (PDPC).
In his speech discussing the amendments, the Singapore Communications and Information Minister S. Iswaran said data was a key economic asset in the digital economy as it provides valuable insights that inform businesses and generate efficiencies.
It will also empower innovation and enhance products, and will be a critical resource for emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI) that hold transformative potential, Iswaran said.
Singapore’s regulatory architecture, therefore, must evolve and keep pace with these shifts, he noted. Pointing to efforts in establishing digital economy agreements, he said such initiatives positioned the Asian nation as “a key node in the global network of digital flow and transactions”.
The amendments to the PDPA are also aimed at ensuring its legislation regime is “fit for purpose” for a digital economy with a complex data landscape, he said, adding that laws must be built on trust. Consumers must have confidence their personal data is secure and used responsibly, even as they benefit from digital opportunities and data-driven services, the minister added.
Companies also need certainty to harness personal data for legitimate business purposes with the requisite safeguards and accountability, Iswaran said.
He noted that the amendments sought to strike a balance to maximise the benefit and minimise the risk of collecting and using personal data.
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