Tackling the complexity of data protection

THE full force of Singapore's personal data protection law will be felt in slightly over a month's time. Corporations, however, have been preparing for this day for many months now, at the very least. Just yesterday, Singapore Telecommunications revealed that it had spent more than $2 million to make sure that it complies with the Personal Data Protection Act (PDPA) when it fully kicks in on July 2.

While much of the public's attention has been on the intrusion that their personal data generates - such as unsolicited cold calls and text messages - it is what happens in stealth, and beyond a country's borders, that they should also worry about.

Case in point: the international auction site eBay. The United Kingdom's Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) which regulates data protection is considering launching a full investigation into eBay's data breach which compromised millions of its customers' personal details last week.