The deadline for the registration of data controllers under the new Data Protection Act (DPA) has expired.

Data controllers are individuals charged with processing personal data under the act, and June 1 was the extended deadline for them to get registered.

The Office of the Information Commissioner (OIC), mandated to enforce the DPA, is now rolling out an extensive media campaign designed to increase public awareness of the June 1 end-of-grace period for data controller registration.

The campaign will include public service announcements and interviews on radio and other broadcasts and publications. The registration deadline was initially set for December 2023 but was extended by six months to June 1.

As part of the journey to the full implementation of the act, the OIC has been responding to requests and concerns raised by key stakeholders and has also been updating its online platforms, including social media accounts, with information for the public.

The OIC has been engaging with the public to ensure a full understanding of the Data Protection Act and its requirements. 

It has conducted sensitisation sessions, reaching cumulatively upwards of 7,000 Jamaicans virtually and in person from over 40 organizations within the public and private sectors.

Some of the organizations include the Medical Association of Jamaica, the Private Sector Organization of Jamaica, and the and the Insurance Association of Jamaica, as well as the real estate sector, church groups, and government ministries, departments, and agencies (MDAs).

The OIC has also issued over 100 legal opinions to various stakeholders on the interpretation and application of different provisions of the legislation.