DATA PROTECTION & FREEDOM OF INFORMATION COURSE

With the wide range of services provided by the public sector across the wide spectrum of customers, the amount of customer data collected, processed and stored is significant. The recent buzz around digitization and modernization of public services mandates that with the amount of personal data collected and managed, public sector organizations have a fiduciary responsibility towards protection of the data of their customers and compliance to data protection standards.
It is the moral responsibility of public sector organizations to not only collect data only after informed consent of citizens but to also keep citizens informed of how their data will be utilized. On the other hand, citizens should have the right to privacy and the right to object to their data being shared or used for purposes that are of no benefit to them.
The right to information provides citizens with the authority to request public sector organizations to share relevant data as well as access their own data in possession of the organization to make changes or simply limit sharing or usage beyond a specific point. Data sharing can have benefits such as efficient service delivery, but it should be utilized within specified limits.
Data protection legislation and laws in countries aim to safeguard the interests of citizens against the misuse of their personal data stored with public sector organizations, while the freedom of information laws provide citizens with the right to request for information held by public authorities and to access their own personal data at any point in time.
Both initiatives aim to build a government that citizens can trust because of transparency and accountability. In doing so, the main challenge faced by public sector organizations is managing the large sets of data and balancing requests for data protection and information sharing.
GDPR, also known as General Data Protection Regulation, has recently gained importance as a standard that ensures public sector organizations comply with a certain set of guidelines and that provides citizens the right to access their data, thus maintaining confidentiality and integrity of personal information.
Many public sector organizations, to whom GDPR applies, are finding it very difficult to review the large data sets they have to ensure that their data collection and storage is meeting all requirements of GDPR. Much of the information possessed by public sector organizations is irrelevant and of no use.
It is thus very necessary for public sector professionals to understand data protection and right to information thoroughly and identify best practices and technologies to manage data at this scale in a clear, transparent and compliant manner.
Adequate training of public sector professionals is key to the successful implementation of data protection and freedom of information practices across public sector organizations.
This training course will empower you with complete clarity on data protection and freedom of information and will help you understand both initiatives very thoroughly in order to maintain the right balance between data protection and data sharing.
It will also equip you with the necessary skills and knowledge to overcome challenges related to the two and to ensure smooth functioning of your organization to build trust between citizens and public sector organizations. GDPR is a relatively new mandate in some countries, and awareness regarding GDPR is of utmost importance to any public sector professional.
This course offers a detailed insight into GDPR and the necessary steps to ensure successful implementation and compliance as per its regulations and requirements. This course is extremely important for you if you aspire to be a confident, well-equipped and trusted professional in the public sector.