The information regulator has published guidelines directing how political parties and independent candidates can use voters' personal information for campaign purposes in the run-up to elections.
The new guidance note is an update to the guidance note issued by the regulator ahead of the 2019 local government elections.
The independent agency said in a statement that the update addresses recent changes in electoral law that allow independent candidates to run and campaign, an increase in cases of security breaches of personal information, and the voting process being affected by misinformation and disinformation. The decision was made in response to the increased risk to
Regulators will ensure that both political parties, independent candidates and the public are sufficiently informed and able to take the necessary actions to protect voters' personal information during elections, and that accurate information is freely available. The company says it is working to minimize risks to distribution. It is critical for informed participation in the electoral process.
The memo prohibits, among other guidelines, providing personal information collected for campaign purposes to third parties without the voter's consent.
Below is a statement from the Information Regulator.
