AI Enablement playbook/Module 4 · Data protection & POPIA

Day 34 / 100 · Data protection & POPIA · Consent and purpose

Collected for X? Don't quietly use it for Y.

Consent is only one lawful basis under POPIA. What trips up most AI projects is purpose: using data for something new that customers didn't expect.

Lawful grounds

Section 11

  • Consent
  • Needed for a contract with the person
  • Required by law
  • Protects the person's legitimate interest
  • Your or a third party's legitimate interest

Purpose checks

Sections 13 & 15

  • What was it collected for?
  • Is the new AI use compatible with that?
  • Would the person reasonably expect it?
  • Do you need to tell them, or ask?

Source: popia.co.za ↗

Same data, new purpose? Check.