Out-Law / Your Daily Need-To-Know

The Qatar cabinet has approved a draft privacy law that aims to protect residents against spam messages via email or on mobile phones, the Qatar News Agency said . 

The draft data privacy law protects personal information that has been collected or processed electronically, or by combining electronic and 'traditional' processing, the new agency said.

The draft law includes specific provisions on the right of individuals to protect their personal data, on the obligations of the data controller and processor, on personal data of a private nature, and banning any electronic communications sent "for the purpose of direct marketing to individuals without obtaining prior consent", the Qatar News Agency said.

Qatar's telecoms watchdog told Doha News last May that it planned tough action on mobile spam. The Communications Regulatory Authority said it was drafting a code of conduct that would improve existing guidelines for companies that use text messages and applications such as WhatsApp, Viber and Skype to reach potential customers.

The draft law has now been passed to Qatar's Advisory Council.

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