By Charles Mkoka
Members of Tanzania’s deaf community are calling for greater awareness of personal data protection, warning that limited knowledge of digital privacy laws has left many vulnerable to data leaks, online impersonation, and financial scams.
Participants speaking after a training session organised by the Personal Data Protection Commission (PDPC) said the programme had improved their understanding of how to protect sensitive information and where to seek legal help when their data is misused.
Karim Bakari, chairman of the Temeke branch of the Tanzania Association of the Deaf (CHAVITA), said the training provided participants with a clearer understanding of legal protections surrounding personal data and the responsibilities of institutions handling such information.
“The deaf community has been at greater risk because many people lack sufficient knowledge about their rights and the procedures for addressing problems related to personal data,” Bakari said during the training in Dar es Salaam.
“Now we understand the role of the commission, and if we face any challenge, we know where to start in seeking justice,” he added.
Participants said the training highlighted growing cases of personal data leaks, including the circulation of private images online, which can cause serious harm to victims who may not know how to report such incidents.
“Some people create or distribute explicit images to humiliate others,” one participant said. “Through this training, we now know where to report such cases and how to follow them up so that justice can be served.”
Another participant, Hamidu Rajabu Kimpundu, said the programme had helped them understand the importance of protecting confidential information and recognising that certain personal data should remain strictly private.
The training also addressed risks linked to social media platforms such as Facebook, where individuals sometimes misuse other people’s photographs or identities to impersonate them online.
Participants warned that the problem is compounded by the improper handling of documents during job applications, where copies of personal records, including birth certificates, are submitted only to be discarded and reused publicly, sometimes even as packaging materials in local markets.
“This exposes people’s personal details and can lead to the misuse of their information,” one participant said.
Speakers also cautioned against online scams in which fraudsters create fake accounts using the names of well-known organisations or public figures to promise jobs, grants, or loans.
In some cases, scammers impersonate organisations such as the Mo Foundation and request application or processing fees from victims, typically around 50,000 Tanzanian shillings, before disappearing without delivering the promised opportunity.
Community representatives said the training had empowered participants to return to their communities as advocates for digital safety.
“The knowledge we have gained will help us educate other deaf people and the wider public on how to protect their personal information,” Bakari said.
The training forms part of the PDPC’s broader efforts to raise public awareness about personal data protection and strengthen digital privacy literacy among different groups across Tanzania.
