President receives report on personal data protection

President Tassos Papadopoulos has described as very important the work carried out by Commissioner for the Protection of Personal Data Goula Frangou, on receiving her annual report for 2006.
The President said this was an obligation towards the European Union and that ”the protection of personal data in Cyprus is valuable and guaranteed through the Constitution and the service of Mrs. Frangou.”
The Commissioner told reporters that during 2006 a total of 180 complaints were filed at her office, of which about 46% concerned receiving unsolicited advertisements and political and other messages on mobile phones or in the form of emails.
Frangou explained that sending electronic messages and printed matter without the prior consent of those receiving them was a violation of the law and the citizens could appeal to her service to complain in writing. The complaints are then examined and, if proven to be true, the senders are fined and forced to terminate the dispatch of the material.
She noted that out of the 180 complaints received, 120 have been investigated. ”The investigation of complaints is time-consuming and often we reach a dead-end because we cannot pinpoint the sender of the messages,” Frangou pointed out.
Concerning the other activities of her office, Frangou mentioned seminars and training courses.
Replying to questions, Frangou explained that Cyprus does not apply the opt-out method for receiving advertisements or other material, as in other EU countries, but the opt-in method, which means that the receiver has to give prior consent.