Working discussion on “Protection of personal data and direct marketing”

 On 13 May, a working discussion on “Protection of personal data and direct marketing” took place in Yerevan, which was organised by the Personal Data Protection Agency of the Ministry of Justice of the Republic of Armenia with the assistance of The SecDev Foundation.

 Spokespersons of the workshop, Head of the Personal Data Protection Agency of the Ministry of Justice of the Republic of Armenia Shushan Doydoyan and Head of the Division for Conducting Administrative Proceedings Gevorg Hayrapetyan presented to the participants of state and private organisations present at the discussion the legislative framework of direct marketing in the Republic of Armenia and the European Union, and the mechanisms for protection of consumers against unwanted messages and calls.

 The representatives of the mobile operators participating in the discussion specified that there exist mechanisms for consumers to reject advertising or other types of automated messages. But services of distribution of such kind of messages are also delivered by other intermediary organisations.

 With regard to the above-mentioned, the participants were also presented the non-binding decision of the Personal Data Protection Agency of the Ministry of Justice of the Republic of Armenia “On the use of personal phone numbers for advertising purposes”, that was the first step of its kind aimed at regulating the given field.

 During the working discussion, they also touched upon the problems in the field of personal data protection and predetermined further actions.