"Personal Data Protection: Guesthouse Check-In Practices Challenged"

Personal Data Protection: Guesthouse Registration Practices Under Scrutiny
Saturday, March 1, 2025

It has become a common practice, and sometimes even a requirement, for guests to record their origins, destinations, and departure dates when staying at guesthouses. However, the Personal Data Protection Commission (PDPC) has recently clarified that this practice is in violation of personal data protection laws.

Morogoro – While the Personal Data Protection Commission (PDPC) continues to educate the public on safeguarding personal information, it has now highlighted that recording personal details, such as one’s origin, destination, and ethnic group at guesthouses, constitutes a breach of data protection laws.

In a recent discussion on data protection, Stephen Wangwe, the Director of Registration and Compliance at the PDPC, emphasized the importance of understanding the law to avoid legal trouble. He explained that writing down personal details such as where one is coming from or going, along with ethnic information, does not have any connection to the guest’s reason for staying at the guesthouse.

"When you visit a guesthouse and are asked to write down where you are from, where you're going, and your ethnicity, these are all personal data, and asking for them is a violation of the law. A few years ago, exam results were published with students' names, but the law requires using numbers to protect individuals' personal data," Wangwe said.

Wangwe further explained that only identification numbers should be recorded, as they can provide all necessary information about an individual without breaching privacy.

Since the introduction of the law, individuals whose personal information is used without their consent are entitled to file complaints, and appropriate actions will follow.

"Your personal information should not be used without your consent. If you don't have a place to complain, it undermines trust in the service you're receiving. Many people now prefer to enter a bank to withdraw money instead of using ATMs, particularly those who have suffered from the misuse of their personal information," Wangwe added.

The law is designed to restore public trust, ensuring that all entities handling personal data are registered, transparent, and accountable until the individual receives justice.

Additionally, Wangwe clarified that the foundational principles of data protection include ensuring that personal data is collected legally, processed fairly and transparently, and only for specific, legitimate purposes. Data should be accurate, timely, and stored only for the required duration.

He also noted that when transferring data internationally, consent must be obtained from the relevant authorities, with safeguards in place to protect the data. "There are over 850 systems linked to the National Identification Authority (NIDA). Before using these systems, a certificate of permission must be obtained," he added. "Whenever your data is being used by any service provider, you will receive a notification for your consent."

Wangwe emphasized that personal details like where you are from or where you're headed are not necessary for data collection and should not be used for other purposes. He also reiterated that public results should be shared with identification numbers instead of names to ensure privacy.

Many citizens, including Azizi Habibu, have expressed frustration with the current practices at guesthouses. "It annoys me every time I check into a guesthouse and am asked to provide the date of my departure, my destination, and where I'm coming from," Habibu said.

Aisha Salumu, a receptionist at a guesthouse in Morogoro Municipality, explained that these procedures are mandatory for safety and security reasons, both for the guest and others staying at the establishment. "We are required to gather this information to ensure the safety of the guest and the other guests at the facility," she said.