• Safaricom addressed concerns about data privacy, denying allegations of aiding police in tracking citizens through Call Data Records (CDRs)
• The company clarified that CDRs lack real-time location or movement data and are generated only after calls or texts are completed, primarily for billing purposes
• Safaricom emphasized that it only shares customer data when required by a court order, ensuring adherence to data protection laws

Elijah Ntongai, a journalist at TUKO.co.ke, has more than three years of financial, business, and technology research and reporting expertise, providing insights into Kenyan and global trends.

Safaricom has responded to recent concerns over data privacy, particularly allegations that it may be aiding police in tracking citizens through Call Data Records (CDRs).

The company said its CDRs do not contain real-time location or movement data.

According to the company, CDRs are generated exclusively after calls are completed or when text messages are sent or received, with the primary purpose of supporting billing processes.

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“That for information purposes a customer’s Call Data Record (CDR) does not show any live location and movements of customers but are generated after a call is terminated and for text messages once they are sent or received and this is for purposes of billing only,” Safaricom said in a position statement.

The company said that it does not share any customer data unless explicitly required via a court order.

Safaricom’s work with Neural Technologies

Safaricom further explained that it outsourced Neural Technologies’ services to provide a fraud management system for its businesses amid concerns that the UK-based company was using its technology to breach data privacy laws.

“That in July 2012, Safaricom onboarded Neural Technologies to implement a Fraud Management System (FMS) on all our business lines, including our mobile money system. Neural Technologies is a global brand operating in over 30 countries providing support to telcos and utility companies to prevent and detect fraud with no third-party access,” Safaricom stated.

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Safaricom highlighted its recent achievement of the ISO 27701 Privacy Information Management System (PIMS) certification, awarded by the British Standards Institute (BSI) as proof of its compliance with privacy laws.

This certification, which represents the highest standard in privacy management, follows a rigorous audit of the company’s compliance with data protection policies.

Safaricom concluded by reassuring customers of its long-standing commitment to transparency and ethical engagement with all stakeholders, pledging to continue upholding the trust built with customers over the years.

Safaricom’s statement comes at a time when security agencies in Kenya have been accused of using phones to track and abduct activists and dissenting voices.

Source: TUKO.co.ke