Religious Freedom and Data Protection: A Call to Action for the Faith Community

Chukwuemeka Cameron

I recently read an article in the Jamaica Observer covering the Religious Liberty Summit held on January 30 at the Jamaica Conference Centre. The discussion, led by faith leaders, emphasized the need for greater sensitivity to religious freedom and the elimination of discrimination. While this is an important conversation, I see an opportunity to go beyond advocacy and take practical steps to address systemic discrimination - through strong data protection policies.

Data protection is not just a privacy issue; it is a powerful tool for protecting citizens from discrimination, including religious discrimination. The church, as a key advocate for freedom, must go beyond traditional activism and push for policies that ensure companies and institutions only collect what is necessary. A critical first step is for church leaders themselves to become educated on the Data Protection Act and understand how it can be used to fight for religious freedom.

The Hidden Threat: How Religious Discrimination Manifests in Data

Religious discrimination is often institutional rather than personal. It operates through hiring systems, banking processes, government databases, and even marketing algorithms that can categorize and treat individuals differently based on their religious beliefs. Without proper data protection measures, religious affiliation can:

• Influence hiring and workplace decisions - Employers with access to religious data may unconsciously (or consciously) make biased hiring decisions.
• Affect financial services - Banking systems that store religious affiliation could result in unfair loan approvals or credit assessments.
• Expose individuals to profiling and targeting - Data breaches can lead to religious groups being targeted for misinformation, discrimination, or even harassment.

Step One: Church Leaders Must Educate Themselves on Data Protection

If faith leaders are to effectively advocate for religious freedom, they must first understand the Data Protection Act and how it can be used to prevent discrimination. This law provides clear guidelines on how personal data - including religious affiliation should be collected, stored, and used. Church leaders should:

• Learn about data minimization principles, which state that organizations should only collect what is necessary.
• Understand the rights of individuals, such as the right to know what data is collected and the right to object to its use.
• Engage with policymakers and businesses to ensure compliance with data protection laws.

By becoming knowledgeable advocates, faith leaders can move beyond discussions and actively influence policies and practices that protect their congregants.

The Role of the Church in Data Protection and Religious Freedom

A robust data protection framework ensures that religious affiliation cannot be misused by institutions. Here’s how faith leaders and churches can take action:

1. Advocate for Responsible Data Collection

Faith leaders must go beyond advocating for religious liberty and push businesses and institutions to minimize data collection. If religious affiliation is not required for a service, it should not be collected. The less data an institution holds, the lower the risk of discrimination.

2. Empower Congregations Through Education

Churches are powerful platforms for education. Faith leaders can play a critical role in teaching congregants about their data subject rights under the Data Protection Act. This includes:

• The right to know what data is collected about them.
• The right to object to unnecessary data collection.
• The right to request deletion of personal data that is no longer needed.

3. Enforce Stronger Regulations on Data Use

The government and regulatory bodies must ensure that organizations processing religious data are held accountable. The church can partner with policymakers to push for stronger enforcement of data protection laws, ensuring that religious information is not exploited for discriminatory purposes.

Faith and Data Protection: A Shared Responsibility

Religious freedom is not just about worship - it is about ensuring that no one is disadvantaged because of their beliefs. The faith community has a responsibility not just to advocate but to act:

• Educate themselves on data protection laws.
• Teach congregants about their data rights.
• Push businesses to limit unnecessary data collection.
• Support strong enforcement of data protection laws.

By championing data protection as a human rights issue, churches can help eliminate systemic discrimination and ensure that religious freedom is not just a principle but a reality.