Data commissioner warns candidates on illegal election spam

The Commissioner for the Protection of Personal Data of Cyprus, Maria Christofidou, issued a reminder that political communication during the election campaign must comply with data protection laws. These regulations cover SMS messages and telephone calls, including Easter greeting messages used for political promotion. The Commissioner emphasized that candidates and political parties are legally required to manage contact lists responsibly. Under Article 106 of Law 112(I)/2004, unsolicited electronic communications are prohibited. Candidates are restricted to contacting only members of their own political party and must provide an opt-out mechanism, such as a stop message option. The Commissioner's office reported an increase in complaints regarding spam and unwanted calls from candidates and their staff. Since December, the office has provided guidance to parties, yet violations continue to be reported. Non-compliance may lead to significant fines for those responsible for data processing.