Data Protection Bill: Experts flag legitimate purposes concern for Big Four

The consulting firms have gone into a temporary wait-and-watch mode on certain things in the Bill until a rulebook could clarify it for them

Consulting firms, including the Big Four, which undertake discreet investigative services for audits and risk management, may not be able to process digital personal data under the “legitimate purposes” clause of the Digital Personal Data Protection Bill, 2023. This could impact their conduct at large, said experts.

Global professional services networks Deloitte, KPMG, PwC and Ernst & Young (EY) — also known as the Big Four — provide a range of forensic services for applications, including business crises and disputes.

Processing digital data for intelligence and analytics on behalf of clients is at the core of these advisory