The government, through the Office of the Data Protection Commissioner, has issued a stern warning against the public dissemination of individuals' personal information on social media.

This caution follows a concerning trend where certain online users have orchestrated targeted attacks by sharing names, telephone numbers, locations, and details of family members of individuals perceived to have committed wrongs. This has led to widespread mocking and insults.

The trend gained momentum recently when the phone numbers of President William Ruto and Members of Parliament were leaked online in a bid to pressure them into withdrawing controversial tax proposals from the Finance Bill 2024.

MPs affected by the leak voiced their discomfort publicly, citing inundation with random text messages and phone calls.

This week, the trend continued with personal information of law enforcement officers involved in Tuesday's protests against the Finance Bill also being shared online.

In response, the Office of the Data Protection Commissioner (ODPC) issued a statement on Wednesday condemning such actions as illegal under Article 31 of the Constitution of Kenya, the Data Protection Act of 2019, and related regulations.

"The ODPC has noted with concern the increasing consolidation and dissemination of personal information without consent, which infringes on individuals' rights to privacy," the statement read.

The Commissioner urged the public to refrain from further sharing personal information that violates privacy rights and warned that perpetrators could face legal consequences.

"Any individual whose privacy has been compromised is encouraged to file a formal complaint with the commission," the statement concluded.