Maximise your career as a young professional

What are your career aspirations and how do they align with your job?

As the manager, Data Protection Affairs, I support the provision of relevant regulatory guidance, information and guidance to organisations and individuals in line with the Data Protection and Privacy Act, 2019. As a cybersecurity professional, I want to look back on my career and be proud of the difference I made in contributing to the protection of Ugandans’ personal data and privacy.

How can one stay in line with their careers and balance their personal life?

In the early years, I had a lot of time to grow my career. I advise people to utilise those periods in your career as a young professional. My best advice would be to be present and give it 100 percent when at work and give the same in your personal life.

How do you think managers fall short of their managerial duties?

They do this by failing to understand their individual team members, their weaknesses and strengths.

What is it like being a manager in a Covid-19 era?

It is more or less the same because over the years as a team, we have built a strong bond and good communication skills.

How has the transition to a digital way of doing things due to Covid-19 affected cyber security?

Covid-19 has increased the risk because more people are now doing life and business online. With this, the more time people spend online, the higher the risk of being a target of cyber insecurity and crime. One of the issues with negative behaviour on the internet is cyber bullying.

Tell us more about cyber bullying.

Generally, cyber bullying refers to the use of online platforms and applications (including social media) to embarrass, harass, abuse, humiliate or even threaten another person. An offender has intent to place the victim in reasonable fear of their safety. Cyber stalking is punishable under the Computer Misuse Act (2011).

The impact of such on a victim is a feeling of sadness, depression and in some cases suicidal events. This is a vice that we need to increase awareness on so that we stop it.

What are the examples of cyber bullying?

Cyber bullying has different components like harassment which involves the bully repeatedly sending offensive and malicious messages to an individual or a group.

There is also flaming, exclusion, outing, masquerading (a situation where a bully creates a fake identity to harass someone anonymously). In addition to creating a fake identity, the bully can impersonate someone else to send malicious messages to the victim.

How do you think victims of cyberbullying can be helped?

This is a two-pronged approach. We first need to take care of the victims to give them the support they need. The best way to do this is creating open lines of communication between teenagers and their parents or guardians. This will enable them to report when being cyber bullied.

The victims should also block bullies from their social media and such apps. The second is to encourage those affected to report the cyber bullies who also need assistance in order to stop the vice.

Many young people fall prey to sexting. What advice would you give?

Sexting involves taking and sending sexually revealing (nude or semi-nude), provocative or sexually explicit messages via messaging apps such as WhatsApp. The reasons that have been published for teenagers’ sexting include flirting, showing off, proving commitment, showing affection, peer pressure, impulsive behaviour or in the rare cases under threats.

There is a saying that the internet ‘never forgets’ due to the nature in which information spreads so fast among users in different locations. It is therefore a challenge to recall content that has been widely shared over the internet. This increases the risk for exposure when they lose control or when it is shared publicly over the internet. The impact of the affected person include shame, social isolation, anxiety, and depression and in rare cases suicidal incidents.

I urge them to avoid taking or sharing sexually revealing photos or videos even if under peer pressure. If you receive such from anyone else, delete it so that you are not seen as an enabler

How can one keep up with the cybersecurity awareness campaign?

We have put in place a centralised website www.besafeonline.ug that is a central knowledge hub for anyone seeking information and best practices on cybersecurity. In addition, you can follow updates via #besafeonlineug.

Tell us about your career background

I started off my career in the banking sector and over the years I have worked in the telecommunications and consulting spheres. Currently, I am working in the public regulatory sector. My career spans over 12 years.