There is no statutory obligation to appoint a DPO in private companies under Israeli laws. However, in October 2020, inspired by other emerging data protection laws around the globe, the Privacy Protection Authority released draft recommendations on the voluntary appointment of DPOs as a best practice – a position which should be separate from the Information Security Officer’s position (See: “Do You Need to Appoint an Information Security Officer?”). Though the final version of these recommendations is yet to be published, they reflect the Privacy Protection Authority’s view of the right way to comply with statutory obligations and may be accepted by Israeli government authorities and courts.
