HEADLINE-TELECOMS | Manila-‘Selfie verification a possible privacy violation, not part of SIM registration law’ | Glitches mar Day 1 of SIM registration
Subscriber identity module (SIM) cards. / The STAR / File
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MANILA, Philippines — A network of digital advocates said that the sudden selfie verification requirement violates the privacy of subscribers after it was abruptly included in the SIM registration process by telecommunications companies.
To recall, telecommunications giant Globe admitted that they had to take down their registration portal to comply with the mandate to also include a verification process by uploading a selfie with a government-issued ID.
Memento Maxima Digital MarketingIn a statement issued Wednesday morning, Digital Pinoys national campaigner Ronald Gustilo said that selfie verification is not included in the SIM registration law and its implementing rule and regulation.
“The registration requirements under the SIM registration law and its implementing rules and regulations is clear. And it does not include selfie verification. The abrupt inclusion of this intrusive requirement violates the privacy of the registrant and it led to the glitches that subscribers experienced,” he said.
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. signed in October a law requiring Filipinos to register their SIM cards, a move that is seen by the government to curb scams and other crimes. Critics of the measure, however, say this could lead to data breaches and privacy violations.
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DICT Undersecretary Alexander Ramos, who heads the Cybercrime Investigation and Coordination Center tasked to man the hotline, said over DZBB that they have received around 120 complaints, mostly about not being able to access sites and queries on how to register.
Gustilo said that numerous online and field reports indicate that the online registration sites were overwhelmed by the volume of registrants trying to access the system. The additional requirement and the rush of registrant traffic to the portals led to the brouhaha. Numerous subscribers aired their dismay after numerous attempts to register their SIMs went unsuccessful.
“From early morning until late night, many people were unable to register their SIMs. The access to the registration portals were always down. And this happened because of the short period between the implementation and the release of the IRR. When you suddenly order telcos to suddenly add requirements in the registration process a day before the implementation, it’s like shooting yourself in the foot.”
Gustilo said the government should take steps to help the public telecommunications entities address the surge of registration requests.
“The government should set up physical registration sites to help ease the traffic in registration portals. This will also help subscribers that doesn’t have access to internet and those without smart gadgets. If only they have not rushed the implementation of this law, they would have thought of this earlier before D-day”
Digital Pinoys called on public telecommunications entities to ensure the registration process is as hassle-free as possible.
Many groups are adamant that the SIM registration process will be easy as issues on data privacy, accessibility and technological gap between urban and rural areas remain to be unanswered to date.
Gustilo said that should subscribers be disenfranchised due to the implementation of the sim registration law, the blame falls on to the Department of Information and Communications Technology.
“The government should be responsible in ensuring that all subscribers will be registered and no one will be left behind. Not for any reason. No individual should lose their right to communicate digitally just because of this law.”
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