By Billy Begas
House Assistant Minority Leader and Gabriela Rep. Arlene Brosas is not convinced that the SIM registration bill will end the proliferation of text scams.
Brosas even expressed concern that the measure will only endanger Filipinos’ right to privacy noting the poor status of data privacy and communication in the country.
“This SIM card registration bill, which is now to be transmitted in the Office of the President for signature, puts forward a lopsided presumption that all Filipinos are considered as potential criminals and evading the law unless registered as SIM card holders,” Brosas said.
The House of Representatives and the Senate ratified the bicameral conference report of the proposal before they adjourned session last Wednesday.
“Wala namang kasiguraduhan na kapag nirehistro ng lahat ang kanilang SIM cards ay matitigil na ang mga spam messages at trolls dahil sa totoong buhay, may mga malalaking tao na nakikinabang dito,” Brosas added.
According to Brosas, all personal information of those who registered their SIM cards will be forwarded to the public telecommunications entity, making their private data even more vulnerable to cyberattacks, spam, and scam.
“Yung mga natatanggap natin ngayon na spam at scam messages, mas lalo pa yang dadami kapag nalikom na sa isang database kung saan nakalagay ang lahat ng personal information ng sim card holders,” she said.
She added, “Ngayon pa lang hindi na maresolba ang cyberattacks at data breach, paano pa pag nasa kamay na ng PTEs ang data ng konsyumers. Ang unahin ng gobyerno, ayusin ang implementasyon ng kasalukuyang data privacy measures.”
Brosas is also concerned that the personal information provided during the registration will be used for state surveillance and targeted attacks.
