UP INTERNET opposes the SIM Card Registration Act, calls for people's action to defend privacy
Last December, both the House of Representatives and the Senate passed the SIM Card Registration Act, the most brazen attack on Filipinos’ right to privacy and freedom of expression online. This February, the two versions of the bill have been consolidated by the bicameral conference. It now awaits Duterte’s signature, or lapses into law if not vetoed before March 4.
UP INTERNET deems the SIM Card Registration Act as the most dangerous threat to internet freedom in Philippine history, being the final piece to legalize cyber-surveillance nationwide. Through the association of legal identities with SIM cards, it constrains the ability of the public to remain anonymous online. The added provisions on enforcing a real-name policy for social media further compounds the situation.
The policy effectively compromises freedom of expression as it increases the difficulty of remaining anonymous online. By associating internet connections with legal identities, the right to privacy is abrogated. These premises give those in power unprecedented access to private information as well as effective control over discourse online. Under the characteristically repressive administrations of the Philippines, this type of government access and control becomes a weapon to stifle righteous opposition against tyranny. There is no true democracy if the people are not given their right to privacy and freedom of expression, only totalitarian control of those with access to our data.
Not only this, similar policies across the globe were shown to be useless against crime despite lawmakers claiming otherwise. It may in fact lead to higher cases of smartphone and more importantly, identity theft. In Mexico, their version of the law was repealed just three years after it was passed. In July 2020, the government of Laos commenced its nationwide sim registration program. Residents who failed to register will not be able to communicate with other users and connect to the internet. Despite the country’s extension of registration, the policy would only make the internet less accessible to millions with no IDs and those in remote and rural areas.
Finally, the policy will hand over our data to the Philippine government, an entity notoriously lacking in information security measures. Not only is the SIM Card Registration Act repressive and undemocratic, it is also inutile and anti-poor.
The harmful bill is now in its final stage before becoming state policy. UP INTERNET calls on the Filipino people to defend our right to privacy and join the fight to free the internet. We must act now and do everything in our power to foil the passage of this bill.#
