The protection of personal data in the country is currently poor. Based on the 2020 National Cyber Security Index, the protection of personal data in the country scored 1 out of 4 points.
By
KOMPAS EDITOR
·3 minutes read
Data can be used for many things, such as in making political, economic and even criminal decisions.
This nature makes data a much sought-after commodity. The emergence of news about the existence of data of online transactional application users, or data on election voters being objects of transactions online, or conventionally from person to person, indicates that data from a number of institutions -- private and government – has been leaked or stolen.
At the community level, it can be felt, for example, with residents complaining about receiving a certain offer via email or telephone, despite never providing such information to be contacted.
The National Cyber and Encryption Agency has noted that throughout 2020 there were 2,549 cases of information theft by email for the purpose of crime. In addition, there were 79,439 accounts whose data was breached (Kompas, 22/3/2021).
Theft or misuse of data, especially of a personal nature, is a violation of the right to privacy. Article 12 of the 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights states, among other things, that no one should have their personal affairs infringed. Meanwhile, Article 28 G Paragraph (1) of the 1945 Constitution states that everyone has the right to personal protection, which in this case includes personal data.
Legal and information technology experts and academics (from left to right) Agus Sudibyo, Edmon Makarim, Sinta Dewi Rosadi, Nonot Harsono, and Sih Yuliana Wahyuningtyas were speakers at the General Hearing Meeting (RDPU) with Commission I of the Indonesian Parliament to discuss the Bill -The Law on Protection of Personal Data (RUU PDP) at the Parliament Complex in Senayan, Jakarta, Wednesday (1/7/2020).
The protection of personal data in the country is currently poor. Based on the 2020 National Cyber Security Index compiled by the E-Governance Academy Foundation, the protection of personal data in the country scored 1 out of 4 points.
The efforts by the government and the House of Representatives (DPR) to further protect personal data through the Draft Law on Personal Data Protection should be appreciated. In ASEAN, there are already four countries that have such a law, namely Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand and the Philippines.
The bill, among other things, stipulates that every electronic system operator must have a data protection officer (DPO) who is responsible for protecting users\' personal data. The draft law also states that personal data that must be protected are of a general nature (for example name, gender and citizenship) or that of a specific nature (for example health information, political views and financial accounts).
The protection of personal data in the country is currently poor.
A number of provisions in the bill still need to be clarified, for example in relation to monitoring the use of personal data and management of personal data, including that of being the exceptions. The discussion of the bill that the government submitted in January 2020 to the DPR for discussion needs to be accelerated so that this year it can be passed into law.
At the same time, increasing citizen awareness on their right to privacy must also be pursued. Citizens are expected to know what and to whom data needs to be provided and what impact its transference might carry. People’s awareness is the main bulwark in protecting their right to privacy.
