Online privacy concerns arise as website lists personal data
SINGAPORE: Here's something to think about in this digital world.
How much of your personal data is available online, without your
knowledge?
Authorities say while there is currently no law on online privacy
in general, common law rules protect the confidentiality of an
individual's personal data.
When engineer Chua Kim Cheng saw the "People Search" function at
the Red Nano website, he decided to test it out. He typed in his name
and was shocked to see his particulars and address listed. Full
addresses of others living in the same housing block as him were also
listed.
Mr Chua said he did not give any consent to SPH Search, which runs
the Red Nano website, to list his personal details in the public
domain. He said: "Imagine anybody can target the whole block and they
can search the whole block, so it's even more sensitive this way. It
would be very useful for marketing people... even loansharks would be
interested to know.
"Anybody can send a mail to me or come to my house... (and say), 'Is Mr
Chua in?' You would think that's a friendly person, could be a friend
or relative coming, anybody will open the door."
SPH Search said its data sources are proprietary to the company and
it is not at liberty to disclose information on it. Its "People Search"
section is an opportunity for the public to extend their visibility,
socially or professionally, on the Internet.
Red Nano has since taken down Mr Chua's particulars but there are many more names listed on the site.
Responding to Channel NewsAsia's queries, the Ministry of Information,
Communications and the Arts (MICA) said there is a Model Data
Protection Code in Singapore. But this is for voluntary adoption by the
private sector.
It added: "The Model Code provides broad guidelines and principles
on the proper management of personal information and it has been
adopted by many companies, including those engaged in e-commerce under
the TrustSG initiative."
Under the code, personal data may include an individual's name,
age, medical records, spending habits, home address and phone number.
The ministry said a company would be breaching common laws covering
privacy if it did not get the individual's consent to make public his
or her personal particulars.
The Media Development Authority gave this advice to online users:
"We advise aggrieved individuals to seek professional legal advice to
determine the most appropriate legal recourse. Individuals may also
wish to contact the website directly for assistance in removing the
information."
An inter-ministerial agency is currently reviewing Singapore's data
protection regime to better safeguard the privacy of online users.
There is currently no established uniformed approach to deal with data
protection and the committee is looking at various examples in
countries like the US and Canada. The committee is made up of agencies
such as the Trade and Industry and the Home Affairs ministries.
Experts said current laws lack punitive action and clearer guidelines are needed.
Tan Wei Ming, senior manager for government relations at Symantec
Asia Pacific, said: "Nowadays, with the Internet age and with
information stored everywhere, you could easily find your information
floating around on the Internet and sometimes without yourself
realising it!
"There are many reasons for that. For example, when you go to a
social networking site, do you or do you not set the right privacy
safeguards for your data? For example, you go to Facebook or other
networking sites, they allow you to list down what you can and cannot
be shared in the public domain," he added.
Mr Tan noted that many other websites are also posting personal
details of individuals. He added areas that need to be addressed in the
new regime include: what constitutes consent, what happens when data is
collected, what the data will be used for, how it will be transferred
and what needs to be done if data breaches occur.
- CNA/ir
And yet people are openly sharing information...