Gov’t told: Curbing cybercrimes needs more than just fixing SIM registration

Philstar.com

September 9, 2024 | 9:35am

MANILA, Philippine – An alliance of digital experts and advocates have told the government that a mere technical remedy on the registration of SIM cards, like reviewing and revising its law, would not address the prevalence of cybercrimes.

“Comprehensive data privacy protection and educating the public against digital scams which are supposed to be the primary responsibilities of the gov’t are more imperative than reviewing and revising the SIM Registration Act,” Junk Sim Registration Network (JSRN) said in a statement posted on Facebook.

However, the group added that fixing the loopholes of the law could be part of the solution, “but addressing cybercrimes as a complex and high-tech field needs more than just asking the subscribers to enroll their SIM cards.”

The Junk Sim Registration Network stressed that SIM registration creates databases that could be targets for cyberattacks, instead of its purpose against text-related crimes.

“We need a comprehensive solutions that include strong data privacy protections and public education,” JSRN said in a statement.

This developed as the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) has called for a review of the SIM Registration Act, noting that it needs an update as online scammers have reportedly found new ways to execute their criminal activities.

According to the Philippine National Police, the number of cybercrimes increased by 21.8% in the first quarter of 2024, compared to the same period in 2023.

DICT Spokesperson Assistant Secretary Renato Paraiso said that scammers are now using internet-based messaging platforms for crimes like Viber and Messenger, among others, and are also using foreign issued SIM cards.

This resulted in both the House and the Senate to schedule their own set of hearings to review the law.

“The JSRN argues that the gov’t should abandon the SIM registration and focus, instead, on other options that would emphasize public awareness, robust data privacy, and information security measures,” said the Network.