Displaying items by tag: privacy
Beri perhatian isu data peribadi ketika fasa peralihan ke endemik (in Bahasa Malaysia)
Privasi dan ruang peribadi amat dititikberatkan undang-undang. Antara elemen pentingnya, perlindungan terhadap maklumat peribadi yang turut merangkumi hak untuk kekal tidak diketahui.
Dalam ajaran Islam, konsep privasi tidak terhad kepada larangan melakukan intipan (tajassus) di kediaman peribadi, sebaliknya merangkumi perlindungan terhadap kerahsiaan maklumat peribadi di ruang awam seperti kandungan perbualan lisan dan surat-menyurat.
Dalam hal ini, tindakan pengawasan berterusan pihak berkuasa terhadap kehidupan seharian rakyat dapat dianggap sebagai satu bentuk pencerobohan terhadap hak ini.
Pada masa sama, pandemik COVID-19 mengubah landskap ini. Pengurusan pandemik efisien terutama dari aspek memutuskan rantaian jangkitan memerlukan pengawasan terhadap pergerakan seharian penduduk.
Begitu juga penggunaan teknologi canggih seperti analisis data raya amat diperlukan. Selari dengan itu, Malaysia tidak ketinggalan dalam memanfaatkan kemajuan teknologi ini.
Melalui aplikasi digital Mysejahtera, usaha mengesan dan mengasingkan pesakit COVID-19 serta kontak rapat mereka dapat dilaksanakan lebih berkesan, terutama melalui fungsi daftar masuk premis dan pengesanan interaksi antara pengguna.
Sejak itu, jutaan data pengguna ‘dilombong’ dan disimpan bagi tujuan berkenaan.
Namun, kerisauan terhadap ancaman pencerobohan maklumat peribadi melalui tindakan pengawasan tidak dapat dinafikan.
Apatah lagi selama ini hal sedemikian sudah sedia berlaku apabila kita sering mendapat panggilan tidak dikenali yang sudah sedia mengetahui maklumat diri seperti nama dan nombor telefon bagi tujuan promosi mahupun penipuan.
Baru-baru ini, laporan Jawatankuasa Kira-kira Wang Negara (PAC) mempersoalkan ketidakjelasan kontrak pemilikan sistem aplikasi Mysejahtera dibangunkan dan diuruskan syarikat swasta.
Akibatnya, timbul kebimbangan data jutaan pengguna aplikasi berkenaan mungkin akan disalah guna dan dibocorkan, malah dijual beli kepada pihak ketiga.
Apatah lagi, data berkenaan bersifat sensitif dan menyeluruh seperti nombor pengenalan diri, maklumat kesihatan serta log keluar masuk pergerakan seharian.
Walaupun secara luarannya, data mentah berkenaan kelihatan rambang dan tidak bermakna, melalui saringan serta analisis menggunakan teknologi kecerdasan buatan data raya ini dapat dibaca dan ditafsirkan kepada bentuk tertentu seperti rutin pergerakan seharian, corak pembelian dan pola perkumpulan.
Maklumat peribadi sensitif ini amat berbahaya sekiranya dimanipulasikan untuk kepentingan pihak tertentu contohnya, eksploitasi pendapat awam seperti yang terjadi dalam skandal Cambridge Analytica di Barat dan boleh membuka ruang bagi tujuan jenayah seperti kecurian identiti.
Bagaimanapun, Menteri Kesihatan memberijaminan Kementerian Kesihatan (KKM) menyelia data diperoleh itu sejak ia mula digunakan kerana aplikasi berkenaan milik kerajaan dengan kementeriannya dilantik sebagai pemilik utama bagi pengurusan kesihatan awam negara sejak diputuskan pada 26 November tahun lalu.
Malah, beliau turut meminta Yang Dipertua Dewan Negara untuk membenarkan usul mengenai isu Mysejahtera dibahas pada sidang Dewan Negara, hari ini.
Hakikatnya, usaha giat dari semasa ke semasa wajib dilakukan bagi melindungi keselamatan maklumat peribadi ini. Pada masa sama, ia perlu diseimbangkan dengan kepentingan maslahat umum dalam membendung penularan wabak COVID-19.
Menurut perspektif Islam, tindakan campur tangan kerajaan dalam mengawasi dan memantau maklumat peribadi penduduk diharuskan berdasarkan prinsip siasah syariah serta kaedah fiqh ‘al-darurah tubih al-mahzurat’ yang mengharuskan sesuatu tindakan terlarang ketika suasana darurat seperti dalam menghadapi pandemik ini.
Namun, usah dilupakan kaedah ini juga terikat dengan ketetapan kaedah fiqh lain, iaitu sesuatu keadaan darurat itu perlu dinilai hanya mengikut kadar keperluannya (al-darurah tuqaddar biqadariha).
Oleh itu, bersesuaian dengan keadaan semasa fasa peralihan ke endemik menyaksikan kelonggaran pelbagai prosedur operasi standard (SOP), isu perlindungan maklumat peribadi ini perlu kembali diberikan perhatian serius kerajaan.
Polisi bersifat intrusif terhadap ruang peribadi masyarakat seperti pemantauan maklumat peribadi perlu dinilai semula dan turut dilonggarkan sekiranya dilihat sudah tidak relevan.
Pada masa sama, pihak berkaitan dalam kerajaan perlu tampil untuk menjelas dan memberikan jaminan utuh bahawa segala data peribadi dikumpulkan selama ini adalah selamat daripada sebarang ancaman penyelewengan.
Penganalisis di Institut Pengajian Islam Lanjutan Antarabangsa (IAIS) Malaysia
Source: Berita Harian, 31 Mar 2022
Navigating the fine line on tech security and privacy
Technology, in this day and age, knows you more than your friends and family do.
In some cases, tech knows you more than you know yourself — your likes and preferences, your deepest desires and possibly even traits that you have not yet discovered.
Emerging technologies allow tools to “read” your physical, mental and social behaviours then predict what you will do next. Beyond prediction, technological tools can also deceive and manipulate. The possibilities and the power are endless.
Oftentimes, financial motives are behind these developments. As per the modern day mantra, “Data is the new oil”, and we are the data to be mined — with or without our consent.
Revelations after revelations of sketchy business operations force unwitting users to believe they are being spied on from the comfort of their homes to the confined spaces in the aircraft.
In February, Google admitted to embedding built-in microphones into its Nest Secure home security solutions, two years after it was introduced. The feature was suspiciously omitted from the product’s tech specs and unsuspecting users eventually questioned if they had been spied on in those years. In the same month, Singapore Airlines confessed to installing a camera beneath the inflight entertainment screens on its aircraft. Both denied any ill intention and insisted that the cameras and microphones had not been activated.
As technology advances and converges, so do the functions of technology players in order for them to stay relevant. Facebook, for instance, started off as a social platform for friends and family to keep in touch. It has morphed, however, to become the main source of news for the majority of people globally.
As the presence and power of tech players become more pervasive, so do their responsibilities and the expectations of them to carry out their role diligently. Facebook, a social media tech giant, has been struggling to get out of the soup, vis-à-vis issues of disinformation, hate speech and pornography, among others.
Countries are pushing for social media platforms to play a more significant role in combating these issues, or they may be legally bound to do so. This follows the footsteps of Germany, which has tightened its law to regulate social media platforms to counter online abuse.
YouTube on the other hand, has been under fire for its recommendation algorithm that fuels the dissemination of disinformation, political extremism and the sexual exploitation of children. YouTube sets “engagement” as its primary business goal, and since 2012 decided that recommending videos is crucial to ensure viewers’ eyes are kept on the site. Perpetually hammered and accused of prioritising profits over the safety of users, it recently announced plans to reduce recommendations of “borderline content” and disinformation. The document also outlines YouTube’s aim to achieve, not just growth, but “responsible growth”. However, it continues to face criticism for only attending to the issues sporadically.
In Malaysia’s case, in our eagerness to catch up with the technological advancements of the fourth industrial revolution (4IR), focus on the security and privacy aspects need to be synchronised. Understanding the dark side that technology could inflict, without entirely focusing on financial benefits is essential.
It is a joint responsibility of various parties.
FIRST, the role of government to ensure the right policies are in place at the desirable speed, aligned with the rapid growth of technology as well as enforcing these policies vigorously. We can be building flying cars, but regulations and standards need to first be in place. Further, Malaysia needs to localise policies accordingly and not blindly adopt on what works for other countries. Moreover, emphasis needs to be put into the responsibility that comes with technology applications for both users and creators, which includes domestic and international technology providers in Malaysia.
SECOND, creating citizen awareness towards the dangers of misusing technology and how we can protect ourselves, which includes practising good cyber hygiene. Citizens also need to be aware that at times, they are their own worst enemy, and that technology only intensifies it. Such is the case of disinformation for instance, where human biases that react to seditious posts will generate quick engagements, resulting in faster dissemination of toxic videos and “bad virality”.
THIRD, the role of technology players. Regardless of whether they are pursuing the areas of Internet of Things, artificial intelligence or Big Data Analytics, which could be applied in an array of sectors, the responsibility to protect users must be embedded.
Beyond that, technology experts themselves need to recognise that the power to navigate technological growth is in their hands. Unfortunately, being a bad actor has tempted many, and eerily, technology is a good servant to an evil master.
The writer is senior analyst, Technology, Innovation, Environment and Sustainability, Institute of Strategic and International Studies Malaysia.
Published in: The New Straits Times, 13 April 2019