Digital ID to reveal who sees your data

Namibia’s planned digital identification system will allow citizens to see who has accessed their personal data and why it was accessed, and to raise objections.

Speaking at the AI for Good Global Summit in Geneva, Switzerland, last Tuesday, minister of information and communication technology Emma Theofelus addressed concerns about data privacy and accountability as Namibia prepares to roll out its digital identification (ID) system.

Her comments follow citizens’ concerns over the rollout of digital IDs and risks of personal information breaches.

Theofelus said the digital ID system is designed to give citizens greater exposure to how their personal information is accessed.

“Our response as a government is that because of the system in place, we are actually able to help you see who is accessing your data, why they are accessing your data, and whether you have any objection to them accessing your data,” she said.

She said measures are intended to improve public confidence in the government’s use of digital technology while reducing risks associated with artificial intelligence (AI).

The minister did not explain how this would work in practice.

Facilit8 Namibia founder Nrupesh Soni says the technology the minister described is possible, but would require strong safeguards and oversight.

He says whether citizens can object before or after their data is accessed would depend on the circumstances, adding that all access should be properly approved, recorded and subject to independent oversight.

“The technology can provide transparency, but only strong laws, independent oversight and genuine accountability can provide trust,” Soni says.

The ministry has told The Namibian that the planned electronic identity (e-ID) system would operate under the Civil Registration and Identification Act, which already provides legal safeguards for the protection of personal information.

Ministry spokesperson Matty Kaminizi says access to personal information under the e-ID system would not be unrestricted.

“Any access to personal data must be lawful, authorised, and subject to clearly defined legal processes,” she says.

Kaminizi says citizens would be able to see who had accessed their personal information and raise objections through the legal and administrative process provided under the system.

The safeguards governing the e-ID system are already contained in the act and are therefore not dependent on the introduction of the proposed data protection bill, she says.

Institute for Public Policy Research research associate Frederico Links says: “While the minister’s comments are welcome, the latest version of the data protection bill and her comments do not speak to each other.”

The Namibia Chapter Internet Society could not provide a comment as it was unable to fully verify the nature of the technology in place.

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