3G Internet service eases spying on Algerians’ electronic identity

New general director of post and communication regulation authority Mohamed Toufik stressed the necessity of changing phone subscribers’ number for security reasons as Algeria plans to launch the 3G Internet service.

This comes as the government withdrew the law on post and communication from Parliament for unannounced reasons.
In countries where the 3G Internet service had already been launched, people are asked to change their sim cards in order to benefit from mobile phone Internet and ensure the protection of digital data and
identity.
The new sim card includes strategic digital data in terms of security and economy. Because of that, there is a need for a law to protect clients’ electronic identity.
Many experts raised questions about the reasons behind the government’s decision to launch the 3G Internet service while there is no law protecting electronic identity.
The law on the protection of electronic identity is the legislative and legal base to ensure extreme protection for subscribers’ data through identity card on electronic networks.
Anyone can put sensitive data on his or her smartphone and forward them using email. If there is no protecting law, it becomes easy to spy on those information and suspicious persons can not be prosecuted.
Algerian people can not use the 3G Internet service to develop other electronic services as there is no digital certificate neither electronic signature.
Algeria can no go forward applying e-business as it does not have an infrastructure able to manage and protect electronic identity. The 3G Internet service requires the use of smart sim cards which need legal protection. The absence of a protecting law will opens door to spying on Algeria and its people. Because of that, there is a need to find a quick solution to ensure the safety of Algeria and Algerians before launching the 3G Internet service in December.