Digital Security Act to protect citizen data, privacy: Joy

Prime Minister's ICT Adviser and son Sajeeb Wazed Joy said journalists and editors who have no intention of publishing falsehoods have nothing to worry about the Digital Security Act 2018 as it was created to protect citizen data and privacy, reports BSS.

"With regards to hacking and covert surveillance in government offices and computers, this was created to protect citizen data and privacy. We did not have any specific laws against hacking and theft of data until this Act. How are we supposed to prosecute hacking and theft of your data without this law? ", Joy said in a Facebook post where he expressed his opinion about the criticisms by certain quarters about the Digital Security Act.

He said government computers hold the National ID numbers and many other details of all citizens.

Bank accounts, health records, land records, etc. are all being digitised and stored, he added.

"If these are hacked, who will be to blame? You will blame the government. As the ICT Advisor I had recommended these laws to prevent hacking," Joy said, adding that even digital surveillance inside government offices could capture pictures and videos of documents with citizen data. Audio surveillance could expose citizen information being discussed, Wi-Fi passwords, etc, he added.

"I understand this makes journalist's job harder, but should journalists be allowed to hack and capture any information, including citizen data being discussed inside a government office, in order to expose someone corrupt?," he said.

No country in the world allows journalists to obtain data through illegal means, including the EU and US, he said, adding that covert surveillance inside any US government office is illegal, even for journalists.

Journalists must obtain their information through other sources, he added.

Mentioning the comments of foreign missions about the law, Joy said, "I have a question for the foreign missions that have complained about this act; can journalists bring in hidden surveillance equipment inside your missions?".