Revamp SIM portals, telcos told

The National Privacy Commission required all telecommunications companies to revamp their respective SIM registration portals to facilitate seamless processes.

Privacy Commissioner John Henry Naga convened telco players — Globe Telecom, Inc., Smart Communications, Inc., and DITO Telecommunity Corp. — on 29 December to iron out public concerns over glitches in the registration process.

Naga requested the telcos to include on a separate page the notices and tick-boxes that are not related to SIM Card Registration, especially those about data sharing with third-party entities.

He directed them to modify and improve websites and applications to comply with the Data Privacy Act of 2012.

Telcos also need to ensure that the users can choose to opt-out of receiving promotional alerts.

"Telcos must ensure the secure, ethical, and responsible handling of data, especially in all data processing being conducted in compliance with the SIM Registration Act," Naga said.

He added that "their obligation to comply with the SIM Registration Act comes hand-in-hand with ensuring that data privacy and protection is upheld. Such includes the implementation of mechanisms that would allow the assurance to its data subjects that the data being collected are for the SIM Card Registration."

To recall, users raised concerns over notices and tick-boxes displayed on telco websites and mobile applications asking for the users' permission or consent in using their data submitted for marketing,
profiling, or sharing with third-party partners.

Smart clarified that these are just optional and are being included to determine whether the SIM card is being used by an individual or a juridical entity.

Globe said the option for their clients to allow the receipt of commercial and promotional alerts, and third-party sharing, among others, were only optional.

Meanwhile, DITO SIM Card Registration, which can be accessed through its application, did not include other tick-boxes asking for consent on marketing, profiling, or sharing with third-party partners.

Telcos agreed and committed to implementing the changes on its SIM Card Registration websites and mobile applications as soon as possible.

The NPC said it will continue to coordinate with telcos and other stakeholders for the proper implementation of the law.

As of noon on 29 December, Globe reported that registered users reached 2.7 million, while Smart reported 1.8 million as of 8 a.m. on the same day

Third telco player DITO, as of 3 p.m. registered over 742,000 users.