The Federation Council named the reason for Russians’ fear of a digital passport
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“Biometrics cause negativity among our citizens”
A digital passport can replace the usual paper one in 80% of everyday cases. This forecast of the Ministry of Digital Development was voiced by Senator Irina Rukavishnikova. True, Russians themselves do not yet understand their happiness and any attempt by the state to collect biometrics from them and convert personal data into “digital” is met with hostility. And experts on protecting the rights of citizens in the digital environment are full of skepticism: our compatriots still have not learned how to properly manage their personal data.
Russians have developed a special relationship with biometrics and other personal data. Experts see an unusual trend in the behavior of fellow citizens. On the one hand, they fear digital passports and biometric collection like fire. On the other hand, they willingly check the boxes for all sorts of user agreements on websites, without bothering to read boring text. As a result, treasured personal information leaks to God knows where.
Cyber defense specialists place the lion’s share of responsibility for the current state of affairs on the Law “On Personal Data”. The Federation Council held a special meeting on Thursday to decide what to do with it next. The main problem of the law today is that it does not see the difference between a user agreement and consent to the processing of personal data. It seems that both are about consent. But in reality, the user agreement is about how the site or application should be used. And consent means that you give carte blanche to the program developer or site administrator to dispose of information about you. Often consent to processing is already “hardwired” into the user agreement. But who even reads them?
— I myself cannot read user agreements. It’s impossible to read. Firstly, they are very voluminous. They contain a lot of complex legal terms. Secondly, often development companies do not translate the texts of agreements into Russian,” admitted Lyudmila Kurovskaya, director of the Center for Legal Assistance to Citizens in the Digital Environment, at a meeting in the upper chamber.
According to the expert, it is necessary to distinguish between the user agreement and consent to the processing of personal data in the law. It must be stated that data processing is impossible without the separate consent of the user. Moreover, silence should not be taken as such consent.
Moreover, the Law “On Personal Data” may indicate that user agreements must be written in Russian and the languages of the peoples of Russia.
Deputy head of Roskomnadzor Milos Wagner added to the expert’s words that the law must clearly state the principle of the user’s active consent to data processing.
— Now there is a disproportion: you can enter into a relationship with the developer of an application or website in two seconds. And in order to get out of them, you need to expend effort, write an email and, most often, attach a copy of your passport. But no one asked the user for this copy when entering the site,” Wagner noted.
According to the deputy head of the RKN, the basic principle for processing the personal data of Russians should be absolute voluntariness. The same is true when collecting biometric data:
— A person should not feel any discrimination if he refuses to submit biometric data. Plus, you need to collect only the minimum data necessary to receive a particular service. As for digital passports, they must be protected, said Milos Wagner.
By the way, Russians still treat digital passports with distrust. Senator Vadim Dengin believes that this is the fault of the state and its incorrect information policy.
“Biometrics are negative for our citizens. But abroad, everyone is already accustomed to digital ID; it does not cause any discomfort there. We need to explain to citizens, we need a competent information policy, social advertising, so that people don’t get scared,” Dengin suggested.
The senator drew attention to the paradox: fearing the introduction of digital passports, Russians are happy to buy smartphones with Face-ID and Touch-ID functions – systems for recognizing the owner by face and fingerprint. People don’t even think about where all this data—that same biometrics—goes later.
Meanwhile, biometrics minimizes cases of fraud and forgery of documents, emphasized Irina Rukavishnikova, First Deputy Chairman of the Constitutional Committee of the Federation Council. And a digital passport can replace the usual paper one in 80% of everyday situations, the senator noted.
— Digital copies do not replace original documents. The “Government Services” application can only be used in certain everyday situations. The list of such situations will be determined by the government,” Rukavishnikova explained.
Newspaper headline:
High digital relationships
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