Afghan panic over digital footprints spurs call for data collection rethink


A file photo of a baby being handed over to the American army over the perimeter wall of the airport for it to be evacuated, in Kabul, Afghanistan, on Aug 19, 2021. — OMAR HAIDARI/via Reuters

Concerns about sensitive data falling into the hands of the Taliban after they took control of Afghanistan have rekindled a debate among privacy experts on the ethics of data collection by aid agencies and multilateral institutions.

As the insurgents moved into the capital, Kabul, on Aug 15, residents fretted that biometric databases maintained by aid agencies and security forces could be used to track and target them.

Subscribe now to our Premium Plan for an ad-free and unlimited reading experience!

Data privacy , Afghanistan

   

Next In Tech News

Elon Musk must face fraud lawsuit for disclosing Twitter stake late
Russian court rejects Apple appeal against abuse of dominant market position - RIA
Netflix plans to raise prices after actors' strike ends - WSJ
LinkedIn taps AI to make it easier for firms to find job candidates
Exclusive-UK regulator to push for probe into Amazon, Microsoft cloud dominance
Consumer finance group seeks more privacy in digital euro use
The crypto market still bears the scars of FTX's collapse
Nokia-brand owner HMD starts making 5G smartphones in Europe
Sam Bankman-Fried's fraud trial gets under way with jury selection
Factbox-European regulators crack down on Big Tech

Air Pollutant Index

Highest API Readings

    Select State and Location to view the latest API reading

    Source: Department of Environment, Malaysia

    Others Also Read