Malls will not be allowed to collect NRIC numbers to
issue free parking vouchers or register customers for lucky draws
and memberships, among other things, under stricter rules proposed
to address the risk of misuse that could lead to identity theft and
fraud.
The Personal Data Protection Commission wants to bar
these common practices, saying NRIC details should only be
collected where it is necessary to accurately establish and verify
the identity of the individual. Examples of such scenarios include
the signing of high value contracts like property transactions, or
applications for healthcare or travel insurance to prevent
fraudulent claims.
The PDPC’s move to tweak guidelines on the use of NRIC
numbers arose from feedback from the public, and it targets to
implement the changes in the middle of next year, although it
intends to give a one-year grace period to make the necessary
tweaks to their processes. The public is invited to weigh in on the
proposed changes from Tuesday (Nov 7) until Dec 18.
As part of the revisions it wants to make to the
guidelines under the Personal Data Protection Act, the PDPC
suggested alternative ways commercial entities could verify
identities.
For instance, instead of asking for NRIC numbers when
customers book movie tickets online, cinemas can send an SMS or
issue a booking reference number. A store signing up shoppers for
memberships or lucky draws can use other identifiers such as email
addresses.
The proposed revisions also addressed the collection of
individuals’ physical identity cards as a form of collateral in
exchange for rented items. For instance, when an individual wants
to rent a bicycle, he should not have to hand over his NRIC as
collateral. Instead, some other collateral like a monetary deposit
should be used.
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