Indonesia's Communication and Information Technology Minister, Johnny G. Plate, and the team are studying the plus and minus of facial recognition technology to be implemented in driver's license registration. (Image via Teknologi - Bisnis.com)

Kemkominfo considers facial recognition for driver's license application

Indonesia’s Ministry of Communication and Information Technology (Kemkominfo) said that it is currently studying the possibility of adding facial recognition in the driver’s license (SIM) registration. The same move was pioneered by the Chinese government.

During an interview on Friday, the Communication and Information Technology Minister, Johnny G. Plate, pointed out that the facial recognition technology is like two sides of a coin. While facial recognition makes the registration easier, Johnny also warned that it might also be a threat to personal information and national security.

Johnny also said that technology development is inevitable, but has to be overcome by the country.

On the same occasion, Johnny stated that facial recognition in SIM registration is not the only thing Indonesia should focus on. The Minister also brought up the trending 5G network development. The obstacles faced by Indonesia to transmit the 5G networks are not only limited to commercial and economic matters but also geostrategic.

Therefore, making way for the 5G networks, Johnny said that the ministry had prepared high-quality human resources, and frequencies to transmit the successor of the 4G networks.

Chairman of the Communication and Information System Security Research Center (CISSReC), Pratama Persadha, said that implementing facial recognition technology in Indonesia’s SIM registration was “exaggerating” and “complicated”.

Instead of facial recognition, Pratama pointed out the elephant in the room: the loophole in the registration of mobile phone number with citizenship identity number (NIK) and family card (KK).

Moreover, Pratama said that the facial recognition technology would make the Indonesian government look authoritative, trying to spy on its people.

Source: https://bit.ly/2PqL6m6