The US Department of State has alleged that the PeduliLindungi application violated users' privacy during the COVID-19 pandemic.
"We hope that the government can provide concrete evidence to prove that the PeduliLindungi application does not violate users' privacy and is safe to use," Maharani stated on Monday.
Such accusations must be debunked since they cause anxiety among the public, she added.
The Indonesian government should provide a comprehensive explanation regarding the safety of the PeduliLindungi application to the public, she said.
The application has provided many benefits in the handling of the COVID-19 pandemic, she noted.
"However, the accusations highlighting a report from a non-governmental organization (NGO) about the government monitoring people's personal data through PeduliLindungi cannot be ignored," she stressed.
She said that evidence from the government is needed to eradicate wrong assumptions regarding the application. If there has been a miscommunication related to the application, it must be clarified accurately.
"This is about public trust. I am afraid people will hesitate to use the PeduliLindungi," Maharani said.
In fact, the PeduliLindungi application has succeeded in providing benefits and contributed to controlling the spread of COVID-19 in Indonesia, she added.
She further said that it is the government's obligation to protect people's personal data. She then urged the government, together with the DPR, to progressively complete the discussions on the Personal Data Protection Bill (PDP).
"If the PDP Law had been passed, and all personal data users were supervised by an independent authority, not under the ministry, this accusation of privacy violation would be easier to prove, and would not have become a polemic in the community," she said.
Maharani also emphasized that public information contained in the PeduliLindungi application should not be used outside the handling of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The DPR will continue to supervise people's rights, including the protection of personal data, she added. (INE)
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Translator: Imam Budilaksono, Resinta S
Editor: Suharto
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