Does the government seek to control social networks?: the debate that the bill has generated

A bill on digital security is at the center of the debate. The scope of the initiative, which seeks to create the Digital Security and Space Affairs Agency, have been questioned about the role that this entity could have in freedom of expression.

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The proposal indicates that this entity will be a technical body, whose purpose will be to plan, articulate and manage digital security risks in the country. This is with the aim of preventing internal or external threats against the system.

The first alerts regarding the project have been presented by the opposition, who denounced that the door would be opening for the Government to control and monitor social networks. In fact, the representative to the Chamber, José Jaime Uscátegui, has indicated that there are two articles that raise concerns: the 8th and the 14th.

Article 8 of the presentation text establishes that “Unilateral acts carried out by the Agency for the development of its activities are administrative acts and will be subject to the provisions of public law. The contracts that the Agency must conclude will be governed, as a general rule, by public procurement rules. Exceptionally , with respect to the contracts that have to be carried out for the development of the Agency’s mission objective, said contracting will be governed by the understanding and strengthening of the management of risks and security incidents, digital security incidents, cybersecurity and data protection. the information that supports the operation of the State”.

For its part, article 14 mentions that “within the framework of a Unified Command Post (PMU) or a Crisis Committee, Order the cessation of operations in cyberspace in the event of an attack that affects national sovereignty and the digital ecosystem and its economy, in coordination with the Ministry of Defense “.

In this context, there are those who consider that the initiative could go against freedom of expression on digital platforms, while others defend that, given the threats that exist on the internet, Clear protocols are required in the event of a cyber attack.

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What does the MinTIC say?

Through his X account, the ICT Minister, Mauricio Lizcano, spoke out regarding this controversy. The head of this portfolio clarified that the National Government “does not want, nor is it thinking about having the power to interfere with or close social networks, nor the private communication of Colombians.”

Lizcano pointed out that the bill is aimed at creating a cybersecurity agency. An objective motivated by the millions of reports of digital attacks that have been registered in the country. “Last year we received 20 billion cyber attacks, which is why in a digital world, cybersecurity is fundamental for development and is one of the Government’s priorities,” Indian.

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In addition, he indicated that the article that causes noise will only be applied when three conditions occur at the same time: national sovereignty, the digital ecosystem are affected and the economy is seriously affected.

“This power would not be the president’s or mine, it would be that of an emergency committee where many people attend, this is a very normal mechanism in the world known as switch off”added the MinTIC, who also highlighted that the Executive is open to agreeing to build an articulated “to leave Congress and the country alone.”

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