No matter the laws, the result is abuse: Snowden on Aadhaar data breach

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, January 5

US whistleblower Edward Snowden has commented on the Aadhaar data breach and said it is the tendency of government to “desire perfect records of private lives”.

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Responding to a tweet by a journalist on the Aadhaar data breach, the former US National Security Agency contractor said, “It is the natural tendency of government to desire perfect records of private lives. History shows that no matter the laws, the result is abuse.”

It is the natural tendency of government to desire perfect records of private lives. History shows that no matter the laws, the result is abuse. https://t.co/7HSQSZ4T3f

— Edward Snowden (@Snowden) January 4, 2018

The Tribune in an exclusive report on Thursday had exposed how the Aadhaar data of a billion people was being sold by “agents” for a mere Rs 500.

A news report published with the title, “Rs 500, 10 minutes, and you have access to billion Aadhaar details”, had reported how a service was being offered by anonymous sellers over WhatsApp that provided unrestricted access to details for any of the more than 1 billion Aadhaar numbers created in India thus far.

Further, after paying only Rs 300, the reporter was also able to print the Aadhaar card for which“software” was provided.

Snowden left the United States in 2013 after he leaked details of a secret government programme on global surveillance.

He now faces espionage and theft charges in the US that can earn him a sentence of up to 30 years in prison. Later that year, he was granted asylum in Russia for three years and still lives there in an undisclosed location.

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Read more:

•  Rs 500, 10 minutes, and you have access to billion Aadhaar details)
• (Aadhaar data breach finds mention in Parliament)
• (Aadhaar data breach shocks Twitterati, top trend for the day)
• UIDAI says Tribune story ‘misreporting’, read how that is wrong
• Mamata expresses concern over easy availability of Aadhaar details
• No formal probe in Aadhaar breach, cops come sniffing