MP raises concerns over Egyptian state collecting facial recognition data

Egyptian Member of Parliament Amira al-Adly expressed concerns over the Egyptian state's plan to collect facial recognition data for mobile phone line registration during a recent interview. During the conversation on the "Kalema Akhera" program, al-Adly sought clarification on the purpose of gathering biometric data, the safety measures in place to protect it, and the entities that would oversee its management.

She emphasized that biometric data is highly sensitive and of national security importance, questioning whether the primary objective of implementing facial recognition is solely to prevent unauthorized use of mobile phone lines or if it is part of the state's broader preparations for a digital identity system. The Personal Data Protection Law mandates the creation of a specialized data protection center, which Adly argued requires a clear institutional framework outlining the rules for handling and safeguarding sensitive data.

Addressing the root causes of the mobile phone line issue rather than merely expanding biometric data collection is essential, she argued. Al-Adly demanded that any digital system collecting biometric data must be under the supervision of a sovereign entity capable of protecting it through robust mechanisms, within a legal and institutional framework governing its collection, use, storage, and protection.

Protecting citizen data should be a top priority when introducing any new digital system, she stressed, noting that digital identity is a complex issue that demands comprehensive institutional and legislative preparation, rather than a simplistic solution to a specific telecommunications problem. She stressed that any new system for collecting citizen data must ensure the highest levels of protection, transparency, and clearly define the entities authorized to access the data and the mechanisms for its use to safeguard citizen rights and bolster trust in the digital transformation process.