March 18,2018:
On Saturday, Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) asked people to take “due precautions” while sharing their personal information such as Aadhaar number on the internet for availing any service.
The Authority in its statement further added that,“People share their personal information, including Aadhaar on internet, to some or other service provider or vendor to get the services and when they put their details on internet they should take due precautions as required in digital activities”.
On reports of Aadhaar pdf being allegedly available through the Google search query of ‘Mera Aadhaar, Meri Pehchan’, UIDAI stated that the issue had “nothing to do with the security of Aadhaar and its database”.
Asserting the robustness of Aadhaar Identity System, the nodal body, which issues the 12-digit biometric identifier, stated that,“publication or posting of Aadhaar cards by some unscrupulous people have absolutely no bearing on UIDAI and not the least on Aadhaar security”.
Authority in its statment stated that,“These (reports) are far from the reality and have got nothing to do with the security of Aadhaar and its database. As none of the Aadhaar cards shown are taken from UIDAI database".
Emphasising that just like any other identity document, Aadhaar too is not a confidential document, UIDAI argued that mere knowledge about someone's Aadhaar card is not sufficient to impersonate that person as biometric authentication is needed to establish one’s identity.
UIDAI stated that,“If anybody unauthorisedly publishes someone’s personal information such as Aadhaar card, mobile number, bank account, photograph etc., he can be sued for civil damages by the person whose privacy right is infringed”.
However, it said, such publication does not threaten security of Aadhaar and its database which remains safe.
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