Big Brother Is at the Door

Personal data collection is being carried out under the lee of "decree on parasitism".

"They dared to do this!" that was the reaction of the majority of Belarusians after the yesterday’s government decree on spongers. It's obvious it was the key topic of the evening: who’s going to be considered spongers and what they're going to pay in full. But the government's decision does not mention it, but only provide with the list of those who are considered not employed. There may be other decrees. Most likely, we are about to wait for another surprise.

However, if one considers there's nothing new in the new resolution, I recommend to read the application carefully. Because all this story in the current edition looks like a cover for a large-scale special operation.

What is the result? Earlier, only tax authorities had information about income, taxes, deductions, payments. Now paragraph 2 of the decree stipulates that the Ministry for Taxes and Duties must provide the Ministry of Labour and Social Protection with software related to the collection and release of information about participation of citizens in financing of public expenditures. And the new owner of the official database is obliged to ensure access to it for all executive and administrative bodies by 30 November.

At the same time, the single database will be based on a process of elimination – first, as the appendix to the resolution says, all state bodies must provide information about everyone who is considered to be employed in the economy. These bodies involve the Ministry of Labour, tax inspections, the NSSF, regional executive committees and so on. And, for example, the Ministry of Health. It will provide an open access to information for all "executive and administrative bodies", that is, the information about disabled people, people on compulsory treatment, those on parental leave, HIV infected will be available for almost everyone. In accordance with paragraph 8 "Regulation on procedure for assigning able-bodied citizens to non-involved in the economy," the Ministry of Labour can add any information about a person. The database is subject to quarterly update, so the information about the dismissed, the employed and those who received inheritance will be always available.

Do you understand? Commercial, medical or banking secrecy fall into oblivion. De facto, it did not exist, but now everything is legally adopted. There is the decree, it means that everything is legal. And every curious official will know everything about you. What I am talking about... Every member of the Youth Union will know it, commissions on work with spongers will include representatives of "public organizations" and "deputies" of all levels. It means they have access to your personal information.

On the background of the sponger decree, an electronic dossier is created for all Belarusians, it will be available to any crumpled jacket. There's a reason why the government allows to put into it any information about us. What kind of, I wonder? Sexual orientation? Moral stability? Information about relatives abroad? Bank account content? Information from the medical card? I won't be surprised.

Moreover, there are also eight points in these appendices, which only mention "for official use". So far, we know only few about this database. However, it is clear that the absence of law on protection of personal data, this is a very hazardous thing. We can't know how this data will be used. But it can result into either blackmail or milking money. Under the guise of the state, of course. More precisely, on its initiative.

Big Brother's not just watching you. He broke into your house, your purse, your computer, your fridge, your bed. Big Brother is nasty and stinky. And he must be exorcised as soon as possible. Otherwise, he will steal silver spoons.

Iryna Khalip, specially for Charter97.org