Experts urge action to protect DigiD
In the media image: Jason Dent on Unsplash
Experts, including Reijer Passchier, Professor of Digitalisation and the Democratic Constitutional State (OU) and Assistant Professor of Constitutional Law, have warned in an opinion piece in ‘de Volkskrant’ that the Netherlands must act swiftly to prevent DigiD from coming under American control.
The experts call on the Dutch government to act before 6 May to keep DigiD (its digital identity system) and the Berichtenbox (its secure digital mailbox within MijnOverheid) outside American jurisdiction. They say swift measures are necessary to better protect the sensitive personal data processed in these systems and to safeguard digital autonomy.
Their concerns are mainly related to American legislation which can oblige companies to share data with the authorities. In its strategy, the US government has already made clear its ambition to achieve digital dominance. A risk therefore exists that the data of Dutch citizens could be accessed by foreign parties, with potentially serious consequences.
More information?
Read the full article in de Volkskrant (in Dutch)
Read the NU-nieuws- artikel (€, in Dutch), in which Passchier claims that the dependence of the Netherlands on US tech giants is our greatest security issue at present.