The Argentine government has announced that it will create in the next 12 months a national database that would have access to every single mobile operator in the South American nation, in order to fight against mobile theft crime, which happens to be a huge problem in this country, to the point where almost 5,000 devices are stolen every single day.
There´s 60 Millions Of Mobile Devices In A Nation Of 42 Million People
According to the International Business Times, the Argentina´s Ministry of Communications and Minister of Security wants to have a national database that shows the unique identifying 15-digit IMEI number of every single mobile device and its user´s personal information, which represent a severe measure that would treat people´s privacy.
Although Argentina is a country with 42 million people living in it, there´s 60 millions of phones, because considering how much these devices are stolen, the strategy is to always have a cheaper phone when you´re on the street, so the criminals stole this one instead of the newest. This also happens in many other Latin American nations as México, El Salvador or Venezuela.
The National Database Would Be Paid By The Companies
According to Tech Dirt, the Joint Resolution No. 6 of the Ministries of Security and Communications show that the mobile phone companies will be the one to develop, operate and manage the national database with its own money, which mean that these companies would increase its charges to the customers in order to pay this system, which will encrypt and store the data so the Argentine government would be able to access this register every time its feels necessary.
The Argentine government explained that national database could be the key to solving the issue in the most effective way, since every time a mobile device is reported to be stolen or lost, the 15-digit IMEI number can be easily blacklisted in order to prevent any criminal to sell the device.
