The Taiwanese government has agreed to compensate contractors NT$280 million (US$8.87 million) due to the halting of a digital identification project in 2021.
Premier Chen Chien-jen justified the expense, highlighting it as a reduction from the NT$1 billion initially demanded by the contractors. This payment contradicts Chen’s previous assurances that taxpayers would not bear the financial burden following the program’s suspension.
The digital ID program’s future is on hold until the establishment of an independent personal data protection commission, as mandated by the Constitutional Court.
The contractor payment revelation has sparked criticism from Eric Chu, the Chairman of the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT), who argued that the government should be held responsible for the financial loss and called for an investigation to identify those accountable for the policy failure.
Taiwan’s digital ID effort was part of a broader initiative to modernize the country’s identification systems and integrate various services and functionalities into a single digital platform. The goal was to replace the existing physical national identification cards with digital versions that could potentially include features such as electronic signatures, health insurance information, and other personal data.
The initiative aimed to streamline government services, improve efficiency, and enhance security by incorporating advanced technologies such as biometrics. It also sought to facilitate the digital transformation of public services, making them more accessible to citizens.
However, the project faced several challenges, including public concerns over privacy, data security, and the potential for misuse of personal information. These concerns led to debates and discussions on the need for robust safeguards and regulatory frameworks to protect individuals’ personal data.
Source: Taipei Times
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March 8, 2024 – by the Mobile ID World Editorial Team
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