SINGAPORE: The Accounting and Corporate Regulatory Authority (ACRA) will restore its Bizfile search function next week, but it will not show National Registration Identity Card (NRIC) numbers.
The change, announced on Thursday (Dec 19), comes after public anger over the Bizfile portal revealing NRIC numbers in their entirety in search results.
Users who want to view NRIC numbers and other information of people in ACRA's Bizfile directory will have to pay S$33 (US$24) for each profile.
The change will make it less convenient for Bizfile users, who will not be able to easily identify the specific individual they're looking for, said Second Minister for Finance Indranee Rajah.
After assessing the situation, the authorities think this was the "right balance to strike between corporate transparency and public concerns regarding personal information", she said at a press conference alongside Minister for Digital Development and Information Josephine Teo and ACRA chief executive Chia-Tern Huey Min.
"We will continue to monitor feedback on the Bizfile portal and will review and update the Bizfile on an ongoing basis," she said.
ACRA's Bizfile portal contains a repository of information relating to business entities and the people behind these entities. This database can be accessed by those who wish to conduct checks.
Mrs Chia-Tern said the portal supports corporate transparency and helps to guard against illicit activities.
Concerns on privacy arose when ACRA's new Bizfile portal, launched on Dec 9, had a people search function that revealed people's names and their full NRIC numbers.
Previously, NRIC numbers were masked - or only partially revealed - in search results. Users could then pay for the complete set of information about an individual, which would include the person's NRIC number and an address.
The unmasked NRIC numbers in the new Bizfile portal came about after the Ministry of Digital Development and Information (MDDI) issued a circular for government agencies to cease any planned use of masked NRIC numbers in new business processes and services.
Due to a misunderstanding and communication lapses on how this was to be implemented, ACRA proceeded to unmask the NRIC numbers in the new Bizfile portal.
Mrs Chia-Tern apologised for the mistake, saying that ACRA should have been more mindful that Singaporeans have long-treated NRIC numbers as private and confidential details.
In response to these concerns, ACRA disabled the people search function last Friday and will restore services in a way that addresses public concerns and user needs, she added.
Ms Indranee said that the search function remained useful and necessary to support legitimate business needs.
"Since the function was disabled last Friday, we have received queries on when it would be resumed," she said. She added that the revised search function, which does not show NRIC numbers, will be introduced next week, but did not specify a day.
MDDI said in a statement on Dec 14 that it intends to change the practice of masking NRIC numbers, which it said are meant to be used to identify individuals. As a unique identifier, the NRIC number is assumed to be known like names are, MDDI said.
Public agencies were phasing out the use of masked NRIC numbers to avoid giving a false sense of security, MDDI added.
During the question and answer segment of the press conference, CNA asked why ACRA will not be reverting to showing masked NRIC numbers of individuals through the search function, especially given how Ms Indranee highlighted that removing NRIC numbers entirely may inconvenience some users.
In response, Ms Indranee said the government had considered returning to the previous system of showing partial NRIC numbers.
"But given that one of the concerns is that partial NRIC gives a false sense of security, and it is actually possible to work out a full NRIC, and given the public concerns in the wake of this incident, we felt it would be better not to show either partial or full for the present time," she added.
The authorities are now exploring other ways to make it easier for people to find the right individual or information on the database.
For example, a person could search for a first name in combination with a company name to yield the right search result.
If they only had a first name however, a search might result in multiple entries with that first name.
In such a case, a person would have to conduct a "level two search" to get the full information, said Ms Indranee. This would involve a user purchasing the people profile, which would include the individual's NRIC number.
Another reporter then asked how soon an alternative solution might be found for people using this search function on the Bizfile portal.
Mrs Chia-Tern replied that ACRA will take time to look at what is feasible while taking into account the community's concerns.
"We need to strike a balance, and we will need time to make a very considered decision before we determine what should be the next step. We will weigh all these considerations very carefully," she said.
Ms Indranee reiterated that although the NRIC number will not appear, a user can use additional information to obtain the correct search result.
"For those who are actually using the search function, (you) should try to see whether you have any other information as much as possible," she said.
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The change, announced on Thursday (Dec 19), comes after public anger over the Bizfile portal revealing NRIC numbers in their entirety in search results.
Users who want to view NRIC numbers and other information of people in ACRA's Bizfile directory will have to pay S$33 (US$24) for each profile.
The change will make it less convenient for Bizfile users, who will not be able to easily identify the specific individual they're looking for, said Second Minister for Finance Indranee Rajah.
After assessing the situation, the authorities think this was the "right balance to strike between corporate transparency and public concerns regarding personal information", she said at a press conference alongside Minister for Digital Development and Information Josephine Teo and ACRA chief executive Chia-Tern Huey Min.
"We will continue to monitor feedback on the Bizfile portal and will review and update the Bizfile on an ongoing basis," she said.
ACRA's Bizfile portal contains a repository of information relating to business entities and the people behind these entities. This database can be accessed by those who wish to conduct checks.
Mrs Chia-Tern said the portal supports corporate transparency and helps to guard against illicit activities.
Concerns on privacy arose when ACRA's new Bizfile portal, launched on Dec 9, had a people search function that revealed people's names and their full NRIC numbers.
Previously, NRIC numbers were masked - or only partially revealed - in search results. Users could then pay for the complete set of information about an individual, which would include the person's NRIC number and an address.
The unmasked NRIC numbers in the new Bizfile portal came about after the Ministry of Digital Development and Information (MDDI) issued a circular for government agencies to cease any planned use of masked NRIC numbers in new business processes and services.
Due to a misunderstanding and communication lapses on how this was to be implemented, ACRA proceeded to unmask the NRIC numbers in the new Bizfile portal.
Mrs Chia-Tern apologised for the mistake, saying that ACRA should have been more mindful that Singaporeans have long-treated NRIC numbers as private and confidential details.
In response to these concerns, ACRA disabled the people search function last Friday and will restore services in a way that addresses public concerns and user needs, she added.
Ms Indranee said that the search function remained useful and necessary to support legitimate business needs.
"Since the function was disabled last Friday, we have received queries on when it would be resumed," she said. She added that the revised search function, which does not show NRIC numbers, will be introduced next week, but did not specify a day.
MDDI said in a statement on Dec 14 that it intends to change the practice of masking NRIC numbers, which it said are meant to be used to identify individuals. As a unique identifier, the NRIC number is assumed to be known like names are, MDDI said.
Public agencies were phasing out the use of masked NRIC numbers to avoid giving a false sense of security, MDDI added.
Related:
ACRA TO REFINE SEARCH FUNCTION
During the question and answer segment of the press conference, CNA asked why ACRA will not be reverting to showing masked NRIC numbers of individuals through the search function, especially given how Ms Indranee highlighted that removing NRIC numbers entirely may inconvenience some users.
In response, Ms Indranee said the government had considered returning to the previous system of showing partial NRIC numbers.
"But given that one of the concerns is that partial NRIC gives a false sense of security, and it is actually possible to work out a full NRIC, and given the public concerns in the wake of this incident, we felt it would be better not to show either partial or full for the present time," she added.
Related:
The authorities are now exploring other ways to make it easier for people to find the right individual or information on the database.
For example, a person could search for a first name in combination with a company name to yield the right search result.
If they only had a first name however, a search might result in multiple entries with that first name.
In such a case, a person would have to conduct a "level two search" to get the full information, said Ms Indranee. This would involve a user purchasing the people profile, which would include the individual's NRIC number.
Another reporter then asked how soon an alternative solution might be found for people using this search function on the Bizfile portal.
Mrs Chia-Tern replied that ACRA will take time to look at what is feasible while taking into account the community's concerns.
"We need to strike a balance, and we will need time to make a very considered decision before we determine what should be the next step. We will weigh all these considerations very carefully," she said.
Ms Indranee reiterated that although the NRIC number will not appear, a user can use additional information to obtain the correct search result.
"For those who are actually using the search function, (you) should try to see whether you have any other information as much as possible," she said.
Continue reading...