In May 2023, a civil association and an individual demanded the collective protection of personal information managed by CUID.AR, which was used during the pandemic since 2020 to manage the health pass, circulate and manage data on vaccination and COVID-19 testing. The app stored personal data such as full names, ID numbers, residence addresses, circulation permits, and vaccination certificates.
The ruling from Chamber IV of the Federal Administrative Litigation Chamber has ordered the deletion of CUID.AR’s application database and prohibited the transfer, assignment or exchange of citizen data among different organizations in the National Public Administration without users’ consent. The decision was made in light of recent data leaks that highlight the importance of safeguarding personal information.
While challenges exist in ensuring complete data deletion, it is crucial to protect citizens’ privacy rights and enforce data deletion. The absence of a National Cybersecurity Agency in Argentina poses additional challenges in controlling and securing sensitive information. Therefore, the data deletion process must be carefully monitored and executed to prevent further data breaches and privacy violations.
This ruling is a significant step in protecting privacy rights and enforcing data deletion. It emphasizes that personal information shared without users’ consent is not intended for any other purposes than health ones during a pandemic emergency.
In conclusion, this decision from the Federal Administrative Litigation Chamber highlights the need for safeguarding citizens’ personal information from cybercrimes such as identity theft or social engineering. It also underscores that governments must ensure complete data deletion when no longer needed for its initial purpose.
Moreover, it is essential for nations to have proper cybersecurity agencies to control and secure sensitive information from unauthorized access or leaks. With this ruling as a precedent, we hope that more countries will take similar steps towards protecting their citizens’ privacy rights while also ensuring effective cybersecurity measures are in place.
