Many have voiced their concerns with the expected increase in road-toll charges in Singapore with the implementation of the new GPS and distance-based, ERP fare system.
Not many have discussed the privacy concerns that such a system can bring about. However, an alternative page calling itself 'NUSSU - NUS Students United' (no relation to the actual NUS Students' Union) has brought to light some of the issues that drivers and commuters might face.
In fact, it views the new system as a very serious privacy risk.
Imagine this: the LTA will be able to track EVERY vehicle by satellite in Singapore on a real time basis, 24 hours 7 days a week. This means that it can both know the actual macro traffic patterns on a much better resolution AND every individual vehicle’s travel and usage patterns. And you can’t switch it off or opt out, unlike Grab or Go-Jek.
The Transport Minister (who has since stepped down) answered Parliament in 2015 that the data will be “aggregated and anonymised”, but we wonder how enforcement against nonpayments can take place if data is anonymised. Also, there is every likelihood that if the police or Internal Security Department requires access to the data for law enforcement, LTA will hand it over readily. Lastly, what if the data is hacked and leaked? It will be a gold mine of information that tech companies, especially those engaged in transport areas, would pay an arm and a leg for.
For them, this new system only serves to turn Singapore into a police state where big brother can know your every move, even in your own, daily private lives.
These concerns are spot on.
The line between the public and private is getting blurrer.
The government wants to educate the public educated on data security and protecting their personal and digital data. However, this new system puts us more at risk of exploitation.
These concerns have to be balanced against the utility of the system and its effect on traffic conditions. Which one will the government prioritise?
