Surely you have already heard about the latest internet scandal: Rocío Monasterio, leader of Vox in Madrid, has published a document on her Twitter account in which it was possible to see the data of the presenter Arturo Valls, including his ID. How serious is this post? What can you do if you see yourself in one of those? We explain it to you.
The tweet about Arturo Valls that is already viral
Before explaining the implications of publishing your ID on the internet (and what to do in this case), we are going to put you in the situation. It turns out that Rocío Monasterio, leader of Vox in Madrid, has published on his Twitter account a photo of a document in which he attacked Arturo Valls, a well-known presenter, for a work carried out at his home by a company for which Monasterio is a presenter.
Beyond the fight that these two public figures can bring, what has really generated so much noise and has ended up going viral is the fact that the presenter's personal data such as his address and, with relative ease, can be read in the document. what's worse, his ID -you just have to take the image and adjust the parameters a little with any program or photo editing app to read them despite being crossed out.
Don't tell me that Arturo Valls's liberal turns out to hire the RMA company (of which I am the administrator) to reform a local... and A.Valls is responsible for obtaining licenses to undertake the reform. Oh! ⬇️ #BaldCase pic.twitter.com/TNxfGa9GaX
- Rocio Monasterio (@monasterioR) January 17, 2020
What are the consequences of publishing your ID on the internet?
Although it may seem to you that it's not that bad, that your ID appears public and within the reach of anyone on the internet can bring you more problems than you imagine. You just have to take a look at official blog of the Internet User Safety Office to find some clear examples that demonstrate the consecuencias refusals to share your ID (and to check the number of IDs that can be found on Google with a simple search: the screenshot below belongs to said website).
For example, with it a person can register in an online betting house, a not so rare practice, especially among people with problems and addiction to gambling -who desperately look for another ID to continue playing on these platforms. Also with your ID they can open a bank account (and even request a loan in certain cases) or make fraudulent purchases or sales, again, posing as you.
The government website indicates that these are just a few examples. With your ID they could also enter your private accounts or sign you up for a service without your knowledge or control.
What to do if your ID is visible on the internet?
If you find that your ID has been published on the internet (as has happened to Valls because of Monasteries), there are some measures you can take in this regard. Basically it is about using three ways to try to solve it:
- Go directly to the website where your ID is hosted and request the immediate withdrawal of your number by exercising your ARCO rights (access, rectification, cancellation and opposition). You must send a series of data (name, surname, photocopy of ID, address, etc.) so that the website can verify the legitimacy of your request.
- Report the situation to the Spanish Data Protection Agency. On the official website of the AEPD You can consult more information about it.
- File a complaint before the State Security Forces and Bodies (FCSE). This would be the last step, if none of the previous measures work. In this link (Pass 3) You have different accesses depending on the organization you go to.
Remember that you can also go directly to the OMIC (Municipal Consumer Information Office) and present your case so they can help you with the whole process.
[Cover image used: CC BY 2.5/Lguridi – Wikipedia]