Article 75 of the Seventh Development Plan Sparks Concerns Over Privacy Invasion in Iran
According to IDEA, Iran’s Seventh Development Plan has come under scrutiny, with Article 75 at the center of controversy as it is seen as a clear violation of citizens’ privacy. The article has raised concerns about the potential surveillance of people’s movements, financial transactions, and other activities, which the government seeks to monitor through online platforms. This has led to suspicions that certain elements of the development plan may involve extensive surveillance measures.
Article 75 of the Seventh Development Plan has prompted considerable unease, with many viewing it as an encroachment into individuals’ private lives. Lawmakers, along with other provisions of the Seventh Development Plan, are currently on the verge of approval in the parliament. The stated purpose of Article 75 is to gauge the level of religiosity and ethics among the population.
The government plans to execute this surveillance initiative by establishing a system under the purview of the Ministry of Guidance. The necessary data and information for this system are expected to be sourced from Iran’s Statistical Center and user data from domestic online platforms.
The text of Article 75 explicitly states: “Executive agencies and database holders specified in this clause are obliged to continuously and comprehensively provide data to this system online.”
If this article is approved, all domestic platforms used by the public will be obligated to report even the most personal details of their users. This includes tracking individuals’ movements within and outside the city, monitoring their financial transactions, and even recording food orders and product purchases from supermarkets.
Notably, Article 75 has raised concerns among lawmakers and privacy advocates who fear that it represents a significant intrusion into the private lives of citizens. Some argue that it sets a worrying precedent for privacy rights in Iran. As the debate intensifies, it remains to be seen whether the government will address these mounting concerns.
In discussions about Article 75, Rashidi Kouchi, a member of parliament, stating, “Article 75 is concerning because it goes beyond simply invading individuals’ privacy. When you put together the pieces of this puzzle with other aspects, you can see that there are intentions to monitor all aspects of people’s private lives.”
Nouri Qazalje, the head of the Independent Faction in parliament, also commented on the article, saying, “Some individuals have a strong desire to intrude into people’s private lives and violate their privacy, while intruding into individuals’ private lives is both condemnable and illegal.”
Moein al-Din Saeedi, a representative from Chabahar, shared his perspective on Article 75, stating, “According to the constitution, we do not have the right to intrude into people’s private lives. I am not only perplexed by this matter but also deeply saddened, and I hope that lawmakers will take steps to remove this article.”
Bagher Ansari, a member of the faculty of law at Shahid Beheshti University, criticized Article 75,stating, “One of the problems with this legislation is that the private sector is required to share its data and make it accessible to others. Furthermore, it appears that the government has envisaged a business model for itself to generate income from this data. Data transfers should be referred to one of the subcommittees of the National Cyberspace Council, and they should decide on this process and receive compensation for it. This is a procedure that has no precedent anywhere in the world.”
In addition to these alarming aspects, Article 75 shares similarities with the Surveillance Plan, particularly in terms of data monitoring and processing of online content. Article 15 of the Surveillance Plan also mandates the “storage and processing of data of Iranian users in accordance with the resolutions of the Council and relevant regulations.”
It appears that the government aims to pass the details of the Surveillance Plan, which faced strong public opposition, through alternative means within other legislative frameworks.
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