I agree with Markku Seguerra. This is too important to pass up:
The Commission on Elections (COMELEC) has just committed a complete privacy blunder. Remember how people used to complain about voter registration and their precinct assignments and all that? They devised a not–so–brilliant solution: prepare a list of registered voters and post it online. Complete names, birthdates, and addresses included.
You can browse a partial list of voters in the Metro Manila area here. Each link opens a PDF file. I know it won’t help to spread the link around through blogging, but I trust you guys won’t take advantage of the information contained in it. Link removed. (Oddly enough, I’m not on the list, even if I had registered last December.)
I wouldn’t mind the COMELEC website getting a Denial of Service (DoS) or some other attack just so that page goes down.
Update (03/16/07 10:42 PM): It seems there’s another fork in the road on this issue. The voter list was also posted on the website ComelecNCR.com, a joined effort between San Miguel Corporation and the election body “in pursuit of transparency to the end that the stakeholders in our election will trust the COMELEC more.” (Via Red Kinoko)
Update (03/18/07 10:03 AM): ISAW (Internet Security and Warfare) wrote about the issue after I linked to them: “A turkish hacker volunteered to lead the attack on www.comelecncr.com ;)”
[...] Through Stellify’s link about the Comelec, I discovered the dreaded privacy nightmare. [...]
[...] Jozzua, Markku, and Stellify have all brought this up already - The COMELEC has posted a list of registered voters in the NCR online. We’re not just talking about names here - we’re talking about birth dates and addresses too. I know they’re trying to promote transparency in the elections, but, please excuse the profanity, what the fuck were they thinking?!? Were they thinking at all?!? Do they even have brains?!? [...]
ah, that’s nasty. good intentions that can have dire consequences.
please remove the link to the actual database ASAP, to stop it from reaching even more, and possibly malicious, users
[...] COMELEC Posts Voter Info Online, Invades Privacy @ Stellify [...]
[...] A Privacy Nightmare [...]
It’s actually been there for the longest time. I remember seeing those lists two years ago. Thank God I am now voting in my home province!
Actually, it just magnified an existing problem. Why? Because if anybody asks for the list of voters (i.e. politicians, parties, etc.) the COMELEC can’t deny them the list. Voter’s name, address, and other personal info that you provided because they’re considered public property. Even the list of election officers, etc. That’s how things are at ehe COMELEC. Even a director at COMELEC thinks that the country is better off without the Comission.
[...] COMELEC Posts Voter Info Online, Invades Privacy [...]
pwede ko ho bang malaman ang present address ni BLESILA LUNAS dati ho siyang nakatira sa project 3, quezon city, nag aaral sa quirino high school at nasa 40’s na siya ngayon
wala lng
dati q hong frend na d q na nalaman ang address
good evening..
I’m Elvie, im not registered in comelec so? i want to ask you if how i registered through online?…
thanks
hello pow..by the way pow naka registered ako sa Sk sa barangay namin..ask ko lang pow kung same lang ba yan? o mag reregistered po ako ulit para sa darating na election eh maka boto na ako?… im 21 na po ..
thanks
Good Morning Sir / Madam, ask ko lang po, kung may nakalista po dito na ang pangalan ay Nenita Caburnay , pangalan po nya yan noong dalaga pa cya. d ko po kasi alam yung apelyido ng asawa nya, paki lang po. Maraming Salamat Po …
want to know if where to vote
good pm po tanung ko lang po kung may nakaregistered sa comelec na nag pangalan ay marites bitanga nung dalaga pa po siya ngayon po di ko po alam ang apelyido ng asawa niya sa taga isabela po sila
may i know the present address of my friend blesila lunas