Without creating a Digital Security Agency, it’s already causing controversy: Congressmen condemn possible “micus”

José Jaime Uscátegui and Ciro Rodríguez, Colombian congressmen, expressed their views on Law 023 of 2023, which proposes the creation of the Agency for Digital Security and Space Affairs. The project has sparked controversy because of the implications it could have on the country’s national security and digital infrastructure.

José Jaime Uscátegui, representative of the chamber for Bogotá, expressed his concern in an interview with W. According to Uscátegui, the article that defines the functions of the new agency is problematic because it gives the agency the power to decide to shut down social networks or the Internet in situations of national security or public calamity. Uscátegui argued that the measure is extremely serious and that the creation of this agency, which would cost more than 92,000 million pesos, would only increase the bureaucracy, given that many of its functions already fall under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Defense.

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“We didn’t like the point that says this new agency will decide, if it chooses to, to shut down social media or the Internet in cyberspace for reasons of national security or public calamity, but that is extremely serious,” the congressman said.

Ciro Rodríguez, a spokesperson for the project, defended the initiative and clarified that the main goal is to protect critical infrastructure in case of cyber attacks. Rodríguez emphasized that the project is not related to the regulation of content on the Internet, but rather to the protection of the infrastructures through which information travels. In the event of a cyber attack that impacts national security, the PMU (Unified Command Post) would have the authority to manage the crisis in coordination with the Ministry of Defense, he said.

Rodríguez also said the project seeks to provide the country with institutional capabilities to overcome cyber security incidents, insisting that no additional powers are granted to the president of the republic. PMU, not the president, would be in charge of crisis management, but it wasn’t entirely clear whether or not he could shut down the grids in a near-emergency.

Mauricio Lizcano, Minister of Information Technology and Communications, advocates the creation of a National Agency for Digital Security and Space Affairs. According to Lizcano, the initiative seeks to counter growing digital insecurity in a country that saw 20 billion cyberattacks last year. The proposal, which must be approved by the House of Representatives, would assign the new agency to the Presidency of the Republic.

The minister explained that the agency will not only protect the data of Colombians, but also monitor citizens’ money, often stolen through misleading messages on social networks such as WhatsApp. In addition, the agency will be key in making decisions in adverse situations that may affect the economy and national security, such as war or a major crisis.

In addition, Lizcano criticized the opposition, accusing it of using the proposal to deflect political debate in Colombia. “What they said is really crazy. In the country, in the world we are a digital world, as a digital world we need to have digital security. Just as the problems on the street are physical insecurity, we are in a digital world and there is digital insecurity,” he stated.

David Luna, a senator from the Radical Change party, presented a project that creates a National Digital Security Agency, motivated by the attempted cyber attacks that the country suffered in 2022. According to Luna, the proposal seeks to unify the efforts of various state entities that currently manage digital security in a scattered manner.

The senator explained that although the country already has adequate infrastructure for digital security, it is divided among several entities such as the public forces, the Ministry of Defence, the Ministry of ICT and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The new agency would centralize these efforts without requiring additional resources or bureaucracy, make it easier to respond to cybercrimes, and improve the protection of personal data.

Luna also mentioned that he opposed a similar initiative presented by the government in the National Development Plan, saying that the regulation of personal data cannot be just a superficial debate.

The senator emphasized that the National Police, through its Cyber ​​Center, already conducts initial investigations into cybercrime, while the Prosecutor’s Office has a section dedicated to this type of investigation and the Ministry of Defense has a specialized joint command. The creation of a National Digital Security Agency would unify these efforts and provide the community with clear guidance on how to combat cybercrime.

Luna concluded that the proposal does not seek to create more bureaucracy, but rather to optimize existing resources and improve coordination between entities responsible for digital security in Colombia.