Digital ID national legislation working group Mapping exercise template
Contributor: Javiera Moreno Andrade
Organization: Lawyer, Independent Researcher
Chile
Which are the specific laws creating and regulating Digital ID and what is their hierarchy (constitutional, organic laws, regional/sub-state laws, regulations, procedures)?
Currently, Chile has a digital identification system managed by the National Civil Registry and Identification Service (Servicio de Registro Civil e Identificación), the Clave Única (Unique Code), which is overseen by the Digital Government Division (División de Gobierno Digital) of the Ministry General Secretariat of the Presidency of the Republic (Ministerio Secretaría General de la Presidencia), hereinafter referred to as (DGD).
However, starting from March 1, 2024, the DGD will be transferred to the Ministry of Finance. This will accelerate the implementation of Law No. 21.180 on the Digital Transformation of the State, a process that must be completed by 2027.
Regarding the applicable legislation, the Clave Única is not regulated and is not covered by the Law. This, because Chile lacks any legislation that aligns physical identity systems with digital ones.
In practice, the Clave Única is based on regulatory norms and decrees. Among the main normative references is Circular No. 1, dated June 18, 2010, from the National Directorate of the Civil Registry and Identification Service. providing instructions for the enrolment procedures.
Additionally, the “Presidential Instruction No. 002”, dated August 17, 2012, mandated:
- The use of the Clave Unica was urged as a means of validation for electronic procedures.
- Established the State Modernization and Digital Government Unit, whose functions included the coordination and assistance in eliminating or simplifying specific civil and legal procedures, with the option of using Clave Única online as an alternative to the physical presence in government offices.
What is the definition of Digital Identity brought by the Law or regulation, if any?
The digital identity system in Chile is manifested through what is known as the Clave Única (Unique Code), an identification system implemented by the government as an ID. Currently, it is used by more than 14.4 million people.
Article 4 of the technical norm on authentication defines the Clave Única as:
“Official authentication mechanism administered by the Ministry General Secretariat of the Presidency through its Digital Government Division, exclusively for natural persons. It is based on the OpenID Connect standard, and its Authentication Factor is a password created and managed by the individual, linked to their national unique role (RUN).”
Which are the corresponding Data Protection laws, if existing?
Constitutional level:
Article 19 Nº 4 of the Chilean Constitution guarantees to every person the respect and protection of their private life and of the honour of that person and their family.
However, it was not until 2018, with the passing of Law Nº 21.096, that article 19 Nº 4 was modified to incorporate an explicit acknowledgement of the right to the protection of personal data at a constitutional level.
Legal level:
Since 1999, Chile has a specific legislation for the treatment of personal data, Law Nº 19.628. This norm regulates the requisites for the treatment of personal information, the actions of those responsible for databases and it acknowledges the rights of its owners. Public agencies are subject to article 20, which states that “The treatment of personal data by a public organism may only take place regarding the matters of its competence and subject to the precedent rules. Under these conditions, it will not need the consent of the owner of the data”.
Technical Authentication Standard:
Article 14 of Law Nº 19.628 establishes that “State Administration bodies must at all times respect the rules regarding the protection of personal data of those who authenticate themselves on their electronic platforms (…) For these purposes, mechanisms must be implemented to guarantee the confidentiality and protection of personal data, ensuring the right of users to access, rectify, cancel, and object to the processing of such data when appropriate, and that they are only used for the purposes provided by law”.
What are the main elements of the Digital ID framework (scope, eligibility criteria, remedies)?
Currently, the Clave Única (CU) is Chile’s most widely used digital identification instrument. Article 4 of this standard defines the CU as follows:
“Official authentication mechanism administered by the Ministry General Secretariat of the Presidency through its Digital Government Division, exclusively for natural persons. It is based on the OpenID Connect standard, and its authentication factor is a password created and managed by the individual and linked to their national unique role (RUN). The enrolment process for the Clave Única and the Service for attending to natural persons in this regard depends on the Civil Registry and Identification Service. The Ministry General Secretariat of the Presidency, through its Digital Government Division, will manage the electronic platform that enables the activation of the Clave Única for State Administration bodies, the infrastructure of the platform, monitoring its proper functioning, and the validation of identification data”.
According to the Report Digital Government in Chile- Digital Identity, the intended functionality of Clave Única is:
- Data authentication: citizens can access state services online.
- Clave Única will allow the interoperation between institutions based on unique permissions by the users.
- Clave Única will allow electronic documents to be signed by public bodies.
- Clave Única will enable the online interaction between users and the State through direct messages.
sources
[1] The National Law N° 17,671 referred to the “identification registry and classification of human potential”, therefore posing citizens as mere economic assets.
[1] Ucciferri, Leandro. “Tu Yo Digital – Descubriendo Las Narrativas Sobre Identidad y Biometría En América Latina.” Asociación por los Derechos Civiles, October 14, 2022. https://adc.org.ar/informes/tu-yo-digital-descubriendo-las-narrativas-sobre-identidad-y-biometria-en-america-latina/.
[1] Servicios.infoleg.gob.ar. Accessed August 29, 2023. https://servicios.infoleg.gob.ar/infolegInternet/anexos/155000-159999/159070/norma.htm.
[1] “Términos y Condiciones Particulares Sistema de Identidad Digital (SID).” Argentina.gob.ar, August 10, 2020. https://www.argentina.gob.ar/sid-sistema-de-identidad-digital/terminos-y-condiciones.
[1] Ucciferri, Leandro. “Tu Yo Digital – Descubriendo Las Narrativas Sobre Identidad y Biometría En América Latina.” Asociación por los Derechos Civiles, October 14, 2022. https://adc.org.ar/informes/tu-yo-digital-descubriendo-las-narrativas-sobre-identidad-y-biometria-en-america-latina/.
[1] ADC. “Tecnologías de Vigilancia En Argentina.” Asociación por los Derechos Civiles, October 14, 2022. https://adc.org.ar/informes/tecnologias-de-vigilancia-en-argentina/.
[1] Boletín Oficial del Gobierno de la ciudad de buenos aires. Accessed August 29, 2023. https://boletinoficial.buenosaires.gob.ar/normativaba/norma/464360.
[1] Ucciferri, Leandro, and Adc. “Avanza La Regulación Del Reconocimiento Facial En La Legislatura Porteña.” Asociación por los Derechos Civiles, September 21, 2020. https://adc.org.ar/2020/09/18/avanza-la-regulacion-del-reconocimiento-facial-en-la-legislatura-portena/.
[1] Hayon, Alejandra. “Seis Días Arrestado Por Un Error Del Sistema de Reconocimiento Facial: La Pesadilla de Guillermo Ibarrola, Víctima Del Gran Hermano Porteño.” PAGINA12. Accessed August 29, 2023. https://www.pagina12.com.ar/209910-seis-dias-arrestado-por-un-error-del-sistema-de-reconocimien#:~:text=Gran%20Hermano%20porte%C3%B1o-,Seis%20d%C3%ADas%20arrestado%20por%20un%20error%20del%20sistema%20de%20reconocimiento,un%20delito%20que%20nunca%20cometi%C3%B3.
[1] Télam – Agencia Nacional de Noticias. “Crearon Una Comisión de Seguimiento Del Sistema de Vigilancia Biométrica.” Télam, April 29, 2022. https://www.telam.com.ar/notas/202204/591041-comision-legislativa-seguimiento-sistema-vigilancia-biometrica-caba.html.
[1] ADC. “Tecnologías de Vigilancia En Argentina.” Asociación por los Derechos Civiles, October 14, 2022. https://adc.org.ar/informes/tecnologias-de-vigilancia-en-argentina/.
[1] ADC. “Aportes a La ONU Sobre El Derecho a La Protesta y La Vigilancia de La Ciudadanía.” Asociación por los Derechos Civiles, April 12, 2023. https://adc.org.ar/2023/04/11/aportes-a-la-onu-sobre-el-derecho-a-la-protesta-y-la-vigilancia-de-la-ciudadania/.
[1] According to the authority, biometric information is all personal data obtained by a specific technical treatment, related to physical and behavioral features, that uniquely allow to confirm a person’s identity, and it should be considered sensitive information whenever its use allows a discriminatory treatment.
[1] Ucciferri, Leandro. “Tu Yo Digital – Descubriendo Las Narrativas Sobre Identidad y Biometría En América Latina.” Asociación por los Derechos Civiles, October 14, 2022. https://adc.org.ar/informes/tu-yo-digital-descubriendo-las-narrativas-sobre-identidad-y-biometria-en-america-latina/.
[1] “Nuevo Proyecto de Ley de Protección de Datos Personales.” Argentina.gob.ar, August 2, 2023. https://www.argentina.gob.ar/aaip/datospersonales/proyecto-ley-datos-pervsonales.
[1] Diego Fernandez, Josefina Barbero. “Se Presentó Ante El Congreso Nacional Argentino Un Nuevo Proyecto de Ley Para Reemplazar La Actual Ley de Protección de Datos Personales.” Se presentó ante el Congreso Nacional argentino un nuevo proyecto de ley para reemplazar la actual Ley de Protección de Datos Personales, August 1, 2023. https://iapp.org/news/a/se-presento-ante-el-congreso-nacional-argentino-un-nuevo-proyecto-de-ley-para-reemplazar-la-actual-ley-de-proteccion-de-datos-personales/.
