6.8 million citizens have registered SIM cards with biometric verification

Minister of Communication and Digital Affairs Meutya Hafid stated that from January to July 2026, 6.8 million citizens registered their SIM cards using biometric verification methods, verifying their identity through a facial recognition system when activating a mobile number. “From January to July, 6.8 million people have carried out biometric registration,” she said at the OJK Banking Forum 2026 in the Bank Indonesia office complex, Jakarta, on Tuesday. Meutya explained that the implementation of biometric data-based verification in SIM card registration is intended to enhance the security of citizens’ identity data and support the prevention of personal data misuse for digital crimes. According to her, the identity verification procedure for telecommunications service users shares similarities with the verification process for digital banking service users via mobile phones. “We carry out biometrics similar to those done by banking, except that mobile operators are not permitted to store the data,” Meutya said. “So, all the data must undergo cross-checking with Dukcapil and customer data storage is absolutely prohibited,” she added, referring to the matching of mobile service user data with the Directorate General of Population and Civil Registration database. The implementation of this registration system is part of efforts to prevent individuals from carrying out illegal acts using another person’s identity. Meutya urged citizens to register their SIM cards using biometrics so that their National Identity Number (NIK) is not misused by others. “Rather than having our NIK used by someone else, let us all carry out biometric checks with our respective mobile operators to ensure that our NIK is truly only used by us,” she said. She conveyed that personal data leaked in recent years could still be exploited by digital criminals today.