Inp.polri.go.id - Jakarta. The Ministry of Communication and Digital confirmed that biometric facial data used for SIM card registration will remain secure, with no storage by telecom operators.

“No operator keeps biometric data. Only the Civil Registry Office is authorized to store population data,” said Edwin Hidayat Abdullah, the Director General of Digital Ecosystem, on Friday (29/5/2026).

The verification process encrypts facial data before sending it to the Civil Registry Office for matching. Once confirmed, the SIM card is activated. Operators including Telkomsel, XL, and Indosat have integrated the system into their apps and service centers.

The Ministry’ss evaluation showed the biometric system is faster and more effective than traditional ID-based registration. Between January and April 2026, 1.4 million new numbers were registered using facial recognition.

The policy, effective nationwide from 1 July 2026, aims to protect users from fraud, phishing, and identity theft while strengthening trust in Indonesia’s digital ecosystem.

(mg/inp/pr/rs)