The Minister of Information in the caretaker government, Dr. Manal Abdel Samad Najd, emphasized the necessity of strengthening a national culture around cybersecurity through the collective efforts of everyone. She pointed out a serious increase in the number of complaints regarding sexual blackmail and electronic threats to minors in Lebanon, attributed to home confinement during COVID-19.
According to the National News Agency, Abdel Samad made these remarks during a virtual seminar on data collection and management in cases of enforced disappearances and approaches to this process in Lebanon, organized by the regional office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights in the Middle East and North Africa. She highlighted the alarming rise in complaints of sexual blackmail and electronic threats against minors in Lebanon, citing a jump from 11 complaints in 2019 to 94 complaints in 2020, an increase of 754%, with 80% of these complaints involving minors.
The minister added that cyber threats are among the various dangers facing Lebanon, especially with the advancement of technology, which broadens the scope for multiple electronic attacks and violations—ranging from viruses to fraudulent activities affecting personal data and administrative or financial transactions.
Abdel Samad stressed the importance of fostering a national culture around cybersecurity through the collaboration of all parties: public administrations, institutions and companies, universities, academics, and individuals. She mentioned that the first session titled "Enforced Disappearance and Data Protection - Lebanon's Experience" will focus on the right to access information, data management, and the importance of information technology governance in crisis management.
She noted that protecting personal data is linked to safeguarding individuals' information privacy in the face of digital challenges. However, enforced disappearances must be addressed with the voluntary disclosure of any information that could help trace such disappearances.
Furthermore, the minister asserted that in the digital age, sharing data electronically is a double-edged sword. On one hand, it is essential to keep up with technological advancements in an interconnected digital world, while on the other hand, it increases the risk of personal information being subjected to attacks and misuse in financial or administrative dealings.
Abdel Samad emphasized that everyone now possesses a form of digital identity that includes information about their personal and professional lives, hobbies, friends, and beliefs, which must be protected from exploitation or misuse. Thus, the right to access information and cybersecurity have become intertwined. Many countries have established legal frameworks to protect data and keep it secure, focusing on the individual's right to privacy—a right recognized in various international human rights instruments. Legal frameworks are necessary but should not conflict with privacy and freedom.
Abdel Samad revealed that the Ministry of Information is preparing a cybersecurity plan that complements the plan on the right to access information, which involves training workshops to raise awareness about potential risks and threats to cybersecurity for the protection of institutions, employees, and individuals. This plan aims to involve public and private institutions, civil society, and university students, with goals to familiarize them with the cyberspace, raise awareness, manage electronic risks and crises, update systems in line with technological developments, and provide guidance on reporting exposure incidents.
The seminar was attended by a number of international and regional experts, Lebanese ministers and parliamentarians, academics, and representatives from security institutions and civil society organizations with experience in enforced disappearance issues in Lebanon and the region. The seminar aimed to identify international legal frameworks related to data protection procedures, the tools necessary to ensure security, and to present best practices for managing data security while sharing experiences and effective practices in the region. Discussions also covered the effectiveness of local laws related to enforced disappearances and access to information, including the International Committee of the Red Cross’s collaboration with the Ministry of Interior and the Army in this regard.
