Video surveillance to be introduced in Internet cafés

The Belarusian Ministry of Communication proposes to use video surveillance upon Internet café clients instead of writing down their ID details.

The Ministry of Communication and Informatization offers to abandon the practice of collecting clients' passport data in Internet clubs, cafés and other public places. The draft ruling of the Council of Ministers, which was published today for public discussion, proposes recording clients on video or giving paroles via SMS as an alternative for identity checks, TUT.BY reports.

Under decree No. 60 (part 2 of provision 6), owners of public Internet access centres are obliged to identify Internet users and keep information about the services rendered, The draft document provides for alternative ways of users' identification not requiring showing IDs: photographing and video recording (most of public Internet access centres have cameras) and sending paroles via SMS.

Evey centre will have the right to choose its way of clients' identification and rid users from a necessity to show their IDs.

The draft ruling has been published on the website of the Ministry of Communication.