#Pyrawebs: Online Activism Against Metadata Retention Bill in Paraguay

The retention of metadata coming from the digital environment has special relevance in Latin America, where throughout history several dictatorships have spied and collected private data to implement a policy of terror. Paraguay is not an exception. Nowadays, Paraguay is a democracy, but the use of data recalls the dangers of when dictator Alfredo Stroessner was in power. The draft bill, dubbed “Pyrawebs” (“pyragüés” means “informant” in Guarani), is generating resistance and discussions among Internet users.

Paraguay: They want Internet providers to keep users’ information for a year

The activist website Pyrawebs.tedic.org explains:

El gobierno paraguayo está a punto de ordenar a los ISP a rastrear y almacenar los datos de tráficos de los IP durante 12 meses. Estos planes se hacen con el pretexto de combatir el terrorismo, pedofilia y narcotráfico, pero que en realidad pertenecen en un Estado policial. Las políticas de retención de datos obligatorias tratan a cada uno de los ciudadanos como sospechosos con una constante e intrusiva vigilancia masiva.

Además compromete el anonimato en línea, que es crucial para los investigadores, periodistas, movimientos sociales, ONGs de derechos humanos, todos y todas aquellas que se dedican a la expresión política.

The Paraguayan goverment is at this point ordering ISPs to track and record IP information for 12 months.These plans are made with the excuse of combating terrorism, pedophilia and drug trafficking, but they really belong to a state policy. Obligatory retention policies treat every citizen as a suspect withconstant and intrusive monitoring. 

Moreover, it compromises online anonymity, which is crucial for researchers, journalists and social movements, human rights NGOs and every person who makes political expressions.

Opponents of the project object to the magnitude of the information that will be stored:

This is what they will know about you if the law is approved #pyrawebs… How much they want to know?

INFOGRAPHIC: What information does metadata tell about you?

-What you search for on the Internet and the sites you visit
-Where you work and study and all the places that you've visited
-What time you wake up
-Your political and sexual preferences
-Who you know and with whom you communicate
-Where you live

Opponents also want to follow the example of Germany, Austria or Argentina, where metadata retention has been declared unconstitutional:

MT @derechosdigital: Many countries avoid regulations on metadata retention. Why do they want to use it in Paraguay? 

The topic was on the March 5 agenda at the Paraguayan Congress, but the vote was postponed:

#Pyrawebs is postponed for 8 days. We have a week to fight and prevent idiots like Tuma having our information.

Pyrawebs invites people to sign a petition to stop the law's passage. Keep tabs on any updates by following the hashtag #Pyrawebs.

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