El Salvador aims to register nation’s cell-phone lines as measure to prevent extortion

El Salvador has more cell phones than inhabitants. In fact, there are 7.4 million mobile telephone lines for a country of 5.7 million people.

 

However, there´s been an unforeseen consequence of cell phone penetration: the use of cell phones to commit criminal acts, specifically extortions.

 

In response, the Attorney General is calling for a legal reform that would allow for verification of the location of the owners of some 300,000 cell phone lines and request pre-registration with personal information.

 

Original source: Americas Quarterly