Not a laughing matter

SO I received a text message from Sing Health to inform that my personal data has been breached although it says they have not been altered. It then apologises for the "anxiety caused" and says no action is needed. 'What?' I laughed 'Was I suppose to be anxious?' Indeed I should be according to my daughter who was for awhile involved in the SMART Nation project. She advised that I changed all my passwords for all financial institutions. 'Not Again?' I had done that not long ago when I lost my wallet and handphone.

Later I read in the papers that my data may be sold to the dark web for nefarious purposes. I looked up the meaning of nefarious which means wicked or criminal. Of what value is my health record? Far from being the PM whose data was also breached, I am a retiree. The only consequence I can envisage is being found to be a real hypochondriac from the numerous incidents of false alarm or from remarks of the doctors if they also form part of the record. From begging not to be discharged by the National Eye Center as an outpatient to arguing with doctors in various hospitals that their description of my "mild" health problems were not otherwise so mild per the sympoms surfaced, I may also be described as a smart aleck who google all the possible illnesses that each symptom may suggest. I do not know whether insurance companies like me as a customer. I guess it depends on the type of insurance they are selling me. For sure no one will insure my outpatient charges.

On a serious note however it is quite a frightening thing for younger people whose data is breached. For that matter even if the data is not breached what are the guidelines on who can make use of the data base which the government is trying to build. Can a government related employer lay hands on the full medical history of a potential candidate? Will such medical history jeopardize a candidate who has recovered from a socially stigmatised illness? Already it is well known that one can hire a hacker in the dark web at very low cost to get the data of a person be it a prospective life partner, business associate or enemy.

Come to think of it there really is a cause for anxiety, whether the data be breached or remains unbreached but accessible by certain people? My initial laughing response was indeed naive.