Privacy and Data Handling by Telecoms:
Posted: Wed May 21, 2025 6:25 am
With bated breath, Amina dialed the number listed next to her father's name. To her surprise, a familiar voice answered on the other end. Tears welled up in her eyes as she heard her father's warm words, inviting her to meet him at a tea shop in the heart of Kabul.
As they embraced each other after years of separation, Amina couldn't help but marvel at the phone number book's inexplicable ability to bring people together. From that day on, she treasured the book not just as a directory of contacts, but as a symbol of hope and connection in a country often torn apart by conflict and division.
The Reality of Afghanistan Phone Number Books: Privacy and Limited Public Access
The traditional "phone book" or a comprehensive, publicly available "Afghanistan phone number library"—a printed or digital directory containing the personal phone numbers of all individuals and businesses in the country—is a concept that does not practically or legally exist in a widespread, public format. This is shaped by a combination united states of america phone number libraryb of factors including evolving privacy considerations, the country's unique infrastructure, and the operational norms of its telecommunication providers.
While Afghanistan's formal data protection laws are still developing and enforcement can be challenging, the country's telecommunications providers, such as Afghan Wireless (AWCC), Roshan, Etisalat Afghanistan, MTN Afghanistan, and Salaam, generally operate with privacy policies that commit to protecting subscriber information. For example, Afghan Wireless explicitly states its commitment to preventing unauthorized access or disclosure of personal information. This means they do not make vast subscriber lists public.
Absence of a Centralized Public Directory:
Unlike many Western countries that historically published phone books, Afghanistan does not have an equivalent, regularly updated, and comprehensive public directory for individual phone numbers. This is influenced by:
As they embraced each other after years of separation, Amina couldn't help but marvel at the phone number book's inexplicable ability to bring people together. From that day on, she treasured the book not just as a directory of contacts, but as a symbol of hope and connection in a country often torn apart by conflict and division.
The Reality of Afghanistan Phone Number Books: Privacy and Limited Public Access
The traditional "phone book" or a comprehensive, publicly available "Afghanistan phone number library"—a printed or digital directory containing the personal phone numbers of all individuals and businesses in the country—is a concept that does not practically or legally exist in a widespread, public format. This is shaped by a combination united states of america phone number libraryb of factors including evolving privacy considerations, the country's unique infrastructure, and the operational norms of its telecommunication providers.
While Afghanistan's formal data protection laws are still developing and enforcement can be challenging, the country's telecommunications providers, such as Afghan Wireless (AWCC), Roshan, Etisalat Afghanistan, MTN Afghanistan, and Salaam, generally operate with privacy policies that commit to protecting subscriber information. For example, Afghan Wireless explicitly states its commitment to preventing unauthorized access or disclosure of personal information. This means they do not make vast subscriber lists public.
Absence of a Centralized Public Directory:
Unlike many Western countries that historically published phone books, Afghanistan does not have an equivalent, regularly updated, and comprehensive public directory for individual phone numbers. This is influenced by: