The organization that deals with the protection of personal data in Mexico today asked those responsible for an explanation after the personal data of more than 300 journalists accredited to follow the activities of the Mexican presidency were leaked.
An official of the National Institute for Transparency, Access to Information and Protection of Personal Data asked for an explanation of what happened within 72 hours, so that journalists whose data was leaked could file complaints.
If the institute does not receive an explanation, it will consider launching an investigation, Mexican media reported.
The leak was revealed on Friday by cyber security expert Victor Ruiz and has raised concerns among media freedom advocates.
The journalists in question are accredited to work in the presidency and attend Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador's daily press conferences, said Ruiz, the founder of the cybersecurity company Silicon.
According to him, addresses, photos and full names of journalists appear in some files.
The media alliance, which brings together several Mexican news outlets, requested an investigation "to determine whether it was a hacking attack or a malicious leak."
The Presidency did not react to the news.
The head of state, who often attacks journalists and media outlets that criticize his government, recently said that he would "like to see the disappearance" of the Institute for Transparency, Access to Information and Protection of Personal Data, which is otherwise an independent body.
López Obrador believes that this body "doesn't serve anything".
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