Naman M. Aggarwal

In India, the black market for people’s personal data is booming, putting privacy at risk. Yet the government is pushing to regulate “non-personal” information instead of advancing a personal data protection regime that would keep Indians safe.

India should pursue plans to govern “non-personal” data only after a comprehensive personal data protection and privacy law has been enacted, and a truly independent and strong regulator has been put in place.

The ongoing global health crisis has demonstrated with painful clarity the risks posed by digital identity systems that centralize biometric data, health records, and other sensitive personal information. It is essential that governments, development agencies, funders, and all other stakeholders first ask the question #WhyID.

The ID4D Principles must, from their very conceptualisation, seek to protect the human rights of the individual.

Internet shutdowns do not keep people safe. They worsen unsafe  situations in a country and are a violation of the fundamental rights of people. 

A rights-respecting regime would empower the citizens to assert their rights, along with creating contours of agreeable actions by data fiduciaries. We hope this bill will be amended to unlock that potential.

Happy International Data Protection Day! To celebrate, we’re taking you on a data protection world tour. Buckle up — it’s a wild ride.

This global group of civil society, technologists, and other experts call on governments, development agencies, and others to answer critical questions for the defense of human rights in the age of digital identity.