India First

Data Protection Framework – India In July 2017 the Government of India formed a committee of experts to draft the country’s first Data Protection Framework. This committee was headed by Justice BN Srikrishna. Among its members were Aruna Sundararajan, Secretary, Department of Telecom, Ajay Bhushan CEO, Unique Identification Authority of India, Gulshan Rai, National Cyber Security Coordinator and Arghya Sengupta, Research Director, Vidhi Centre for Legal Policy. The last is a   think tank which was instrumental in drafting of the Aadhaar Act as well as the Bankruptcy Code.  According to the government order, the terms of reference of the committee include, "To make specific suggestions for consideration of the Central Government on principles to be considered for data protection in India and suggest a draft data protection bill". The office memorandum also said that "The Government of India is cognizant of the growing importance of data protection in India. The need...

Social impacts of technological advancements, and what governments could do about them Technology has transformed our lives irreversibly. Be it trains, automobiles, aeroplanes, computers and so much more, for much of the world’s population surviving without technology is literally unimaginable. The last few decades have made transformative technology available to large percentages of populations across the world. What were fascinating concepts a few decades ago have been commercialised and are available today, not necessarily expensively. Much as technologies that surround us amaze and delight us, creating desires and demands where none may have existed some years ago, several comforts offered by technology come at prices we are paying and will pay more individually and collectively as societies and nations. Ordering books online reduces the need for bookshops and their sales people, even as it creates a few new professions. Driverless car technology, once it becomes more rob...