Today, the Lok Sabha is set to deliberate and pass the Digital Personal Data Protection Bill-- a significant event that took shape when Union Communications, Electronics, and Information Technology Minister, Ashwini Vaishnaw, introduced the bill in Parliament on 3rd August 2023. It is worth noting that this bill is not categorized as a money bill, and Minister Vaishnaw assured that all concerns raised by the opposition will be adequately addressed during the debate.
About The Data Protection Bill: The Digital Personal Data Protection Bill, also known as the Data Protection Bill, is designed to regulate the processing of digital personal data while acknowledging the right of individuals to safeguard their information and the necessity of processing personal data for legitimate purposes.
According to the bill, a personal data breach is defined as any unauthorized processing of personal data or accidental disclosure, acquisition, sharing, use, alteration, destruction, or loss of access to personal data that jeopardizes the confidentiality, integrity, or availability of such data. Once approved by Parliament, these regulations will be applicable to personal data collected within India from data principals online, as well as personal data collected offline and subsequently digitized. The provisions of the bill will also extend to processing activities outside India if they involve offering goods or services to individuals within India.
It is important to note that the proposed provisions do not apply to personal data processed by an individual for personal or domestic purposes. For instance, if a blogger shares personal data on their social media blog, the bill's rules would not be applicable.
The bill emphasizes that personal data can only be processed for lawful purposes with the explicit consent of the individual and for specific legitimate uses. For instance, if a bank is processing customer KYC data, they are required to notify the individual concerned and provide a clear description of the data and the purpose of processing. The individual's consent must be a clear affirmative action, signifying their agreement to the processing of personal data solely for the specified purpose.
Meanwhile, the Opposition members have raised strong objections to the bill, claiming that it infringes upon the fundamental right to privacy. They are demanding that the bill be referred to the standing committee for thorough scrutiny. Additionally, they highlighted the government's withdrawal of a previous data protection bill last year and insisted that the new bill requires more extensive examination.
Parliament: Dhankhar seeks 'Guru Dakshina' from Deepender Hooda
Chidambaram Urges Immediate Restoration of Rahul Gandhi's Lok Sabha Membership
LS Passes Inter-Services Organisation Command, Control, and Discipline Bill