At a time when we live in a much closer world , thanks to technology and social media, its a bit worrisome that the Government of India and some private parties are so keen on collecting data about us. Much has been made about the ability of people to hack or find out information about us through technology and the information we willingly put online . But the new Aadhaar proposal and other information seeking proposals may just turn us into an Orwellian nightmare over due time.
The Aadhaar proposal, when initially discussed, was an initiative to collect biometric data about the citizens of our country to provide a single identification which could finally serve the purpose of the different cards we have to provide, be it a Driving License or a Passport. Modeled on a certain extent to the Social Security Number, with other advancements, it offered both citizens and the Government a chance to simplify processes and provide a much more transparent process of identifying and dealing with citizens.
What scares me, is that the Government has not provided any clarification about the security of the data and what are the controls over the data. Further, the fact that it is to be attached to our bank accounts implies that transactions and our account information will now be accessible to the government, all part of our right to privacy. Equally important, the collection of biometric data itself might be a infringement on our right to privacy.
In recent times, I have also heard of private firms offering RFID /Bluetooth cards to collect location based data , along with numerous applications which have a strict focus on collection of data on our daily travels. Very few apps or firms are willing to provide a clear policy on how this data is safeguarded and controlled .
Although some may feel that this post reeks of a doomsday scenario or is overtly fear mongering, one has to but look at the government’s reactions to social media and its usage to tell us that we do need to fear. Ever since the GoI ( or to be more precise, the ruling party) has realized the effect that social media had in helping promote the Anna Hazare event, it has made clear efforts to block and remove all such help. Apart from imposing legal hurdles, it is also clear that organizations involved in promotion of equality over the internet or free knowledge are being shown obstacles at every point. Frequent arrests and intimidation , both legally or physically have ensured that people are hesitant to now express their opinions or provide support, which is precisely what the political parties have been aiming for.
At the end of the day, these are both constitutional rights which have been impinged upon.The right to privacy and the right to free speech ranks as some of the most important human rights which help differentiate us from autocratic regimes like Burma/Pakistan and China. It is even scarier that we don’t even seem to have a non government organization or a group of lawyers who is fighting the government on a legal basis to ensure a certain level of tolerance for us.Although a few PIL’s have been filed against both events, a systematic approach needs to be taken to ensure safety , both of our rights and of the data involving us.
C'ead Mile Failte 