India resurrects data privacy bill following abrupt pullback last year

Ashwini Vaishnaw, the IT minister of India, resubmitted an updated data privacy bill in lower house of the Indian parliament on Thursday, months after introducing its last draft and the abrupt withdrawal of a previous proposal last year following pushback from tech giants, even as many members protested the new bill, alleging it violated the right to privacy.

Titled the Digital Personal Data Protection Bill, the legislative act seeks to provide substantial decision-making powers to the Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government. These powers include the ability to waive certain data fiduciaries, including startups, from compliance if the need arises. They can also permit the handling of children’s data, given that the fiduciary can demonstrate adequate protective measures.

The government further holds the authority to designate countries to which the transfer of users’ personal data is prohibited. This provision modifies the earlier draft of the bill, which suggested allowing data transfers to “notified countries and territories.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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