Hi Friends,

Even as I launch this today ( my 80th Birthday ), I realize that there is yet so much to say and do. There is just no time to look back, no time to wonder,"Will anyone read these pages?"

With regards,
Hemen Parekh
27 June 2013

Now as I approach my 90th birthday ( 27 June 2023 ) , I invite you to visit my Digital Avatar ( www.hemenparekh.ai ) – and continue chatting with me , even when I am no more here physically

Saturday, 4 August 2018

A Matter of Motive




Today’s papers are full of reports re Government cancelling its plan to create a “ Social Media Monitor Hub


Reason ?

In the eyes of the public , government’s motives were suspect




Motive was :


“ According to the RFP document , a TECHNOLOGY PLATFORM was needed to collect digital media chatter from all core social media platforms as well as digital platforms such as news, blogs



The platform was expected to provide AUTOMATED REPORTS , TECTICAL INSIGHTS and COMPREHENSIVE WORK-FLOWS to initiate engagement across digital channels “



No wonder , during the hearing, Justice D Y Chandrachud had noted:


“ If the government is seeking to monitor every single tweet and WhatsApp message that is sent , we will be moving towards becoming a surveillance state


But would public oppose with my following suggestion ? :






Declare motive as follows :




Government wants to,


#   Protect the RIGHT to PRIVACY of its citizens , under the proposed “ Data Protection Law
     “ , by creating a platform where Indian citizens can  VOLUNTARILY  upload / store their
     PERSONAL / PRIVATE data, which will remain in the SAFE CUSTODY of Data Protection
     Authority [ DPA ]



     DPA will be a CONSTITUTIONAL and STATUTORY authority , in the same manner as the
     Election Commission and its Chief will report to the President of India



     This will ensure its total independence from all other wings  of the government



     By relevant clauses of the proposed Data Protection Law , DPA cannot share any data of
     any citizen who has registered on the Data Custody Platform , with any government
     department or agency



     This will ensure that the government cannot turn into a “ Surveillance State 




   
#  Enable its citizens to avail of the online services of web sites / mobile apps etc , without
    worrying about any misuse of their Personal / Private Data by these Data Fiduciaries



#   Sue those Data Fiduciaries , on behalf of the citizens , in case of any such misuse



#   Extend the principle of “ Data Ownership “ by enabling its citizens to SELL their Private
     Data (  what is ownership without being able to sell what you own ?  )



I am sure citizens would welcome any such VOLUNTARY MECHANISM and enthusiastically support it



=============================


Here is the context :



Say 1 billion Indian citizens have given their “ Consent “ [ - without any appreciation of what it could mean to their Personal Data misuse ], to some 200 web sites ( Data Fiduciaries ) , by registering on those web sites and saying,


 “ I accept the TERMS and CONDITIONS “ .


 Sometimes , not even that much !



That adds up to 200 Billion individual “ Ghost Contracts



There is no way for an individual citizen to come to know , “ which “ fiduciary has misused “ what “ personal data , of “ who “ , and “ when “ .


 
No way ( time – money wise ) for an individual to launch a court case



But , under proposed Data Protection Law , government has an opportunity to “ turn the tables “  !


==========================


By launching a “ Data Custody Platform “ , to be called ;




which will work as follows :



#    Indian citizens will voluntarily upload their Personal Data on this platform at 4 levels ,
      as described at :




#    No Indian Citizen will need to fill up REGISTRATION forms on web sites of fiduciaries


#    Web sites of all fiduciaries , will enter into individual CONTRACTS with DPA ( so 200
       contracts in place of 200 billion contracts ! )



#    Whenever , any Indian citizen wants to use the online services of any fiduciary web
      site, he will simply click :


    “Log me in with www.IndiaDataCustodian.gov.in 



#    Fiduciary web site will have a protocol with Data Custody web site , under which the
      Data Custody web site will merely “ Authenticate “ the genuineness of the user ,
      WITHOUT sharing any data of that user


      There will be no “ mirroring “ / “ cloud storage “ / “ cross-border migration “ of data



       All data will always stay safe and secure on the LOCAL SERVER of Custody Web site



#    On Custody Web site , there will be following provisions :

·         Registering Indian Citizen, can select which ( level ) of his personal data can be sold ( - which will always and only be in an “ anonymized “ form ) . 

Of course , the selling price will be decided by the Custody Web site , with provision for “ Surge Pricing “ as explained in ,



·         He can also decide / select ( from appropriate drop lists ) , which ( level ) of his personal data , can be allowed to be authenticated ( by Custody Web site ) to which fiduciary web site


·         He can edit his personal data at any time ( but at least , once a year )


·         He can edit his “ Authentication Selection “ at any time


·         He can “ De-activate “ his data for any given period


·         If DPA receives any compensation from any fiduciary for any misuse of data ( eg : proposed 4 % of annual revenue – as in GDPR ) , it will be shared equally among ALL the registered users . This will act as a positive INCENTIVE for Indian citizens to come forward to register on Custody Web Site


·         If an Indian citizen is NOT registered on Custody Web site , DPA will not fight his case in case of any misuse of data that he has directly given to any fiduciary . He will have to fight his own case , based on what “ consent “ he has given to it


·         Custody Web site shall employ appropriate software to scour the entire web and compile all “ Web based Interactions / Engagements “ of the registered users


By registering , the user gives his consent in this regards but on clear understanding that this will not be shared with any other party / agency but only for the explicit purpose of generating DEMOGRAPHIC / SOCIAL / ECONOMIC ( but not Political ) profiles of the Indian citizens , for common use by anyone



·         Since all E Commerce  web sites are covered by my suggestion , there will be no need for a separate provision ( for Data Localization ) under the draft E Com Policy


·         Any fiduciary web site that is unwilling to enter into an agreement with the DPA ( as outlined above ) ,shall be stopped from operating in India ( - and that covers Google / Amazon etc )


*   For each registered user , on Custody Web Site , there will be a password protected page , where he can see his " Earnings History " along with amounts deposited from time to time , in his Jan Dhan Bank account

   
      
I urge the Central Government to publish my suggestion and invite comments from the Data Principals and Data Fiduciaries



O4  Aug  2018



      


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