United We Stand : Divided We Fall

Just read this in today’s Economic Times :

Companies shouldn’t be allowed to colonise data: Ravi Shankar Prasad  

Extract :

India is keen on the storage of key personal data within the country to prevent “ data imperialism ”, Law, Justice and IT Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said at the Global Business Summit on Saturday 

Context :

Keywords are : Colonization  /  Imperialism

To us Indians , these words bring back the memories of the 150 year long British Rule

How did a few thousand British persons posted in India, manage to “ Colonize “ some 33 crore ( 330 million in ‘40s ) Indians and rule over them ?

It was simple

They ensured that our 200+ princely states do not UNITE , but remain DIVIDED

Even fight with one another !

And how !

In 1943 , I remember travelling by BBCI Railway ( Bombay Baroda and Central India ) train from Bombay to Rajkot  ( now renamed Western Railways )

One had to change trains at Viramgam junction, with the two trains on either side of the platform

In the middle of the platform, were a series of concrete benches , where passengers were required to open their bags ( as it still happens occasionally, at arrivals of International flights ), for examination by “ Jakaatdaars “ – and pay duty for some goods !

I am sure , similar “ Customs Duty “ payments were in force in all the princely states !

WHAT  IS  THE  RELEVANCE  ?

Today, an Indian citizen has to submit , more or less , SAME DATA , again and again on the following web sites :

·         Social Media sites

·         Mobile Apps Sites / Stores

·         E Commerce

·         Banks

·         Fintech

·         Search Engines

·         Buyer-Seller online platforms

·         Job Portals

·         Govt web sites for getting DBT / subsidies / filing returns / documents

·         Govt web sites for lodging all kinds of complaints

·         Web sites of Service Providers ( Mobile / TV Channels etc )

List goes on and on

Each of these entities want to create their own DATABASES of citizens

And hold these DATABASES , close to their chests - never want to share with anyone else

They are behaving exactly like those 200 + princely states , fighting with each other

And the likes of Google – Amazon – Facebook – Apple ( GAFA ) and Twitter etc , want to make sure that these Database-Holders , never unite !

GAFA is the New Emperor ( - a handful , like the British posted in India in 1943 )

Millions of Indian companies ( holding citizen data ) are the New Colony

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GAFA Emperor ( Twitter CEO ) , Jack Dorsey , has refused to attend the meeting called by Parliamentary Committee on IT , on 26^th Feb

Are we getting his message , viz :

Who are you to say we cannot colonize India ?

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Dear Shri Ravi Shankar Prasadji,

 Who ( or What ) can unite us and empower us to throw out GAFA , by telling them :

“  You need to play this game by our rules or Quit India “  ?

Here is the message that India should send to Dorsey :

Digital Dividend from Demographic Data [ 4 D ] 

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24  Feb  2016

Rsvp :  hcp@RecruitGuru.com