Revise
Aadhar to Align with Data Privacy Act, UIDAI told
Extract
from the article:
The recent directive to the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI)
emphasizes the urgent need to revise Aadhaar operations and protocols to align
comprehensively with the forthcoming Data Privacy Act. The call comes from
authorities keen to ensure that Aadhaar’s massive biometric and demographic
database conforms not only to existing privacy norms but also to enhanced
safeguards anticipated under the new legislation. This move aims to recalibrate
Aadhaar’s framework to reflect evolving standards around personal data
protection, user consent, and transparency, thereby cementing trust in the
system’s security and ethical grounding.
Moreover, the article outlines the challenges and critiques
faced by Aadhaar in balancing utility with privacy. With billions of enrolments
and authentication requests daily, the system’s scale demands robust yet agile
privacy mechanisms. The revision directive suggests integrating stricter
controls on data usage, reinforcing consent mechanisms before data sharing, and
possibly reevaluating data storage and retention policies. These changes seek
to mitigate risks of misuse, unauthorized access, and increase accountability
among entities interacting with Aadhaar data, signaling a transformative phase
for one of India’s most pivotal identity infrastructures.
My
Take:
A. Congratulations,
Shri Nilekaniji
The idea to be conveyed to the readers is: "Hey, look at what I thought
of/suggested about this topic, 3/5/7 years ago. I had predicted this! I had
offered a solution for this."
Reflecting on my previous writing congratulating Shri
Nilekani on the Account Aggregator framework, I had envisioned a techno-legal
architecture that would empower individuals by placing the control of their
financial data firmly in their hands. The Account Aggregator system, akin to
UPI’s transformative impact, demonstrated how regulated consent-driven data
sharing can revolutionize financial services while safeguarding privacy. This
foresight resonates profoundly with the current discussions around revising
Aadhaar to align with the Data Privacy Act.
Just as the Account Aggregator ecosystem promises
transparency and consensual data flows, Aadhaar's revision should embrace
similar principles—where biometric and personal data handling must be
transparent, user-centric, and robustly regulated. My anticipation that India
would set pioneering global examples for digital data governance appears
vindicated. The UIDAI’s mandated revision signifies a crucial inflection point
to marry massive-scale identity infrastructure with enlightened data privacy
practices.
B. RE:
FOR ATTN : SHRI Sadanand Gowdaji
The idea to be conveyed to the readers is: "Hey, look at what I thought
of/suggested about this topic, 3/5/7 years ago. I had predicted this! I had
offered a solution for this."
Back in 2017, when sharing thoughts on the impending Data
Protection law being drafted by MEITY, I stressed the critical interplay
between legal frameworks and technological ecosystems like Aadhaar. I had
underscored the inherent risks of unchecked data access and the need for
comprehensive data protection norms to safeguard citizen privacy in an
increasingly digitized environment. The warnings about “privacy? perish the
thought!” still echo with relevance today as policymakers push for Aadhaar’s
recalibration under the Data Privacy Act.
This early recognition of privacy challenges within the
Aadhaar ecosystem highlights that the current policy moves are not merely
reactive but inevitable progressions in India’s data governance narrative. By
advocating for proactive stakeholder engagement and legal clarity in 2017, I
had anticipated the necessity of creating a protective shield around personal
data that Aadhaar represents, which today manifests in calls for stricter
consent and accountability standards.
Call to
Action:
To the Government of India, UIDAI, and policymakers shaping the Data Privacy
Act: I urge you to embrace this revision of Aadhaar not as a bureaucratic
checkbox but as an extraordinary opportunity to lead the world in ethical
digital identity stewardship. It is imperative to engage with civil society,
technologists, privacy experts, and citizens in transparent dialogues to sculpt
Aadhaar’s next phase. Prioritize embedding granular, unambiguous consent
protocols, data minimization principles, and real-time audit mechanisms to
ensure data sanctity.
Stakeholders must also invest in public awareness efforts so
that individuals comprehend their rights and the safeguards protecting their
biometric identities. This revision should transform Aadhaar into a global
exemplar—where cutting-edge technology upholds human dignity, privacy, and
empowerment in harmony. The future of digital India’s trust infrastructure
hinges on these decisive, mindful actions.
With regards,
Hemen Parekh
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