Tuesday, 15 September 2020

Time for the Next Step

Context :

No regulation needed for communication apps : Trai

Extract :

Ø In key recommendations regarding operations of global communications apps in India, telecom regulator Trai has said services such as Whatsapp – Facebook Messenger – Apple FaceTime – Google Chat – Skype – Telegram and even newer players such as Microsoft Teams- Cisco Webex and Zoom , should not be bound by a regulatory regime as of now and there should not be specific rules that would mandate them to intercept user calls and messaging

Ø Telecom and IT Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad had even asked WhatsApp to disclose the ORIBGINAL SOURCE of unlawful messages and help intercept the creators of inflammatory communication

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Chinese company aimed at psychological warfare using data

Extract :

According to a recent investigation, Zhenhua Data, a Shenzhe-based technology company which claims to work with intelligence, military and security agencies of China, has designed and deployed these tools to monitor at least 10,000 Indians, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, top Opposition members, Chief of Defense Staff BipinRawat and people in their close circles.

These tools “ mine data “ from a person’s “ digital presence “ and then use it to track and monitor them.

Gunjan Chawla said… “ They are mining data of people who have a say in governance. This is different from private companies like Google and Facebook collecting data for targeted ads “

Centre for Internet and Society researcher Arindrajit Basu said that this is the first time that a private company is claiming that surveillance

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Govt needs proof of foul play to probe China Co’s Data Mining

Extract :

Ø The government is unlikely to investigate Zhenhua Data Information Technology Co for data monitoring and profiling, unless it is revealed that the Shenzhen-based company used illegal means such as hacking or installing spyware to track high-profile Indians, two senior officials told ET.

Ø The government officials told ET that the profiling and data gathering seems to be from publicly available information and cannot, therefore, be called a “surveillance or an espionage” attempt.

Ø The second official said that while its motive seemed to be questionable, there were several companies — both foreign and Indian — which are in the business of profiling individuals and businesses based on data that is in the public domain.

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How to grow Digital India: A framework to leverage foreign capital for India’s benefit

Extract :

Ø India has an opportunity at hand. Its decisive action with China showed that India can set the rules of its economy, and global companies have demonstrated their willingness to change their play – book to enjoy the spoils of the Indian market. Now, India should take its decisive action a step further, by setting the rules of how India’s digital ecosystem develops, for India’s best interests

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The Next Step / Setting the Rules

Following are my past suggestions :

( sent as e-mails to our Cabinet Ministers / State CMS / NITI Aayog etc ) :

Ø Digital Dividend from Demographic Data [ 4 D ]………………….....[ 14 Feb 2019 ]

Ø SARAL ( Single Authentic Registration for Anywhere Login )…[ 10 Feb 2019 ]

Ø Who watches the Watchmen ? ……………………………………………………[12 Jan 2019 ]

Extract :

Here is how :

In my proposed portal ( www.IndiaDataCustodian.gov.in ), provide following sections :

{ for understanding the working of this proposed portal , read :

Only Answer : a Statutory Warning [ 10 Nov 2018 ] }

# SURVEILLANCE REQUEST SECTION

Any agency wanting to conduct surveillance of online / offline activities of an Indian

Citizen, shall submit its’ requirement in this section

This shall contain details such as :

# Name of the agency

# What activity of the citizen is proposed to be surveyed and for how long

[ Multiple selection from the following ] :

# Visits and postings on Social Media web sites

# Visits and searches on E Commerce web sites

# Searches on Search Engines / All digital traffic ( including thru Alexa / Google

Home type devices )

# Messages sent / received on Messaging Apps / E Mail services

# Records of Digital Payment Transactions on Banking / FinTech Network

# Audio logs from Landline and Mobile Service Providers for telephonic talks…etc

Agency will also need to specify the PURPOSE of the proposed surveillance, by selecting

one or more of the following suspected reasons ( list is not comprehensive ) :

# Tax Evasion / Money Laundering

# Criminal Activity / Militancy

# Fraud / Breach of Trust

# Anti-National Activity / Sedition / Treason

# Fake News / Pornographic content posting

# Speeches / articles likely to create enmity among people

Such a request shall need Online Authorization of, all of the following officers :

# Chief of Agency concerned

# Secretary ( Cyber Security ) – Ministry of Information Technology

# Data Protection Regulator

As soon as such a request is “Approved /Authorized “, an email ALERT will go out automatically (without any human intervention) to the citizen concerned that she is “under surveillance “

This will ensure that there is NO SECRET surveillance !

Copies of this E Mail ALERT will also get sent to all other Intelligence Agencies for a coordinated effort and for avoiding duplication

SURVEILLANCE HISTORY SECTION

# At any time of his choice , concerned citizen can login at this section

and see WHICH Agency surveyed her and for how long

# But the citizen concerned will NOT be able to see following entries by the Agency :

# What was the PURPOSE / REASON for the surveillance

# WHAT DATA got collected

# FINDINGS and proposed COURSE of ACTION , if any

This part will be visible to all other Intelligence Agencies, who will have facility to add their own information / data about the concerned citizen which is in their possession, in order to compile a COMPREHENSIVE DOSSIER about that citizen

However, these other Agencies will NOT be able to EDIT any ENTRIES / FINDINGS of any other agencies

Although these ENTRIES are NOT accessible to the concerned citizen in a normal course, the same shall be made available to her in case any government agency relies upon these during a Court Case against that citizen, arising from such surveillance

My proposal,

# Give a free hand to the Agencies to proceed with their investigations, without needing

PRIOR PERMISSION,

And

# Ensure total TRANSPARENCY of their surveillance activities to the persons being

investigated

This will assure the ordinary citizens (– and also “vulnerable “citizens such as politicians belonging to opposition parties ? )– that they are not being snooped upon secretly !

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Final word in Facebook not with public policy team: MD

Zhenhua Data case: How to think about Chinese surveillance

[ Binayak Dasgupta / Binayak.dasgupta@htlive.com ]

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In China : It is “ Comply or Quit “ ……………………………………………….[ 25 Feb 2019 ]

Extract :

In a TV interview on BBC , last evening, Chairman of Huawei Group , Guo Ping said , even IBM, Microsoft and Motorola ( owned by Google ) , had to permit the setting up of Communist Party organizations within their Chinese establishments

How many American companies are obliged to do so ?

Approx. 900 companies with a combined investment of $ 220 Billion

Why bring this up ?

Because, Twitter CEO , Jack Dorsey refused to attend the meeting called tomorrow by Shri Anurag Thakur , Chairperson , Parliamentary Committee on IT , to discuss the issue of fake news / misinformation etc , by Twitter

Apparently he thinks “ Twitter is above the Indian Laws “ and not answerable to Anurag !

How does Dorsey get such an impression ?

I think he mistakes the politeness of Shri Ravi Shankar Prasadji, who yesterday said at the Global Business Summit :

“ And if some companies……seek to unleash data imperialism, that will not be acceptable. India is too huge a country to surrender before that .

If Indian politeness fails to get our message across, what should we do ?

Bluntly announce our intention to launch IndiaDataCustodian and tell all Social Media sites to sign up agreements with Data Protection Regulator , as outlined in ;

Digital Dividend from Demographic Data [ 4 D ]

Does any Social Media entity support this view ?

Yes !

At the GBS , Alan Mamedi, co-founder and CEO of TrueCaller said :

“ The fundamental belief of organizations should be that the data belongs to the individual and they are the custodian of such data ………..allowing consumers to trade or benefit off their personal data, is one that needs to deeper introspection “

And Osama Bedier, founder and CEO of Poynt said :

“ Allowing consumers’ greater control over their personal data was a situational issue. … There are things that people profit off, off you, and there is a really good argument there for you to benefit, when others profit “

And Gulshan Rai, National Cyber Security Advisor, said :

“ The country favors data localization to protect its data resources that are more valuable than oil as they are mobile and can be used in different ways.

Every country in the world is doing its own data colonization….

I am in favour of a data protection act because we have no option, because every country has done it and so should we . We have to protect our own businesses and technology development “

[ source : Firms must ensure onus of data protection is not on consumers ]

Rameesh Kailasam, CEO , Indiatech , says :

“ The government is making it clear that there is the rule and you are welcome if you play by the rules. “

[ source : Govt following China’s stand on data, say industry players ]

In his speech yesterday at Global Business Summit , Shri Modiji said :

“ For decades, a narrative was made that certain things are impossible in India.

The progress our nation has achieved since 2014 gives me confidence that nothing is

impossible for 130 cr Indians “

Dear Shri Ravi Shankar Prasadji,

Does that “ nothing is impossible “ include ,

130 cr Indians submitting their personal data ONLY on IndiaDataCustodian portal , and Social Media web sites compelled to enable log in through ,

SARAL [ Single Authentic Registration , Anywhere Login ] ?

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hcp@RecruitGuru.com / 16 Sept 2020

Sunday, 13 September 2020

Analysis Needed : Paralysis Avoided

Context :

EC examines Remote Voting Option, sets up Tech Group

Extract :

Ø The group is expected to submit a ‘conceptual framework’ on ‘remote voting’ within the next two months

Ø “First, the ECI itself has to be convinced , all pros and cons examined and once we freeze a template then political parties will have to be consulted on it before a pilot can be run,” Moona said.

Ø “Should blockchain technology be considered given its complexity and the fact that it has not been implemented anywhere in the world for this purpose or should a new server architecture be looked at? What is the level of cryptography to be brought in to maintain vote-voter secrecy. Also there is the question of whether existing EVMs can be used for remote voting. All issues are under consideration,” Moona said.

Ø Other logistics related issues under study include how a remote polling centre would operate. Unlike the usual polling booths which cater to a specific constituency, a remote booth will have to be designed to cater to multiple constituencies. Consequently, the ‘ballot paper’ will also have to be ‘configured’ for multiple constituencies also VVPAT linkages at a remote polling centre.

Ø Another logistical issue would be permitting polling agents of candidates to be present at the time of voting. In case of a remote voting centre with multiple constituencies and candidates, the number of such representatives could become unmanageable

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Dear Prof Rajat Moona

(director@iitbhilai.ac.in / moona@iitk.ac.in )

I urge your panel to debate my following suggestions before framing its final recommendations :

2012

# VotesApp [ 18 Dec 2012 ]

2020

# First Step to VotesApp ? [24 Jan 2020 ]