A SARAL in Saudi Arabia ?

 

A  SARAL  in Saudi Arabia ?

 

I am referring to following news reports :

Saudi Arabia approves law to protect personal data  /  Statesman  /  15 Sept 021

 

Extract :

Ø  The Saudi Cabinet has approved the Personal Data Protection Law that aims to,

           #  reinforce respect for individuals’ privacy and

           #  contribute to the creation of a data-based digital economy.

Ø  President of Saudi Data & AI Authority (SDAIA) Abdullah bin Sharaf Alghamdi (info@199099.gov.sa)

   - said in a statement that the law would help accelerate the process of digital

    transformation and create  an information-based society.

 

       

Ø  The digital transformation,

          #   empowers the private sector,

          #   creates a regulatory environment conducive to business growth, and

          #   attracts foreign investments, he added.

Ø  The law,

     #   protects the rights related to processing personal data,

     #   regulates their sharing between entities, and

     #   prevents their misuse, and will therefore

     #   enhance the local economy and

     #   build trust in the data sector, he said.

 

Ø  He highlighted that it is impermissible to use personal means of communication to send marketing or awareness-raising materials to individuals unless consent has been obtained.

 

Ø  Through this law, SDAIA seeks to protect personal data by developing national strategies, policies, controls, and procedures as well as support for their implementation.

 

 

https://www.thehansindia.com/news/international/saudi-arabia-approves-new-law-to-protect-personal-data-706529 

Extract :

Ø  It's also designated to protect any personal data that might lead to identifying directly or indirectly the user from unconsented collection and processing, the Saudi Gazette reported.

 

Ø  The data include, name, identification number, address, phone number, personal records, financial records and Images, videos or any other identifying data.

 

Ø  The new law will ensure the privacy of personal data, regulate the sharing of personal data and prevent the abuse of personal data.

MY  TAKE  :

Ø  The Saudi plan to implement this law within next 180 days ( 6 months )

 

Ø  That gives them enough time to spell-out this law-related, “ national strategies, policies, controls, and procedures as well as support for their implementation “

Ø  From the POLICIES spelled out in these news reports, it seems that the SDAIA is considering implementation of,

          #  Controlling of Data Collection / Processing without explicit User

               Consent

          #  Procedures for SHARING of Personal data  

          #  Data Aggregation and Anonymization

          #  Defining various categories of Personal Data

          #  Defining “ Data Abuse “

 

        And it talks about “ creation of a data-based digital economy “ ( would

        that mean enabling  individuals Data Owners – to monetize their data ? )

 

        

 

Ø  This realization 

    -  ( to enable individuals to monetize their own / personal data ) 

    seems to be catching up. 

    Here is how China seems to be going about this :

          China reigns in Big Tech : - at Algorithm level ……….( 30 Aug 2921 )

 

         Extract :

          It is obvious that the Chinese strategy revolves around implementing following

          KEY CONCEPTS :

       #  user data… are public resources

       #  creation of a state-supervised market for such information

       #  foundations for it to be traded domestically

        Chinese Premier, Li Keqiang (premier@mail.gov.cn / english@mail.gov.cn ) may

        ask , The Cyberspace Administration of China (  www.cac.gov.cn ), to examine

        whether deployment of the following Technology Platforms, could help

        implement these key concepts :

        

      

             Digital Dividend from Demographic Data ……………………[ 14 Feb 2019 ]

             SARAL ……………………………………………………………………………[ 10 Feb 2019 ]

             Privacy for Sale  ……………………………………………………………[ 26 Aug 2017 ]

             A Matter of Motive ………………………………………………………[ 04 Aug 2018 ]

 

Dear Shri Ashwini Vaishnawji

( Minister for IT  / av.odisha@sansad.nic.in ),

As far as reigning in the BIG TECH SOCIAL MEDIA is concerned, we are facing the same problems that the Chinese are facing

There is no need to wait for the Chinese Premier’s next move

 

 

I urge you to get our Technology Advisory Committees ( listed below ) to examine my suggestion re its feasibility :

 

Troika of Technology ? ………………………………….[ 20 Feb 2020 ]

 

 

It seems the Saudis are thinking SARAL ( meaning, SIMPLE )

 

 

 

With regards,

 

Hemen Parekh  /  hcp@RecruitGuru.com  /  16 Sept 2021

 

 

 

Dear Supreme : How about asking Pegasus to file an Affidavit ?

 

 

Context :

Apple issues emergency security updates to close a spyware flaw  /  NY Times  / 14 Sept 2021

 

Extact :

Ø  Apple issued emergency software updates for a critical vulnerability in its products on Monday after security researchers uncovered a flaw that allows highly invasive spyware from Israel’s NSO Group to infect anyone’s iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch or Mac computer without so much as a click.

 

Ø  Apple’s security team had worked around the clock to develop a fix since Tuesday, after researchers at Citizen Lab, a cybersecurity watchdog organization at the University of Toronto, discovered that a Saudi activist’s iPhone had been infected with an advanced form of spyware from NSO.

 

 

Ø  The spyware, called Pegasus, used a novel method to invisibly infect Apple devices without victims’ knowledge. Known as a “zero click remote exploit,” it is considered the Holy Grail of surveillance because it allows governments, mercenaries and criminals to secretly break into someone’s device without tipping the victim off.

 

Ø  Using the zero-click infection method, Pegasus can,

        #   turn on a user’s camera and microphone,

        #   record messages, texts, emails, calls

           ( even those sent via encrypted messaging and phone apps like Signal )

        #  and send them back to NSO’s clients at governments around the

            world.

 

Ø  “ This spyware can do everything an iPhone user can do on their device and more,” said John Scott-Railton, a senior researcher at Citizen Lab, who teamed up with Bill Marczak, a senior research fellow at Citizen Lab, on the finding.

 

Ø  The discovery means that more than 1.65 billion Apple products in use worldwide have been vulnerable to NSO’s spyware since at least March. It signals a serious escalation in the cybersecurity arms race, with governments willing to pay whatever it takes to spy on digital communications en masse, and with tech companies, human rights activists and others racing to uncover and fix the latest vulnerabilities that enable such surveillance.

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

 MY  TAKE  :

Ø  For past few years, I have been saying that our proposed  DATA PROTECTION LAW ( hanging for past 3 years ), cannot protect any Smartphone User. Following is a partial list of e-mails that I have sent to our Policy Makers in the past on this matter

 

Ø  In this week itself, both Facebook and Xiomi have launched eye-glasses ( call them, “ Computers resting on Nose / Ears “ ), that can take photos / record videos / answer phone calls / play music etc ), by pressing a button or swiping a finger. A red light will blink to warn others around ( - may not, tomorrow ! )

 

Ø  Just wait for Elon Musk’s Neuralink to launch a hugely advanced BCI ( Brain Computer Interface ) – of course as a light weight eye-glass and no need for tiny wires to be implanted into wearer’s brain – which will transmit the thoughts of the wearer to another wearer, ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD ! ( He will use his 12,000 NEO satellite Network STARLINK , for transmission of thoughts )

 

Ø  Musk has already applied to the Indian Government for statutory permissions to operate STARLINK network in India. At $ 499 for Receiver Dish ( one time installation charges ) and a monthly fee of $ 99 , it is possible that , StarLink may not find any customers in rural areas. But when ( no question of, IF ) BCI eye-glasses arrive, RICH people all around the world may want to use this combination of “  Eye Glass BCI + StarLink “ , to transmit – what they might consider their SECRET THOUGHTS ! Of course, Musk will HARVEST all those thoughts !

 

Ø  If anyone has any doubt, Mercedes Benz last week introduced a CONCEPT CAR that a person can simply drive with his THOUGHTS ! Driver wears a “ head band ” like device around his forehead which picks up his thoughts ( Turn right – turn left – stop etc ), and commands the car that is really, a “ Computer on Wheels “. Launch may be 5 years away but concept is under validation

 

Ø  During these same 5 years, every ( at least, middle-class ) home will have dozens of Internet Connected Devices ( IoT ) which will observe the occupants , listen to their conversations and transmit everything to device manufacturers / OS suppliers / Internet Service Providers / anyone !

 

Ø  In this “ losing battle “ all that we can do , is to “ Slow Down “ this irresistible assault on privacy, for a little while, by implementing :

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

 

Ø  And if we cannot beat them, how about joining them ? How about “ making best of a bad bargain “ ?

How about enabling every Indian User to “ monetize “ his PERSONAL / PRIVATE DATA, by implementing :

 

                  Digital Dividend from Demographic Data     [ 14 Feb 2019 ]

                  SARAL …………………………………………………………..[ 10 Feb 2019 ]

                  Privacy for Sale  …………………………………………..[ 26 Aug 2017 ]

                  A Matter of Motive …………………………………………[ 04 Aug 2018 ]

 

Dear Ashwini Vaishnawji / Shri Rajeev Chandrasekharji,

I urge you ,

#  not to place the Government into an embarrassing position by forcing the

     Supreme Court to “ pass an order “ in the PEGASUS case

    

#  to offer to the Supreme Court to implement my suggestion (  Who watches the

    Watchmen ? ). 

    Please, do not look upon it as a “ face-shaving formula “. Look upon it as

    a WIN-WIN vis-à-vis “ Privacy Advocates “

   

#  not to conduct an ENDLESS ANALYSIS of my suggestion in respect of enabling

    Indian Citizen to “monetize”  their data.

    If, in implementation, some glitches arise, we will surely overcome. We must

    not let “ Fear of Failure “, paralyse our thinking up of out-of-the box / novel

     solutions

    Countries around the world are  struggling to “ reign in “ Social Media Big Tec

    platforms but without much success .

   Some 4 / 5 countries have imposed fines of a few hundred million dollars on

    GAFA . They are trying to hide their grin !

    

    Please remember, our UPI based system of DIGITAL PAYMENTS is being

    admired even by the advanced Countries .

    When we implement “ Digital Dividend / SARAL “, it will become a benchmark

    for the entire world which is struggling with the ever-increasing SOCIETAL

     INEQUITY between the RICH and the POOR  

    ( Read : Richest 10 % in India own over 50 % of assets : NSS  )

     

  With regards,

  Hemen Parekh  /  hcp@RecruitGuru.com  /  15 Sept 2021

 

 

Related  Readings :

 Privacy ? What is that ?................................[ 04 May 2017 ]

 

 Delusion of Privacy ? ……………………………………….[ 10 June 2017 ]

 

 2024 ! – V 2.0 of Orwellian 1984 ? …………………[ 07 July 2017 ]

 

 Wherefore Art Thou, O Romeo ? …………………….[ 20 Sept 2017 ]

 

 A      An  Open Letter to Dear Hon CJI.…………………….[ 13 Apr  2018 ]