Ensure WhatsApp msg is traceable: Govt
Rajeev.Deshpande@timesgroup.com
New Delhi:7.11.2019
The government is determined on insisting that social messaging platform WhatsApp must provide for ‘traceability’ of messages in order to assist a criminal investigation that seeks to track crimes ranging from incitement of violence to terrorism and child sexual abuse.
The recent breach of WhatsApp users, through the use of Pegasus spyware developed by an Israeli firm, has only served to deepen the conviction in government that the likely manipulation or misuse of end-to-end encryption platforms needs to be checked and, if necessary, investigated for origin sources.
The response of the messaging platform, owned by social media giant Facebook, to the government’s queries on the breach that came to light in late October, repeated WhatsApp’s previous submissions in May and September. No names of the 120-odd Indians understood to have been affected were provided.
There is concern in the government over what are seen as “selective” revelations about persons affected by the breach, which it is felt created the impression of anti-government voices being targeted. The focus on likely motives saw the government face accusations of snooping and seemed a bid to strengthen the case against traceability, officials said.
The issue of security and privacy relating to social media and messaging platforms is in the Supreme Court and the government has been asked to provide guidelines to address misuse of these ‘intermediaries’ as the current law terms them. Traceability will be an important aspect of the recommendations.
WhatsApp has not been keen to consider such tracking of users on the ground that it is not possible with its service being encrypted from end to end. Yet, officials said, the platform has proved vulnerable to being manipulated and underlined the need to ensure movement of messages that constitute a criminal act is traced.
For full report, www.toi.in
Law and information technology minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said on Wednesday that the government will bring a data protection bill in the forthcoming session of Parliament while emphasizing that India will not accept any attempt to create monopoly on data by few companies and countries.
“Data imperialism will not be acceptable,” the minister said, speaking at the Commonwealth law ministers conference in Colombo. He said data sovereignty of countries – big or small – must be respected. The minister’s comments assume significance in the backdrop of recent reports of surveillance by an Israeli company compromising WhatsApp video calls of some activists, politicians and journalists in India.
“In India we view privacy seriously, and informational privacy is also integral to that. It means a person must have control over his data and its commercial usage,” he said. The minister said while a large amount of data is being generated in developing and under-developed countries but the claim for processing is being emphasized only by big countries. India’s stand on equity in data management found support from other Commonwealth nations, including Singapore and Cameroon. Prasad said data economy both in terms of commercial use and employment will play a crucial role. TNN
Rajeev.Deshpande@timesgroup.com
New Delhi:7.11.2019
The government is determined on insisting that social messaging platform WhatsApp must provide for ‘traceability’ of messages in order to assist a criminal investigation that seeks to track crimes ranging from incitement of violence to terrorism and child sexual abuse.
The recent breach of WhatsApp users, through the use of Pegasus spyware developed by an Israeli firm, has only served to deepen the conviction in government that the likely manipulation or misuse of end-to-end encryption platforms needs to be checked and, if necessary, investigated for origin sources.
The response of the messaging platform, owned by social media giant Facebook, to the government’s queries on the breach that came to light in late October, repeated WhatsApp’s previous submissions in May and September. No names of the 120-odd Indians understood to have been affected were provided.
There is concern in the government over what are seen as “selective” revelations about persons affected by the breach, which it is felt created the impression of anti-government voices being targeted. The focus on likely motives saw the government face accusations of snooping and seemed a bid to strengthen the case against traceability, officials said.
The issue of security and privacy relating to social media and messaging platforms is in the Supreme Court and the government has been asked to provide guidelines to address misuse of these ‘intermediaries’ as the current law terms them. Traceability will be an important aspect of the recommendations.
WhatsApp has not been keen to consider such tracking of users on the ground that it is not possible with its service being encrypted from end to end. Yet, officials said, the platform has proved vulnerable to being manipulated and underlined the need to ensure movement of messages that constitute a criminal act is traced.
For full report, www.toi.in
Govt will bring data protection bill in Parliament: Prasad
New Delhi:
Law and information technology minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said on Wednesday that the government will bring a data protection bill in the forthcoming session of Parliament while emphasizing that India will not accept any attempt to create monopoly on data by few companies and countries.
“Data imperialism will not be acceptable,” the minister said, speaking at the Commonwealth law ministers conference in Colombo. He said data sovereignty of countries – big or small – must be respected. The minister’s comments assume significance in the backdrop of recent reports of surveillance by an Israeli company compromising WhatsApp video calls of some activists, politicians and journalists in India.
“In India we view privacy seriously, and informational privacy is also integral to that. It means a person must have control over his data and its commercial usage,” he said. The minister said while a large amount of data is being generated in developing and under-developed countries but the claim for processing is being emphasized only by big countries. India’s stand on equity in data management found support from other Commonwealth nations, including Singapore and Cameroon. Prasad said data economy both in terms of commercial use and employment will play a crucial role. TNN
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