Instead of bringing data protection laws and surveillance reforms the Government of India is busy building the infrastructure needed to turn the country into a state of mass surveillance.
For the first time, powers of scanning data at rest have been given to various agencies. Earlier, only data in motion could be intercepted. But now data revived, stored and generated can also be intercepted as powers of seizure have been given," a senior bureaucrat explained to NDTV.
While this was provisioned in the IT Act of 2000 and only home ministry had the power to scan your calls or emails. But now appointed agencies have been given these power and a lot more.
The signed order issued yesterday, Dec 20, by the Ministry of Home Affairs authorises India's 10 central agencies to intercept, monitor, and decrypt "any information generated, transmitted, received or stored in any computer."
All the 10 agencies listed in the order are as follows: Intelligence Bureau, Narcotics Control Bureau, Enforcement Directorate, Central Board of Direct Taxes, Directorate of Revenue Intelligence, CBI, National Investigation Agency, Cabinet Secretariat (R&AW), Directorate of Signal Intelligence (for service areas in Jammu and Kashmir, North-East and Assam only) and the Delhi Police Commissioner. - Indiatimes
It's also important to note that the Delhi Police is under the control of the central government and not the state of Delhi.
From a cryptocurrency standpoint also this is quite bad. If India were to ban cryptocurrencies this will basically allow the government to confiscate your computers at their whim and fancy. Not to forget they are building the systems to monitor people at scale as well.
It's almost as if the Indian government is busy trying to match up to NSA's state of the art surveillance systems!
Can things get any worse?
I hope we can fight to bring a pro-citizens policy for data protection and reforms in surveillance in the years to come.
If you were wondering about the foray of JIO and cheap internet into the Indian market, look no further. All this including the deal with Atos which will become the backbone for active monitoring capabilities.
I spent the last couple of hours debating with some people the ramifications of such laws. Yet, I can't understand why some people find this OK. It's not the same as opting into using Google or Facebook. It's the complete disregard and total invasion of our life and privacy by the government. It's totally unconstitutional!
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These are actually traps laid out by a time traveler by the name Manmohan to create troubles for the current government. Classic case of Trojan horses planted by a time traveling politician. This government was successful only with the banning of the currencies - that was the only case they defeated the so alleged economist. The poor government fell into the trap of the cunning time traveler in all other cases ...
@firepower, This is really unfortunate for sure, and in my opinion this is just not about the India, now in my opinion Censorship of lives will going to happen means, central system will going to control our lives. And these Televisions and Media making us silent beings, where we are day by day becoming, like, it's not about me.
And this is nothing new, it's an Global Evil Root, where few try to develop the Slavery System. Technology is good but we've entered into the Over Technological World and from here we will going to see the fight between Domination and Freedom in my opinion.
Stay Blessed 🙂
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That's the only word I liked in this entire post. It summarizes everything you have written on the top of it quite efficiently.
This act needs to be amended. But don't worry, surveillance of our government is not going to be as effective as NIA as the brilliant minds of our country are continuously fleeing to US and Europe!
So long as efficient people like Sundar Pichai are working not for India, we are nowhere near to implement anything related to computer effectively, I believe!
That is really very bad decision as i and most of us will never want to disclose about the things what we are doing on internet as it is our right and privacy should be there rather than giving the authorities to just have a look on us.
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This is sadi to hear. Wonder why they are so against people getting crypto.
This is not specific to cryptocurrencies.
who cares to read? these people not even reading title it seems.
I know, I read your posts including this one. They may be getting set up to monitor and confiscate like you talk about in your post. Maybe I am reading too much into it.
I have read other posts by you about the government being down on crypto.
There is corruption everywhere.
This is not fear I think this is unnecessary interfere in the life.
Thanks for sharing this update.
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Really shocking news , I came to know about it at today's afternoon. However decision can be changed I hope.
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Gandhi must be turning in his grave!
Tell me about it! :(
Can't we do anything against it?
Not with the kind of idiots supporting every move of the government. Maybe these guys will start something a campaign: https://twitter.com/internetfreedom