Systematic Government Access to Private-Sector Data in India
This chapter focuses on India’s policies and practices regarding systematic government access to private-sector data. India does not have many laws that explicitly prescribe or prohibit systematic government access to private-sector data apart from provisions in laws such as the Information Technology Act, Anti-Money Laundering Act, and Epidemic Diseases Act. Nevertheless, the appetite in some parts of the government for systematic access appears to be growing. In February 2012, the Intelligence Bureau wrote to the Department of Telecom demanding that telecom operators and ISPs cooperate to enable comprehensive real-time tracking of Internet usage on mobile phones. This included the establishment of a core group “for finalisation of Internet Protocol Detail Record (IPDR) for Internet and GPRS service, and standardisation of parameters that will have to be stored by mobile phone companies….” The chapter also discusses proposals for the NATGRID and the Comprehensive Monitoring System.