India a software giant now needs to build hardware capabilities in data-driven digital era, says Lekhi

New Delhi: India, with its proven software prowess, now needs to aggressively build strong hardware capabilities as well, given the crucial role that hardware technologies play in handling and management of data in digital age, chairperson of Parliamentary Committee on Data Protection Bill and BJP MP Meenakshi Lekhi said on Saturday.

Lekhi noted that exponential rate at which data is being collected and consumed, and advent of new technologies like Artificial Intelligence, Internet of Things and cloud computing have created an urgent need and legislative rigour for comprehensive framework on data protection.

Manipulation and "deception" in communication and data management can severely undermine democratic values and subvert the process of free and fair elections, she said and added that the proposed data protection legislation - in the works - is particularly relevant in the times of digital "stealth wars".

"Your thought and data can be shared with someone else without you knowing about it. Algorithms could be collecting data that you probably never consented for...So deception in communication and data management and deception in manner of working is going to cause a damage to democracies, and it will be basically challenging the supremacy of free and fair elections, and thus we need to have some method of controlling this kind of...situation," Lekhi said addressing a session on data privacy at SKOCH Summit.

It is pertinent to mention here that parliamentary committee examining the Personal Data Protection Bill has recommended 89 amendments to the proposed legislation, including changing its title and schedule.

The draft of the bill, approved by the Cabinet in December 2019, proposes to put restriction on use of personal data without explicit consent of citizens. Overall, it aims at safeguarding personal information, defining obligations of data processors as also rights of individuals, and proposes penalties for violation.

The bill was introduced in the Lok Sabha, and later it was referred to the Joint Committee of Parliament headed by BJP MP Lekhi.

Speaking at the data privacy session on Saturday, Lekhi said there are many who are unaware of the kinds of warring systems that exist in the digital ecosystem today.