The personal details of 40 million social media users in the country are at risk

New delhi date. February 13, 2020, Thursday

The personal information of 40 million social media users in the country is about to be put at risk. The media report, citing government officials, claimed that companies would have to give users information to the government within 72 hours as per the new rules.

According to reports citing sources from the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting in India, in December 2018, the central government proposed a new guideline for social media companies.

That proposal is likely to go into effect later this month. According to the proposal, all companies like Facebook, WhatsApp, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, Google will be required to give their Indian users information in 72 hours when the government demands.

The move is aimed at preventing cybercrime, controversial comments against the country, fake news, details of child porn, racist provocative posts and posts supporting terrorism, but it will have an impact on the country's 40 million users, government sources said.

Until now, there was a provision that social media companies would only inform the government if users had a government agency warrant or a criminal order or court order. Now, according to the new guideline, the central government will have to give the user information that the social media companies will order within 72 hours. This information will require a police warrant or court order.

Citizens of social media companies were quoted as saying that governments around the world have been controlling users' information in the name of fighting terrorism and reducing crime.

For social media companies, the government is issuing new notifications regarding user information matching. This new global trend has begun to provide all users with information, including those who are involved in crime.

Media Advisor of the Ministry of Information and Technology N.N. Kaul said in a media statement that the process is not yet over. Unless a definite decision is made about it, it is not appropriate to comment.

Oppose indirect censorship

WhatsApp declined to share user information. Because of this, the government withdrew permission for WhatsApp. WhatsApp argued that if there was an issue of privacy of users, we would not be able to pass it on to the government as we did not maintain the record.

Instead, WhatsApp has shown a willingness to develop new techniques and run a campaign to prevent faking news. Civil rights organizations have also started protesting the move.

These organizations expressed their views that this was indirectly imposing censorship and could be disadvantaged in the long run. He believed that the government should examine other alternatives to prevent the spread of fake news. The decision to control the information of all users is inaccurate.