Best printers for Home

Best Mixer Grinder

Best wired Earphones

Best 43 Inch TV in India

Best Wi Fi Routers

Best Home Theatre in India

Smart Watch under 5000

Best Laptops for Education

Best Laptop for Students

A bill seeking to provide for four nominees by a bank account holder was introduced in the <keyword id="19895394" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Lok-Sabha" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="Lok Sabha" meta.hostid="153" meta.entityid="Lok Sabha">Lok Sabha</keyword> on Friday to ensure better protection of depositors and enhance customer convenience. Introduced by Minister of State for Finance Pankaj Chaudhary in the Lower House, the Banking Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2024, has a provision for simultaneous and successive nominations to bank accounts, lockers, etc. As per the provision of the bill, a bank account holder can nominate up to four persons. The bill also seeks to transfer of unclaimed dividends, shares, and interest or redemption of bonds to the Investor Education and Protection Fund (IEPF), allowing individuals to claim transfers or refunds from the fund, and thus safeguarding investors' interests. As the banking sector has evolved over the years, and with a view to improving bank governance and investor protection, it has become necessary to make certain amendments to five Acts, according to Statement of Objects and Reasons of the Bill. The Bill, which was approved by the <keyword id="19916620" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Union-Cabinet" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="Union Cabinet" meta.hostid="153" meta.entityid="Union Cabinet">Union Cabinet</keyword> last week, proposes to amend the <keyword id="20824389" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Reserve-Bank-of-India-Act" source="keywords">Reserve Bank of India Act</keyword>, 1934, the Banking Regulation Act, 1949, the State Bank of India Act, 1955, the Banking Companies (Acquisition and Transfer of Undertakings) Act, 1970, and the Banking Companies (Acquisition and Transfer of Undertakings) Act, 1980. The proposed bill seeks to improve governance standards, provide consistency in reporting by banks to the Reserve Bank of India, ensure better protection for depositors and investors, improve audit quality in public sector banks, bring customer convenience in respect of nominations, and to provide for increase in the tenure of the directors in co-operative banks. Another proposed change relates to redefining 'substantial interest' for directorships, which could increase to Rs 2 crore instead of the current limit of Rs 5 lakh, which was fixed almost six decades ago. Congress member Manish Tewari opposed the introduction of the bill, saying the power to legislate with regard to cooperatives vests with state governments. RSP member N K Premachandran opposed amending five legislations through one bill, while TMC member Saugata Roy termed the bill "superfluous", saying the the amendments proposed in the bill could have been done through administrative decisions. Responding to opposition's remarks, <keyword id="19956758" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Finance-Minister" source="keywords">Finance Minister</keyword> Nirmala Sitharaman said the various amendments done in Banking Regulations Act with respect to <keyword id="20814377" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="cooperative-banks" source="keywords">cooperative banks</keyword> are not just one or two but several. "Simple understanding is we are not touching any aspect of the cooperatives other than that which claims under the name of banking...the sections which have been brought in for amendments, as also the court verdicts, have repeatedly reinforced the point that Banking Regulation Act and the Cooperative Banks do have this relationship and therefore it has to be taken through this route," she said. Otherwise, there is no attempt to undermine the cooperatives, particularly cooperatives dealing with everything other than banks, she said defending the Bill. The bill proposes to increase the tenure of directors (excluding the chairman and whole-time director) in cooperative banks from 8 years to 10 years, so as to align with the Constitution (Ninety-Seventh Amendment) Act, 2011. Once passed, the bill would allow a director of a Central Cooperative Bank to serve on the board of a State Cooperative Bank. The bill also seeks to give greater freedom to banks in deciding the remuneration to be paid to statutory auditors. It also seeks to redefine the reporting dates for banks for regulatory compliance to the 15th and last day of every month, instead of the second and fourth Fridays. "What's the rationale behind it? The current reporting Friday system has several limitations that impact the accuracy and effectiveness of the reporting of data. "These limitations are incomplete coverage of monthly data, seasonal fluctuations in banking activity which lead to inconsistent reporting, and the need for adjustment every 11th year which introduces complications and inconsistencies. That is why, in order to address the issue, it is proposed to amend the legislation," she said. The announcement about amendments to the Banking Regulation Act was made by the Finance Minister in the 2023-24 Budget speech. "To improve bank governance and enhance <keyword id="22728161" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="investors-protection" source="keywords">investors' protection</keyword>, certain amendments to the Banking Regulation Act, the Banking Companies Act and the Reserve Bank of India Act are proposed," she had said.

Bill to provide up to four nominees to a bank account introduced in Lok Sabha

The upcoming Digital Personal Data Protection <keyword id="19032" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="bill" source="Orion">Bill</keyword> will drive "deep behavioural changes" among those platforms in <keyword id="3658" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="india" source="Orion">India</keyword> that have for long exploited or misused personal data, <keyword id="6357801" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="union" source="Orion">Union</keyword> minister <keyword id="205969" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="rajeev-chandrasekhar" source="Orion">Rajeev Chandrasekhar</keyword> has asserted. In an interview to PTI, the minister of state for IT and electronics also sought to allay concerns around the issue of government-appointed fact check body, saying the move is not about censorship at all, rather it gives the Centre an opportunity to clarify and respond to any <keyword id="535763" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="misinformation" source="Orion">misinformation</keyword> related to it, something that is critical in a democracy. Misinformation, he said, is not to be confused with right to free speech. The minister noted that misinformation tends to travel 10-15 times faster, and reaches an audience 20-50 times more, than truth. He emphasised that it is absolutely critical that in a democracy if someone says something false about the government, to create hatred, to incite violence, or to just create mistrust, "the government must have an opportunity to say no, this is not true". "So there is no censorship, there no restriction on free speech. This is simply about saying what is patently false, is patently false. And that is certainly not to be confused or deliberately distorted to imply that this is a crackdown on free speech," Chandrasekhar said. The minister's comment assumes significance as the decision to notify an entity that will flag false information posted online pertaining to the government has raised concerns in some quarters on whether it gives government absolute powers. "I think there is some misunderstanding about what it is we are trying to do," the minister said when asked about the issue. "Misinformation is expressly an area that has already been prescribed in the rules as an area that platforms have to do significant work in moderating misinformation if they are to enjoy Section 79 protection. It is already mandated in the rules of October 2022," he said. Rather, the fact check unit aims to help platforms in identifying false content posted about the government. "It is not an opinion. It is not about saying that we will create another narrative about the government," Chandrasekhar added. On the digital personal data protection (DPDP) bill, which will be introduced in the coming session of <keyword id="6354721" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="parliament" source="Orion">Parliament</keyword>, the minister said the draft legislation has undergone a lot of consultation and is designed as "a truly world class piece of legislation". "I have absolutely no doubt that the DPDP Bill will create deep behavioural changes among platforms in India who have for long exploited and misused personal data," the minister said. At the same time, those who have played fair will not get affected, and will continue to do the right thing, he observed. "Those who have done it (misused data), tracked consumers, used cookies they certainly will have to go though deep behavioural change... Those who are already doing it right, have nothing to fear. But those who have, in a sense, lived off this model of exploitation will certainly have to reconsider," minister said. He expressed hope that the bill will come up in the Monsoon session of Parliament. The draft bill - which has seen an overhaul after its withdrawal in August last year - details the citizen's rights on personal data, with provisions that makes entities handling personal data accountable for managing it with safety and security in a responsible manner. "The purpose of this bill is to provide for the processing of digital personal data in a manner that recognises the right of individuals to protect their personal data, the need to process personal data for lawful purposes and for other incidental purposes," an explanatory note of the draft bill said. The proposed data protection legislation allows the transfer and storage of personal data in some countries while raising the penalty for violations. The proposed legislation stipulates consent before collecting personal data and provides for stiff penalties of as much as Rs 500 crore on persons and companies that fail to prevent data breaches including accidental disclosures, sharing, altering or destroying personal data. On being asked about Meta being fined a record-breaking USD 1.3 billion recently by European Union regulators for violating EU privacy laws, and whether India too can look at large financial deterrants for Big Tech for non-compliance of laws, the Minister said idea is not about competing with the EU on size of penalties. "I don't think we are in the business of competing with the EU in terms of the size of the penalty, but the formulation of penalties in this Bill is sufficient to incentivise every data fiduciary or any platform to behave correctly, to follow the law, and do the right thing," he said. The days when platform could exploit the data of consumers is fast coming to an end, he said, adding there are many powers under the bill that have been given to the Indian consumer to interrogate, search, check what data the platforms have. "...and I think certainly it's a balance of protecting the consumer rights, as well as continuing to allow innovation and investments," the minister said. On WhatsApp spam call issue, Chandrasekhar said that the government has called out to WhatsApp and other messenger companies about the problem and emphasised that it is unacceptable. "They have responded with alacrity and responded very quickly. They are searching out many solutions. We have also asked them to give to us what are the overseas telecom carriers from where these originate, so that we can talk to BSNL, and to our own <keyword id="150664" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="telecom-department" source="Orion">Telecom Department</keyword> to make sure that these carriers are also warned that there is unlawful activities originating from their networks, and that if that continues, we may have to look at some kind of a discussion of whether those networks will be allowed to terminate in India as well," he said. The government and players are not adversaries, rather they work in partnership, he said, adding that a safe and trusted internet for 1.2 billion consumers "is good for business, government, and for citizens". SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/news/india-dominates-smartwatch-market-accounts-for-over-a-quarter-of-global-sales-in-q1-2023/articleshow/100522354.cms">India dominates smartwatch market, accounts for over a quarter of global sales in Q1 2023</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/finance/news/2000-note-withdrawal-how-to-exchange-notes-is-it-a-legal-tender-and-other-questions-answered/articleshow/100412941.cms">₹2,000 note withdrawal – How to exchange them, is it a legal tender and other questions answered</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/auto/news/electric-scooters-and-bikes-may-get-costlier-as-government-looks-to-revamp-the-fame-ii-scheme/articleshow/100321089.cms">Electric two wheelers may get costlier as government looks to revamp the FAME-II scheme</a>

Data protection bill to drive deep behavioural changes for platforms exploiting data: Chandrasekhar

<ul class="summary-list"><li><a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/bill-gates-rational-optimist-microsoft-success-life-skills-careers-2023-11">Bill Gates is decidedly optimistic</a> about AI.</li><li>But he still has some big concerns about the cutting-edge technology.</li></ul>Bill Gates is a self-described optimist about <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/bill-gates-ai-letter-chatbots-future-predictions-2023-3">the future of AI</a>, but the tech still raises a few key concerns for him.Microsoft's cofounder laid out his three biggest worries about the tech while speaking on the latest <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/bill-gates-on-how-to-tax-the-rich-ai-misinformation/id1643307527?i=1000671268413">episode</a> of the podcast "On with Kara Swisher," released Monday.Gates said his first concern is "that bad people with bad intent will use AIs for cybercrime, bioterrorism, nation-state wars.""In that case you think, okay, let's make sure the good guys have an AI that can play defense against those things, and that makes you want to move ahead and not fall behind," he said.President Joe Biden's <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2024/03/11/fact-sheet-the-presidents-budget-advances-president-bidens-unity-agenda/">budget</a> for fiscal year 2025 includes billions earmarked for AI, including efforts to advance "the safe, secure, and trustworthy development and use of AI" and to invest in a "new AI safety institute to protect the American public's safety, security, and rights."Gates' second concern is about the fast "rate of change" that could lead to job losses."In the same way that that medical diagnosis will be superior with the right training set and a few more turns of the crank on how we drive reliability, that there's great progress on that, it will be superior at a telesales or telesupport type job, which are big parts of the economy," Gates said.A 2023 <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/generative-ai-chatpgt-300-million-full-time-jobs-goldman-sachs-2023-3">Goldman Sachs report said that AI could result in "significant disruption"</a> of the labor market and impact an estimated 300 million full-time jobs. A survey conducted by HubSpot last year found sales workers saved two hours and 15 minutes a day when they <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/ai-saving-sales-teams-hours-work-daily-survey-says-2024-1">used AI to automate manual tasks</a> including meeting scheduling, note-taking, and data entry."<a target="_blank" rel="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/chatgpt-jobs-at-risk-replacement-artificial-intelligence-ai-labor-trends-2023-02">AI isn't replacing</a> salespeople — it's just taking care of the most repetitive aspects of their work," the study said.Gates said that even though you can say that AI frees up teachers and other professionals to be less spread thin, "we have unmet needs for labor.""If we free up all this labor, we can shorten the workweek, but the rate of change is scary," he added.Gates said his third concern, which "comes up a lot," is "the loss of control" scenario. Many AI researchers and experts have warned for years of the potential consequences if AGI, or artificial general intelligence that surpasses human intelligence, is reached — including possible <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/eric-schmidt-ai-doomsday-scenarios-worth-thoughtful-consideration-2016-6">doomsday scenarios</a>."My view is if you've managed to get through the first two, that actually that's not the hardest of the three," Gates said.Experts have warned AI models can be abused for purposes like <a target="_blank" rel=" nofollow" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/hacker-online-scams-getting-worse-ai-cybersecurity-expert-2024-9">carrying out scams or cyberattacks</a> or <a target="_blank" rel="" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/social-media-disinformation-misinformation-technology-regulation-artifical-intelligence-civil-liability-2024-7">spreading misinformation</a>, among other things.Besides Gates, other business leaders have also expressed concerns about AI and an interest in more regulation and guardrails on the technology. Many share some of Gates' concerns.<a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/microsoft-economist-michael-schwarz-ai-bad-actors-2023-5">Microsoft's chief economist, Michael Schwarz,</a> said at the World Economic Forum last year that he was "confident AI will be used by bad actors, and yes it will cause real damage."OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has even said while he thinks "the best case is so unbelievably good that it's hard for me to even imagine," on the flip side, he imagines a worst-case scenario for AI could be <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/chatgpt-openai-ceo-worst-case-ai-lights-out-for-all-2023-1">"lights out for all of us."</a>Looking more at the present, Gates has said <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/bill-gates-uses-ai-meeting-summaries-notes-copilot-teams-2024-9">he uses AI in his own life to summarize meetings he attends</a>."The ability to interact and not just get the summary, but ask questions about the meeting, is pretty fantastic," he recently <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.theverge.com/24235730/bill-gates-ai-climate-change-energy-tech-microsoft-netflix">said</a> in a separate interview, referring to Microsoft's Copilot, which is powered by the company's OpenAI partnership and available as an add-on for Microsoft 365 office apps.

Bill Gates shares his 3 biggest concerns about AI

<ul class="summary-list"><li>FTC Chair Lina Khan has led an aggressive antitrust fight against large corporations.</li><li>In a recent "60 Minutes" interview, she said Big Tech acquisitions have harmed Americans.</li></ul>The Federal Trade Commission's antitrust buster said Americans lost a lot of privacy protection because a handful of large tech companies were allowed to go on an acquisition spree without greater scrutiny.In a "60 Minutes" interview that aired Sunday, <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/ftc-chair-lina-khan-antitrust-critic-big-tech-amazon-2021-6">FTC Chair Lina Khan</a> said allowing Big Tech to go through hundreds of acquisitions in the past several decades was a mistake that hurt Americans."In the technology markets, we went through a couple of decades where we saw over 800 acquisitions by the five big players, not a single one of which was blocked, and some of those we realized ended up leading to significant harm," Khan said.She acknowledged <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/why-facebook-buying-whatsapp-2014-2">Facebook's purchase of messaging app WhatsApp</a> in 2014 for $19 billion as one example.The <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/what-ftc-facebook-antitrust-lawsuit-is-important-2020-12">FTC sued Facebook</a> in 2020, accusing Mark Zuckerberg's company of engaging in anticompetitive practices by buying Instagram and WhatsApp. A district judge in Washington, DC, dismissed the complaint in June 2021, stating that the agency did not provide enough evidence that <a target="_blank" href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/news/stocks/federal-court-dismisses-ftc-s-anti-trust-lawsuit-against-facebook-1030560379">Facebook</a> established a monopoly.The case was revived after the <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/ruling-ftc-meta-facebook-lawsuit-instagram-whatsapp-can-proceed-2022-1">FTC refiled the complaint</a> a month later. In another motion to dismiss the lawsuit in April, Facebook, <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-04-05/meta-asks-judge-to-throw-out-ftc-antitrust-case-before-trial">now Meta,</a> said it faces plenty of competition from rivals like TikTok, X, and YouTube. The company also said in a <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://about.fb.com/news/2024/04/meta-files-motion-for-summary-judgment-in-ftc-lawsuit-relating-to-instagram-and-whatsapp/">press statement</a> that the FTC reviewed the acquisition of Instagram and WhatsApp years ago."The decision to revisit done deals is tantamount to announcing that no sale will ever be final," the company said.An FTC spokesperson did not respond to a request for comment. A Meta spokesperson declined to provide comment.Khan argued in the "60 Minutes" interview that purchases like these weakened Americans' privacy guardrails."Just to give you a concrete example, there were companies that were offering Americans greater privacy, and they were promising that we're not going to use your data, we're not going to sell it, we're not going to spy on you, everywhere all the time," Khan said. "After some of those firms were bought up by one of the big guys, all of those data privacy policies changed overnight, and so Americans lost those privacy protections."In 2021, <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/whatsapp-forcing-users-to-share-personal-data-facebook-elon-musk-2021-1">WhatsApp changed its privacy terms</a> to force users to share their personal data with Facebook. Ireland's privacy watchdog fined the company <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/whatsapp-fined-sharing-data-facebook-privacy-communication-users-mesaging-2021-9">$266 million</a> for issues related to transparency around how WhatsApp shared its data with Facebook.A WhatsApp spokesperson told BI at the time that the company disagreed with the decision and that the penalties were "entirely disproportionate."Since her appointment by President Joe Biden in 2021, Khan has led an <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/why-lina-khan-wrong-about-hollywood-consolidation-market-structure-2023-8">aggressive antitrust fight</a> against large corporations, drawing the ire of Democratic and Republican business leaders. An FTC spokesperson told CNN in 2023 that, under Khan, the agency has investigated or sued to stop more than three dozen merger proposals.Some billionaire Democratic donors to <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/harris-lina-khan-balance-billionaires-silicon-valley-hoffman-progressives-ftc-2024-8">Kamala Harris' campaign</a>, including LinkedIn cofounder Reid Hoffman, have pushed to oust Khan under a potential new administration. But Khan's fight has also attracted unlikely supporters from the other side of the aisle, including Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz, who said in an interview with Newsmax that his party "can't be whores for big business and be the voice of the working class at the same time."Those supporters have billed themselves "Khanservatives," <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.wsj.com/politics/policy/lina-khan-ftc-antitrust-khanservatives-a6852a8f">The Wall Street Journal</a> reported.

FTC chair Lina Khan explained how Americans lost their privacy protections to Big Tech 

<ul><li><keyword id="2665691" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="niti-aayog" source="Orion">NITI Aayog</keyword> has sought clarity from the government regarding possible passenger data storage.</li><li>The <keyword id="15444126" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="digi-yatra-policy" source="Orion">Digi Yatra Policy</keyword> envisages <keyword id="4471307" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="digi-yatra" source="Orion">Digi Yatra</keyword> as a completely voluntary scheme.</li><li>In this policy, passengers sign up and consent to use Digi Yatra for the purpose of check-in and boarding, this agreement would have the legal character of a voluntary agreement for the temporary collection, temporary storage, and use of data.</li></ul>Amid growing concerns about use of facial recognition technology (FRT) across sectors, the NITI Aayog has sought clarity from the government regarding possible passenger data storage, as well as compliance with the laws and trustworthiness of the ecosystem governing Digi Yatra, a flight boarding system that uses this technology and which the government proposes to use in the aviation sector in future. The Digi Yatra Policy envisages Digi Yatra as a completely voluntary scheme. Where the passengers sign up and consent to use Digi Yatra for the purpose of check-in and boarding, this agreement would have the legal character of a voluntary agreement for the temporary collection, temporary storage, and use of data. "This agreement must comply with existing laws and rules on data privacy," a discussion paper on "Responsible Artificial Intelligence For All" by the government think tank has suggested. Released on November 2, the discussion paper focusses on responsible usage of artificial intelligence-based tools and technologies like FRT. The paper goes on to add that the "rules are set out presently under the Information Technology Act, 2000, and the Information Technology (Reasonable Security Practices and Procedures and Sensitive Personal Data and Information) Rules, 2011 ('SPDI Rules'). "Given that the Digi Yatra Foundation, which operationalised the <keyword id="12654561" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="digi-yatra-central-ecosystem" source="Orion">Digi Yatra Central Ecosystem</keyword>, is established under the Companies Act, 2013, it would amount to a 'body corporate' for the purposes of the SPDI Rules. Therefore, it would be necessary for Digi Yatra to comply with the SPDI rules." The Digi Yatra Policy further states that facial biometrics data is deleted from the local airport's database 24 hours after the departure of the passenger's flight. NITI Aayog, however, seeks that the rules related to deletion of other information collected from the passengers, as well as any facial biometrics that are stored in other registries, must be clearly set out in Digi Yatra's policy. The Digi Yatra Policy mentions that users may also be able to provide consent for value-added services at the airport, for which purpose, their data may be shared with other entities like cab operators and other commercial entities. On this, the government think tank has suggested that there must be specific care taken to ensure that such consent is meaningfully provided and is not bundled by default. "In addition to cyber security audits, it is imperative to establish a mechanism for performing algorithmic audits by independent and accredited auditors, prior to system deployment at periodic intervals," the discussion paper said. It is pertinent to mention that FRT, like other intelligent algorithms, is fundamentally a data-intensive technology. In order to ensure propriety and legality in the manner in which data processing happens to train and develop FRT systems, it is imperative to have a codified data protection regime in the country at the earliest, the discussion paper further stated. "The new data protection bill must retain the framework to ensure data protection, including obligations, enforcement mechanisms, a regulatory agency, penalties, and remedies from the <keyword id="2617070" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="personal-data-protection-bill" source="Orion">Personal Data Protection Bill</keyword>, 2019. "Furthermore, such a regime must not be limited to regulating data processing by private entities but must adequately codify protections for fundamental right to privacy against state agencies (including law enforcement)," it added. NITI Aayog further recommended that sensitive personal data should be protected under the new data protection law, including biometric data such as facial images and scans. "Consequently, it is recommended that rigorous standards for data processing, as well as the storage and retention of sensitive biometric data should be adequately addressed in any proposed data protection regime, to address privacy risks associated with FRT systems," it concluded. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/corporates/news/niit-acquires-us-based-st-charles-consulting-group-for-23-4-million/articleshow/95320170.cms">NIIT acquires US-based St. Charles Consulting Group for $23.4 million</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/auto/news/tata-motors-to-hike-prices-of-passenger-vehicles-from-november-7/articleshow/95319994.cms">Tata Motors to hike prices of passenger vehicles from November 7</a>

As facial recognition software usage grows, NITI Aayog seeks clarity on Digi Yatra privacy

<ul><li>India’s <keyword id="2617070" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Personal-Data-Protection-Bill">Personal Data Protection Bill</keyword>, 2019 is likely to be placed in front of Parliament sometime this month.</li><li>The underlying goal of the proposed laws is to assign rights to users over the collecting, storage and usage of their information.</li><li>However, vague language and open-ended clauses leave room for government overreach and resulting misuse.</li></ul>When it comes to data privacy it looks like users have every option available to them except for the one they want — control over their data. This includes knowing who’s collecting data, where it’s being stored, how it’s being used and what can be done if it's misused instead. There have been one too many instances where personal information, anonymised or not, has been used with bad intentions. One prominent example from recent history was <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/news/the-cambridge-analytica-whistleblower-explains-how-the-firm-used-facebook-data-to-sway-elections/articleshow/71461113.cms">Cambridge Analytica</a>’s use of data from Facebook to profile voters during the 2016 US Presidential election. With the recent increase in cyber crimes, the government of India is coming up with its own data protection laws, which officials claim is based on the European Union’s General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR). Any data that can identify an individual — either directly or indirectly — is covered under the <keyword id="4839724" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="data-protection-bill">Data Protection Bill</keyword>, 2019. This includes names, addresses, financial information, IP addresses, cookies, device IDs and other data. Hobson’s choice that Indian internet users face The bill outlines that an organisation needs to tell an individual from before collecting or using their data. The exceptions to this are if the data is processed under law or court order, for purposes related to employment or for a ‘reasonable’ purpose specified by the Data Protection Authority (DPA) — the nodal organisation that will be looking after the entire framework. Reasonable purposes include the operation of search engines, fraud prevention, mergers and acquisitions, and credit scoring but is not limited to any prescribed scope of activity. Moreover, clause 91 of the bill allows the central government to access anonymised or non-personal data to frame policies in the internet of the ‘digital economy’. “Such provisions show that the proposed law is far more interested in treating data as a resource,” noted the Internet Freedom Foundation (<a href="https://internetfreedom.in/essential-features-of-a-rights-respecting-data-protection-law/">IFF</a>). This indicates that there is still considerable scope for a user’s data to get collected without their consent. The only difference is that instead of a private company exploiting your personal details, it will be the government with little in its way to stop overreach. Even ‘critical’ and ‘sensitive’ data — such as religion, age, gender and other personality identifiers — may be available to the government in the interest of ‘national security’. The vaguely worded clause leaves room for misuse, according to <a href="https://indianexpress.com/article/opinion/columns/personal-data-protection-bill-2019-privacy-laws-7135832/">critics</a>. User rights under the Personal Data Protection Bill: <ul><li>The right to obtain confirmation from the fiduciary on whether their personal data has been processed.*</li><li>The right to seek correction of inaccurate, incomplete, or out-of-date personal data.</li><li>The right to have personal data transferred to any other data fiduciary in certain circumstances</li><li>The right to restrict continuing disclosure of their personal data by a fiduciary, if it is no longer necessary or consent is withdrawn.</li></ul>*A data fiduciary is an entity or individual who decides the means and purpose of processing personal data. Penalties under the Data Protection Bill, 2019: <table style="border-width: initial; border-style: none; table-layout: fixed; width: 468pt;"></colgroup><tbody><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Offence </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Penalty </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Processing or transferring personal data in violation of the Bill </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Fine of ₹15 crore of 4% of annual turnover, whichever is higher </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Failure to conduct a data audit </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Fine of ₹5 crore or 2% of annual turnover, whichever is higher </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Re-identification and processing of de-identified data without consent </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 1pt;border-right:solid #000000 1pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 1pt;border-top:solid #000000 1pt;vertical-align:top;padding:5pt 5pt 5pt 5pt;overflow:hidden;overflow-wrap:break-word;">Imprisonment of up to three years, or fine, or both </td></tr></tbody></table> Authority without independence In the case of data misuse, users had to file a complaint under the Information Technology Act, the Indian Penal Code, Consumer Protection Act, Indian Contract Act or look to sectoral regulators until now. With its new set of laws, India hopes to cover all issues under the ambit of the DPA. If there is ever any breach of personal data, the organisation in-charge will have to inform the DPA. After that, however, the apex body will be in charge of deciding whether the data breach should be communicated to the affected users or direct the company to mitigate the threat. The decision making is still not in favour of the users themselves. Moverover, the independence of the DPA has also been <a href="https://thewire.in/tech/india-data-protection-authority-needs-constitutional-entrenchment">called into question</a>. The members that comprise the DPA includes a chairperson and six committee members, which will be appointed by the central government on the recommendation of a selection committee. The committee itself is formed by senior civil servants, including the Cabinet Secretary. Critics claim that the government has too much power to appoint and remove members at its discretion. This also implies a level of ability to influence the members of the DPA and the underlying committee. The Hobson’s choice in front of internet users in India is whether they’re okay with information being used by private companies to make a profit or to hand data over to the government with whom many are <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/news/what-is-facial-recognition-technology-and-how-india-is-using-it-to-track-down-protestors-and-individuals/articleshow/80782606.cms">facing a trust deficit</a>. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/india/news/india-is-using-the-quad-alliance-to-get-help-from-the-us-japan-and-australia-to-match-chinas-covid-19-vaccine-push/articleshow/81408044.cms">India is asking the QUAD for money to boost vaccine production and counter China’s moves on the global stage</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/stock-market/news/gold-prices-are-falling-and-the-worlds-biggest-market-for-the-yellow-metal-is-hoping-for-more-shoppers/articleshow/81406658.cms">Gold prices are falling and the world’s biggest market for the yellow metal is hoping for more shoppers</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/news/india-blockchain-tech-to-make-sms-more-secure-is-leaving-users-locked-out-of-their-account/articleshow/81409145.cms">India’s blockchain tech to make SMS more secure is leaving users locked out of their accounts — and potentially more at risk</a>

India’s new data protection bill makes a good show of user rights — but can it deliver on its promises?

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Dome homes are built to withstand extreme weather — ideal for areas prone to natural disasters.</li><li>Dome homeowners said the structures' energy efficiency saves them money on energy bills.</li></ul>When Pamela Voss and her husband were looking for a serene, secluded home in eastern Texas, they were amazed to stumble upon a unique dwelling in their area: a geodesic <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/natural-disaster-proof-dome-homes-houses-housing-apocalypse-bunker-2023-7">dome home.</a>"I'd never really considered a dome home, but when we looked at the house, I said: 'This is so cool — wow, what I can do with this house,'" Voss told Insider."It's like living in a planetarium," she added.But dome-shaped homes are more than just unique places to live. The structures are also weather-resistant, and known to withstand extreme winds and rain. The unique structure could also save homeowners money in the long run.<h2>Dome homes can protect homeowners from extreme weather, which is on the rise due to the climate crisis</h2>Mike South, president of the Texas-based Monolithic Dome company, said roughly half his customers wanted a dome home because of climate and weather concerns."We actually had a father and son come to us — the son built a dome home and the dad made fun of him the whole time," South said. "Then, a tornado came through and fell on the Dad's house, cutting it in half. The son's dome also had a tree fall on it, but it was fine.""So not long after, I was building the Dad a dome, too."<div type="image" title="An aerial view of a dome-shaped house surrounded by grass and trees." height="1926" width="3000" msid="102473836" hostid="261" sizebytes="1151260"></div>Extreme weather events <a href="https://www.census.gov/data/tables/2023/demo/hhp/hhp53.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">displaced nearly 3.4 million US adults</a> in 2022, the Census Bureau found. And the number of displacements due to weather each year has steadily risen in recent years, an expert told <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/climate-change-displaced-millions-from-homes-extreme-weather-natural-disaster/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">CBS News</a>."We live in Texas, and dome homes can withstand tornadoes very well," Voss said. "They're super safe."Texas is particularly prone to tornadoes — the state saw <a href="https://data.elpasotimes.com/tornado-archive/texas/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">142 tornadoes in 2022</a> and has seen 32 so far in 2023. Extreme weather events in the state caused over $1.4 billion in property damage in 2022, <a href="https://www.weather.gov/media/hazstat/state22.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according to the National Weather Service.</a>Bryan Bremner, who has lived in a Washington state dome home since 2003, said his dome could likely withstand a hurricane or tornado.Other dome homes have features like solar power panels and backup generators that make them ideal for withstanding extreme weather events, <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2023/07/16/climate/climate-geodesic-dome-house.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The New York Times has reported.</a><h2>Homeowners can choose between geodesic and monolithic dome homes, which come with different bonuses</h2>There are two types of dome homes that are sweeping the market: geodesic domes, like Voss' home, and monolithic domes, like Bremner's.Geodesic homes are constructed of smaller triangular components that provide structural rigidity. Monolithic domes are made of a single continuous piece of material, such as reinforced concrete, in Bremner's case.<div type="image" title="A view of a geodesic dome ceiling." height="3024" width="4032" msid="102473839" hostid="261" sizebytes="575662"></div>South said one bonus of monolithic domes is that the construction yields less waste than geodesic domes since it's one continuous piece of material.Bremner also said monolithic dome homes can be more leak-proof than geodesic domes since no individual components can come apart.Ultimately though, the homeowners agreed that dome homes in general are exceptionally resilient."Dome homes will last forever," Voss said.<h2>Dome homes cost roughly the same as their traditional counterparts — and could save homeowners money in the long run</h2>A typical dome home in a rural area can cost between $350,000 and $450,000, an expert told <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2023/07/16/climate/climate-geodesic-dome-house.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The New York Times</a>. In comparison, a typical American home in May cost an average of <a href="https://www.zillow.com/research/may-2023-market-report-32756/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">$350,000</a>, according to Zillow data.Voss said they bought their 4,000-square-foot dome home in 2021 for just under $500,000."They really hold their value," Voss said.<div type="image" title="A blue and gray dome-shaped home surrounded by trees." height="2280" width="3041" msid="102473841" hostid="261" sizebytes="685088"></div>Sometimes, monolithic domes can cost 15-20% more than the average home, South said.But there are ways to mitigate that extra expense. Bremner said he bought his dome home for about $150,000 in 2001, saving money by installing his own wiring and renovating the home himself.Dome homes are also <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/incandescent-light-bulbs-banned-what-to-know-why-switch-leds-2023-8">energy efficient</a>, Voss and South agreed, saving homeowners money on heating and cooling.Compared to her previous traditional homes, Voss noted her air conditioning and heating bills have gone down by 30% — and that the home only needs one AC unit, while a traditional home of the same size would likely need two.One challenge that is pervasive across the dome-home industry is securing a loan, given the unique aspects of the buildings. Voss recalled visiting several large banks and being denied each time. She said it took her and her husband several weeks to get a loan from a small private lender.But South said future homeowners may find better luck as dome homes become more popular."They're starting to become more mainstream," he said.

Homeowners living in dome-shaped houses say they protect against natural disasters and save them money on bills

<ul class="summary-list"><li>The FTC filed a lawsuit against H&amp;R Block over what the commission called deceptive advertising.</li><li>It alleges that H&amp;R Block tricks users into starting with a higher-cost service, making downgrading difficult.</li></ul>So-called "free" online tax filing services like Intuit's TurboTax and H&amp;R Block's Online Filing option have, for a long time, not actually been free for many Americans.But the FTC has now committed to taking them on one by one — most recently with a new lawsuit against H&amp;R Block.The consumer protection agency <a target="_blank" href="https://www.ftc.gov/system/files/ftc_gov/pdf/d09427hrblockadmincomplaintpublic.pdf">filed a complaint against H&amp;R Block</a> last week, accusing the company of deceptive advertising and unfairly deleting users' tax data."H&amp;R Block designed its online products to present an obstacle course of tedious challenges to consumers, pressuring them into overpaying for its products," Samuel Levine, the Director of the FTC's Bureau of Consumer Protection, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/news/press-releases/2024/02/ftc-takes-action-against-tax-prep-company-hr-block-wiping-consumers-data-deceptively-marketing-free">said in a press release</a>."Today's action demonstrates that companies using coercive techniques that harm consumers can expect to hear from the FTC," Levine continued. In its complaint, the FTC alleges that H&amp;R Block's online filing system leads users to start off with a higher-cost service, having them spend time entering all their tax information before they realize later on in the process that they can actually downgrade to a free or lower-cost option.But, when they try to downgrade, they are met with a series of time-consuming challenges, according to the FTC's statement. The system deletes all the data the user had just painstakingly entered, telling them to instead contact a customer service agent to access the downgraded option, which makes them start all over again. In contrast, when a user wants to upgrade their service, the process is instant and seamless, the FTC alleged.The FTC's complaint also accused H&amp;R Block of deceptively advertising a "free" service, despite the fact that many users do not even qualify for it.In response to the allegations, H&amp;R Block's chief legal officer Dara Redler told Business Insider the company provides "a great deal of value, unmatched tax expertise, and fair and transparent pricing.""Further, H&amp;R Block allows consumers to downgrade to a less-expensive DIY Product via multiple mechanisms while ensuring the preparation of accurate tax returns," Redler's statement to Business Insider continued.If all this sounds familiar, that's because it is. The FTC has also taken on Intuit, the maker of TurboTax, accusing them of misleading practices. The consumer agency first sued Intuit in 2022, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/turbotax-cant-advertise-as-free-when-many-pay-ftc-ruling-2024-1">finally ruling in January of this year</a> that the company cannot advertise its services as "free" unless all consumers qualify, or the ads clearly say who does.Intuit is appealing the FTC's ruling, and company spokesperson Derrick L. Plummer said in a statement<a target="_blank" href="https://www.npr.org/2024/01/23/1226291903/turbotax-intuit-ftc-free-services"> to NPR</a> that the opinion was "deeply flawed.""This decision is the result of a biased and broken system where the Commission serves as accuser, judge, jury, and then appellate judge all in the same case," Plummer said in the statement.A 2019 <a target="_blank" href="https://www.propublica.org/article/inside-turbotax-20-year-fight-to-stop-americans-from-filing-their-taxes-for-free">ProPublica investigation found</a> Intuit and H&amp;R Block's practices — including hiding their free filing options from Google search — are part of a decadeslong lobbying effort by the companies to keep tax filing services complicated.Both companies spend millions of dollars a year <a target="_blank" href="https://www.nbcnews.com/business/taxes/turbotax-h-r-block-spend-millions-lobbying-us-keep-doing-n736386">convincing lawmakers</a> to maintain the current system, which so happens to result in consumers buying their products, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/filing-taxes-america-system-how-other-countries-do-better-2021-8">Business Insider previously reported</a>. It was partially because of those <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/turbotax-free-tax-filing-biden-inflation-reduction-act-hr-block-2023-1">lobbying efforts</a> that the IRS did not roll out its own online <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/irs-file-taxes-free-tax-filing-eligibility-pilot-program-irs-2023-10">free tax filing pilot until last year</a>.

The FTC is going to war with tax services that bill themselves as free

Whatsapp, Signal and Telegram face a catch-22 situation as India’s new social media rules threaten encryption

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Lawmakers introduced a new bill that could give peer-to-peer payment app users more protection.</li><li>The bill aims to increase banks' liability for helping consumers resolve fraud disputes.</li></ul>Consumers <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/guides/tech/is-zelle-safe">defrauded while using Zelle</a> or other peer-to-peer payment apps might have increased reimbursement protections under a new bill introduced by Democrats in Congress on August 2.<a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/zelle-fraud-scam-swimming-pool-online-payment-apps-mobile-banking-2023-10">Zelle</a> partners with over 2,100 financial institutions and is used by major banks like Bank of America and JPMorgan Chase to facilitate direct money transfers between accounts. Consumers and small businesses <a target="_blank" href="https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/zelle-soars-with-806-billion-transaction-volume-up-28-from-prior-year-302077432.html">sent $806 billion</a> across 2.9 billion Zelle transactions in 2023, both up 28% from 2022.Meanwhile, apps like Venmo — which is owned by PayPal — also provide quick ways to send money electronically. Over 2 million merchants accept Venmo, and there are over 90 million user accounts, according to the company's website.Zelle and other payment app transactions are typically irreversible, meaning if someone accidentally sends money to a scammer, they can't always get it back. Consumers reported losing $210 million to scams across all payment apps in 2023, according to<a target="_blank" href="https://public.tableau.com/app/profile/federal.trade.commission/viz/FraudReports/FraudFacts"> data from the Federal Trade Commission</a>.<a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/personal-finance/banking/zelle-scams">Fraudsters often use methods</a> like email phishing links or posing as bank employees and calling users to get them to send money via payment apps.The Protecting Consumers from Payment Scams Act, proposed by Rep. Maxine Waters, Sen. Richard Blumenthal, and Sen. Elizabeth Warren, aims to increase financial institutions' liability for helping consumers resolve instances of fraud disputes."Fraudsters are using every trick in the book to steal money from hardworking consumers through payment apps like Zelle, Venmo, or old-fashion bank wire transfers," Waters said in a <a target="_blank" href="https://www.blumenthal.senate.gov/newsroom/press/release/blumenthal-warren-and-waters-introduce-legislation-to-protect-consumers-from-payment-scams">statement</a>. "That's why it is absolutely critical that we move quickly to modernize our consumer protection laws to reflect the realities of today's payment systems."<h2 id="5219d26d-a9b9-41b9-8802-9395d0371e1b">Protecting consumers against fraud</h2>Under existing federal law, consumers are reimbursed for unauthorized transactions, like purchases on a stolen credit card. However, getting money back that was sent through Zelle or other payment apps is much more difficult.That's because when money is voluntarily sent, even accidentally, it's classified as an authorized purchase. For example, Zelle says to treat the service like how you would <a target="_blank" href="https://www.zellepay.com/pay-it-safe/zeller-safety-101#:~:text=And%20if%20you%20send%20money,to%20the%20money%20you%20send.">give someone cash</a>, and to only send money to people you trust.The new <a target="_blank" href="https://www.blumenthal.senate.gov/newsroom/press/release/blumenthal-warren-and-waters-introduce-legislation-to-protect-consumers-from-payment-scams">bill</a> aims to amend the law to make banks more liable for all financial transactions, whether they're authorized or unauthorized.Specifically, the proposed bill would update the 1978 Electronic Fund Transfer Act, which regulates electronic money transfer protections. It would require financial institutions to share liability when consumers are defrauded and clarify consumer protections for bank wire and electronic transfers.<h2 id="2244dc9a-dff5-4548-9183-7c93ae71e867">Zelle is coming under increased scrutiny</h2>The bill comes after lawmakers' increased scrutiny of Zelle and several banks' approach to fraud cases.In recent months, Blumenthal led a Senate investigation into how Zelle, Bank of America, JPMorgan, and Wells Fargo handled fraud cases.The investigation's <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://ewscripps.brightspotcdn.com/27/50/85f89a22450ca7b726b58982aaf0/2024-7-23-zelle-report-final.pdf">report</a> found that in 2023, JPMorgan, Bank of America, and Wells Fargo reimbursed consumers for 38% of fraud disputes, leaving over $100 million unreimbursed. That's less than the 62% of fraud disputes the banks reimbursed in 2019, according to the report.On July 23, executives from Zelle, Wells Fargo, Bank of America, and JPMorgan defended their fraud dispute policies and <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.hsgac.senate.gov/subcommittees/investigations/hearings/instant-payments-instant-losses-zelle-and-the-big-banks-fail-to-protect-consumers-from-fraud/">testified</a> before the Homeland Security &amp; Governmental Affairs Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations, which is chaired by Blumenthal.Cameron Fowler, the CEO of Early Warnings Services, the company that owns and operates Zelle, said that reports of fraud on Zelle decreased between 2022 to 2023 while the platform increased the volume of transactions.Over 99.95% of all Zelle transactions in 2023 were completed without instances of fraud, according to Zelle."Although we're proud of our efforts, we can't do it alone," a spokesperson for Early Warning Services said in a statement to Business Insider. "We encourage lawmakers to do more to support law enforcement and efforts to educate consumers to reduce financial crime."In an August 2 SEC <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://jpmorganchaseco.gcs-web.com/static-files/152bd589-94d1-4551-9f6e-8fb11cdefd60">filing</a>, JPMorgan said it is responding to inquiries from the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau about payments through Zelle. A spokesperson for JPMorgan told Business Insider it was considering its options against the CFPB's inquiries, including litigation.On August 5, Blumenthal announced that he was calling on the CFPB to investigate Zelle, JPMorgan, Bank of America, and Wells Fargo for their practice of resolving fraud disputes."The three banks' circuitous answers to questions regarding whether they have ever had a third-party review of their dispute resolution processes further increased our concerns that, not only has such a review never occurred, but that the opaque processes applied by these banks are being used to deny rightful claims," Blumenthal wrote in a <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.blumenthal.senate.gov/newsroom/press/release/blumenthal-calls-on-cfpb-to-investigate-zelle-and-big-banks-for-mishandling-fraud">statement</a>.It is now up to the CFPB to decide whether or not to investigate. The CFPB declined to comment on Blumenthal's announcement.In the meantime, the Protecting Consumers from Payment Scams Act will go to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs for review.Have you been the victim of a scam through Zelle or another payment app? Were you reimbursed? This reporter wants to hear your story. Please reach out at <a target="_blank" class="" href="mailto:jtowfighi@businessinsider.com">jtowfighi@businessinsider.com</a>.

Consumers reported losing $210 million to scams across payment apps last year. A new bill wants to help future victims get their money back.

Amid reports of snooping of prominent citizens, the Indian government said that allegations of surveillance on specific people has no concrete basis or truth associated with it whatsoever. In response to journalists' queries on snooping of prominent citizens, Additional Secretary, Electronics and <keyword id="6363148" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="information-technology">Information Technology</keyword>, Rajender Kumar said: "India is a robust democracy that is committed to ensuring the right to privacy to all its citizens as a fundamental right. In furtherance of this commitment, it has also introduced the <keyword id="2617070" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Personal-Data-Protection-Bill">Personal Data Protection Bill</keyword>, 2019 and the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021, to protect the personal data of individuals and to empower users of social media platforms." "The commitment to free speech as a fundamental right is the cornerstone of India's democratic system. We have always strived to attain an informed citizenry with an emphasis on a culture of open dialogue. "<keyword id="6377129" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="government-of-india">Government of India</keyword>'s response to a Right to Information application about the use of <keyword id="6389936" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="pegasus">Pegasus</keyword> has been prominently reported by the media and is in itself sufficient to counter any malicious claims about the alleged association between the Government of India and Pegasus," he added. He stated that the questionnaire sent to the Government of India indicates that "the story being crafted is one that is not only bereft of facts but also founded in preconceived conclusions". "It seems you are trying to play the role of an investigator, prosecutor as well as jury," he wrote. He pointed out that answers to the queries posed have already been in public domain for a long time, and it also indicates poorly conducted research and lack of due diligence by the media organisations involved. He held that in India there is a well-established procedure through which lawful interception of electronic communication is carried out in order for the purpose of national security, particularly on the occurrence of any public emergency or in the interest of public safety, by agencies at the Centre and states. "The requests for these lawful interception of electronic communication are made as per relevant rules under the provisions of Section 5(2) of Indian Telegraph Act ,1885 and Section 69 of the Information Technology (Amendment) Act, 2000," the official said. He mentioned that India's Minister of Electronics &amp; IT has also spoken in detail, including in the <keyword id="6354721" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="parliament">Parliament</keyword>, that there has been no unauthorised interception by Government agencies. "It is important to note that government agencies have a well-established protocol for interception, which includes sanction and supervision from highly ranked officials in Central and state governments, for clear stated reasons only in national interest. The allegations regarding government surveillance on specific people has no concrete basis or truth associated with it whatsoever," he said. He further mentioned that in the past, similar claims were made regarding the use of Pegasus on <keyword id="790242" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="WhatsApp">WhatsApp</keyword> by the Indian state and those reports also had no factual basis and were categorically denied by all parties, including WhatsApp in the <keyword id="237964" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="Indian-Supreme-Court">Indian Supreme Court</keyword>. "This news report, thus, also appears to be a similar fishing expedition, based on conjectures and exaggerations to malign the Indian democracy and its institutions," he said. SEE ALSO: <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/mobile/news/the-great-indian-youtube-extortion-101-on-how-criminals-are-making-money-off-youtubers/articleshow/84486999.cms">The great Indian YouTube extortion — 101 on how criminals are making money off YouTubers</a> <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/cryptocurrency/news/japan-is-increasing-vigilance-on-crypto-to-hire-more-employees-and-explore-cbdc/articleshow/84475780.cms">Japan is increasing vigilance on crypto — to hire more employees and explore CBDC</a>

You Searched For "Data Protection bill" and got 11 results

Bill to provide up to four nominees to a bank account introduced in Lok Sabha

PTI

Data protection bill to drive deep behavioural changes for platforms exploiting data: Chandrasekhar

PTI

Bill Gates shares his 3 biggest concerns about AI

Sarah Jackson

FTC chair Lina Khan explained how Americans lost their privacy protections to Big Tech

Lloyd Lee

As facial recognition software usage grows, NITI Aayog seeks clarity on Digi Yatra privacy

IANS

India’s new data protection bill makes a good show of user rights — but can it deliver on its promises?

Prabhjote Gill

Homeowners living in dome-shaped houses say they protect against natural disasters and save them money on bills

Katie Hawkinson

The FTC is going to war with tax services that bill themselves as free

Grace Eliza Goodwin

Whatsapp, Signal and Telegram face a catch-22 situation as India’s new social media rules threaten encryption

Business Insider India

Consumers reported losing $210 million to scams across payment apps last year. A new bill wants to help future victims get their money back.

John Towfighi

Allegations of surveillance on specific people has no concrete basis or truth, says Indian government

IANS

Popular Keywords

Buying Guides