India to Enforce Digital Data Protection Law Giving Citizens Control Over Personal Information and Online Privacy Rights

India is about to make a significant change in the way personal data is handled online.The Digital Personal Data Protection (DPDP) standards have been finalized and will be publicly released in the next days.Union IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnav made the announcement on Thursday during a pre-event session for the AI Impact Summit. He affirmed that the rules will go into force on September 28.

The primary purpose of this regulation is to protect citizens' personal information and ensure that it is not misused by businesses or apps. In the modern age, when nearly everyone uses digital services such as banking, e-commerce, and social media, our personal information is frequently exchanged.This contains our name, phone number, address, email, and financial information. If this sensitive information gets into the wrong hands, it can have significant consequences. That is why the government enacted this law to give citizens more control over their personal data.

Key Highlights of the Law

The DPDP law comes with several important rules designed to safeguard digital data:

Consent first: No company will be allowed to use your personal data without your permission. Consent can be given in any of India’s 22 languages, making it easier for people across the country.

Transparency: Companies must clearly explain why they are collecting your data and how they plan to use it. They can only take the information that is absolutely necessary.

Right to control: Citizens will have the right to view, change, or even delete their data. They can also withdraw consent anytime.

Data breach alerts: If any company faces a data leak, they will have to immediately inform both users and authorities.

Protection for children: Children under 18 will receive extra protection.This includes restrictions on targeted advertising to keep them safe from misuse.

Independent monitoring: A new Data Protection Board (DPB) will be set up to handle complaints, ensure rules are followed, and impose penalties on violators.

Media Freedom Challenges and Strict Fines

While the new law is praised for improving data privacy, journalists and media organizations have expressed severe concerns.The most significant issue is Section 7, which requires approval before collecting or sharing personal information. Journalists fear this may hamper press freedom because obtaining authorization from someone involved in corruption or wrongdoing would make reporting extremely difficult. There are also concerns that the laws may force reporters to identify their sources, undermining the Right to Information (RTI) and limiting public access to significant news. Media organizations have urged the government to pass clear laws protecting press freedom, but no updates have been implemented. As the law takes effect, the main challenge will be balancing people's privacy with journalistic freedom.

Conclusion

The new Digital Personal Data Protection law is a big step toward safeguarding people’s online privacy. It gives citizens more control over their personal data and sets strict rules for companies. However, concerns remain about how it may affect press freedom and access to important information. The real test will be in how well the law balances privacy and freedom in the digital age.

Information referenced in this article is from OB News