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WhatsApp’s controversial privacy update may be banned in EU – but app’s sights are fixed on India
Queen Mary University of London
The roll out of WhatsApp’s new privacy policy, which critics warn will lead to more data sharing with its parent company Facebook, received a blow on May 13 after German regulators temporarily banned the update. The regulators are now said to be seeking an EU-wide ban by presenting their case to the European Data Protection Board.
WhatsApp users will have noticed a recent intensification of pop-ups nudging them to agree to the app’s new terms of service. The cliff-edge deadline for users to accept these new terms – with WhatsApp announcing that those who failed to do so would lose functionality on the app – had been set for Saturday, May 15. That deadline was recently moved forward by “several weeks”.
For a robust data protection regime
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While the law seeks to strike a balance between privacy and public good, it vests too much power in the govt
The Personal Data Protection Bill, 2019 is on its way to becoming one of the first comprehensive pieces of legislation on data in the world. It aims to protect the fundamental right of privacy of citizens against excesses by both the State as well as private entities, including the powerful Big Tech companies like Google and Amazon and social media intermediaries such as Facebook, Twitter, etc.
This, however, is not the limited purpose of the Bill. The underlying objective of the legislation is transformative as it aims to recognise the value of data in promoting a free and fair digital economy even while keeping personal data of citizens secure and protected.
Experts react: EU and India clash on vaccines, make strides on trade New Atlanticist by South Asia Center
European Council President Charles Michel participates in an online summit with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi during the EU summit round table meeting at the Crystal Palace. Photo by Dario Pignatelli/European Council via Reuters.
On May 8, 2021, leaders from the European Union (EU) and India met virtually in Porto, Portugal, for the EU-India Leaders’ Meeting. With an emphasis on shared interests, democratic values, and respect for human rights a controversial issue given India’s recent democratic backslide the meeting culminated in the renewal of free-trade negotiations, the start of two additional trade agreements, and a new Connectivity Partnership. This represents a significant opportunity for India as the country is one of two with which the EU has concluded such a partn
Sivarama Krishnan, Partner & Leader, Cybersecurity, PwC India, pitched for a three-level governance model to deal with the security issues concerning open banking, stressing that with open API (application programming interface) and disruptive innovations regulated entities will integrate even deeper with the external world.