INFORMATION PRIVACY

India Inc. cautions employees on WhatsApp privacy policy changes
Several Indian and multinational companies have started issuing advisories to staff, asking them to avoid sharing sensitive company information on WhatsApp and stop using the platform for critical business calls.
WhatsApp's new privacy policy 'very confusing': Signal's Brian Acton
Facebook is trying to thread a very particular needle around how they use your data to serve you ads, Signal Foundation's executive chairman Brian Acton says about WhatsApp's new pri...

Govt examining WhatsApp's user policy changes amid privacy debate
Internal discussions are on within the IT Ministry over the implications of...
After backlash, WhatsApp clarifies its new privacy policy
WhatsApp had unveiled a new privacy policy and terms of service last week, in a bid to share significantly more commercial user data with parent Facebook.
TikTok tightens privacy policy for kids after US nudge
Starting Wednesday, the default privacy setting for TikTok users aged 13 to 15 will be private. That means only someone the user approves as a follower can view their videos, which was not the case previously.
CAIT asks government to ban WhatsApp, Facebook over new privacy policy
In the communication to Prasad, CAIT has demanded that "government should immediately restrict WhatsApp from implementing the new policy or put a ban on WhatsApp and its parent company Facebook", the traders' body stated.
Apple adding privacy fact labels to App Store items
The iPhone maker announced plans for such "privacy labels" when it first unveiled the new version of its iOS mobile operating system, which it released in September.
Google, Amazon fined $163 million by French privacy watchdog
The CNIL noted that both companies made changes to their websites in September, yet said efforts were not sufficient to be in line with French rules.
Will free speech pay the price as governments across the world ask social media platforms to moderate content?
Some law- makers even wanted to strip some of the legal protection the tech companies have from the majority of content posted on their platforms.
Your data may no longer be personal as little regard given to Covid patients' information
Discrepancy was found in the Covid-19 data reported by the health ministry and that by the Indian Council of Medical Research. The Niti Ayog-backed Aarogya Setu drew criticism on data safety and its alleged use for surveillance purposes. It is uncertain (and concerning) how the health data collected through the app is going to be used after the pandemic is over.
Data protection: Parliament's joint panel summons Facebook, Twitter
The joint committee led by BJP MP Meenakshi Lekhi has 20 members from the Lok Sabha and 10 from the Rajya Sabha. The agenda of Friday's meeting read: "Oral evidence by the representatives of Facebook India Online Services Pvt Ltd on the Personal Data Protection Bill, 2019."
JioPages: Reliance Jio unveils 'Made-in-India' mobile browser which supports 8 Indian languages
Reliance Jio has launched new, revamped `JioPages', its Made-in-India mobile browser that is available in eight Indian languages and promise...
View: India’s proposed data protection regulator needs strong safeguards
The Bill is currently under scrutiny by a joint committee of parliamentarians who are meeting stakeholders and are expected to submit a report in the ongoing parliamentary session. This could be the last chance to incorporate crucial changes before the Bill returns to Parliament for passage.
ETIG analysis: How Covid has exposed India's data-centric inadequacies
The Indian administration doesn't have data on how many migrant workers lost their lives during the crisis. There is no record of the number of healthcare staff that have died fighting the coronavirus.
View: When it comes to digitisation, govt should first put its own house in order
There is much the government can do, to close the gaps in the digital ecosystem that have been shown up and, in the process, stimulate economic growth.