Indian government’s plan to introduce a new Digital Personal Data Protection Bill during the Monsoon Session of Parliament in July 2023. The Attorney General informed the Supreme Court that the Bill is ready and will cover many aspects of data protection. The court fixed the matter for hearing in August. The article also mentions the case filed by two students challenging WhatsApp’s privacy policy to share user data with Facebook and others as a violation of privacy and free speech. The case will be heard by a Constitution bench of five judges in August.
Senior advocate Shyam Divan, who was appearing for the petitioners challenging WhatsApp’s privacy policy, argued that Indian users are deprived of their fundamental rights and privacy standards on the platform are not up to par with those in the European Union. He claimed that WhatsApp’s privacy policy violates the privacy and free speech rights of Indian users, as the platform shares their data with parent company Facebook and other third-party entities.As Sachin Pilot Fasts, Rival Ashok Gehlot’s Message For Rajasthanhe two students filed a plea challenging the contract between WhatsApp and its parent company Facebook, which allows access to calls, photographs, texts, videos, and documents shared by users, alleging that it is a violation of their privacy and free speech. The plea was being heard by a Constitution bench of the Supreme Court of India. Earlier, the Centre had said Indian users cannot be discriminated against by other users of WhatsApp and informed the top court that the government has already withdrawn the old Data Protection Bill and a new Bill will be introduced in the Parliament.
It seems that the Indian government has yet to introduce a new Data Protection Bill that addresses privacy concerns of users and standards to be followed by WhatsApp. However, the government has stated that Indian users cannot be discriminated against by other users of WhatsApp. The Indian government had informed the Supreme Court that Indian users cannot be discriminated against by other users of WhatsApp and that the government has withdrawn the old Data Protection Bill and a new Bill will be introduced in the Parliament. However, the court had asked the government to either place before the Parliament the new Bill that addresses the privacy concerns of users and standards to be followed by WhatsApp or it will begin the final hearing in the case.
