PRIVACY GETS A POMER BOOST

The draft DPDP Rules, 2025, balances individual data rights with organizational obligations, but enforcement challenges and data localization concerns may hinder their effectiveness

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A recent post circulating on Facebook highlights an amusing incident in which someone searched on Google, “How much does a helicopter cost?” and was subsequently bombarded with ads for diamonds, luxury vacations, and high-end iPhones. Frustrated, he then searched for how to repair torn shoes, only to be met with more useful ads, such as “buy a shirt, get one free.”

While this tongue-in-cheek post sheds light on how individuals’ data has become a valuable asset for companies, governments, and anyone else who can benefit, there’s a stark contrast in how carefully customers’ data is also guarded. For instance, Apple has famously refused to unlock iPhones connected to terrorist activities. Critics argue that an absolute right to privacy is unrealistic in a world increasingly threatened by sophisticated attacks.

Amid this debate, the government has issued draft Digital Personal Data Protection Act rules, that aim to lay down procedures to protect data sanctity of customers yet let firms derive commercial benefits.

DPDP RULES EMPOWER INDIVIDUALS

The DPDP Rules, 2025, aim to bolster individual privacy rights while imposing stricter obligations on organizations that handle personal data. The rules introduce a comprehensive framework to empower individuals - referred to as data principals - with greater control over their data. At the same time, they hold organizations accountable for transparent data handling, robust security measures, and compliance with privacy standards. These regulations, released for public consultation on 3rd Jan ‘25, are open for feedback until 18th Feb ‘25.

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