Letter to BS: Why e-commerce firms should ask for identity proof of a buyer

This refers to “Safeguarding data of Indians” (August 14). Buyers are the biggest stakeholders in any e-commerce policy. One fails to understand why an e-commerce company should ask for the identity proof of a buyer. Brick and mortar stores do not ask for proof of the buyer. Such data sought by an e-commerce firm is very sensitive. The draft national policy for e-commerce should look into this crucial aspect. The proposed data privacy law should also have guidelines on the type of data sought from a customer by a business entity. Offline data needs protection too. You go to a seminar, you give details like your name, address, phone number, the organisation where you work. Such sensitive data also needs to be protected.

Deendayal M Lulla  Mumbai

Letters can be mailed, faxed or e-mailed to:

The Editor, Business Standard

Nehru House, 4 Bahadur Shah Zafar Marg

New Delhi 110 002

Fax: (011) 23720201  ·  E-mail: letters@bsmail.in

All letters must have a postal address and telephone number