Insistence on absolute standards of privacy not feasible: Panda

Insistence on absolute standards of privacy, including non-use of biometrics that was being advocated by some activists, is not a "feasible or realistic" option in progressive modern life, BJP leader Baijayant Panda said on Wednesday.

Panda said that he himself has been an strong advocate of the concept of privacy and noted that the Supreme Court had also ruled that privacy is a fundamental right.

"(The) SC has interpreted the constitution as saying that privacy is indeed a fundamental right. But, to insist on absolute standards of privacy that some activists had been asking for...for instance, no use of biometrics and many other standards... is not feasible anymore," Panda said while speaking at an IAMAI (Internet & Mobile Association of India) event here.

Today, one cannot be a "hermit" and enjoy the similar standard of modern life as others in the country, he said at the 14th India Digital Summit.

"Today if you want to be a hermit... anywhere in the world, not just in India...you are likely be excluded from most of the facets of modern life as we know it," he said, adding that use of CCTV camera to monitor security or traffic, and security scans at airports have become a way of life.

On the issue of data localisation, he said most countries would not "even dream" of establishing localisation norms and it is only large nations that can outline such stipulations.

"Even as a developing country, knocking at the doors of a middle income status, what India is doing in terms of setting the pace through biometrics, Aadhaar and regulations around privacy is being watched around the world...It cannot be ignored when the digital economy is going to be a trillion dollars in itself, but it should not lead to hubris," he said.

Instead, it should lead India to do realistic assessment of its needs on the scales of fairness and level playing field.