Data Protection Laws

Rich Insights on DPDP & Digital shift from Forvis Mazars' tech stalwart

In this episode, Rajan Arora,Partner, Digital Trust and Transformation, Forvis Mazars India talks about digital transformation across sectors, how the DPDP rules can impact it, and gives career tips

Telcos seek DPDP-telecom rules syncing; COAI to submit proposals to Meity

The ministry notified the rules on November 14, bringing into effect the law

Data governance: India's DPDP rules will offer individuals protection

The rules as a whole offer individuals more protection and greater knowledge about who is collecting and holding data, and also some control over personal data.

India's DPDP rules explained: Here's how your personal data will be handled

The new DPDP rules will be introduced over the next 18 months to give organisations time to adapt to the guidelines.

Overlapping concerns, multi-sector impact delaying data protection law

The Digital Personal Data Protection (DPDP) Act has been delayed due to non-release of administrative rules; govt may undertake another round of inter-ministerial consultations to weed out any errors

Digital personal data protection law brings change and challenges

DPDP Act (2023) gives individuals the right to decide how their personal data is collected and used. For many businesses, this means reworking longstanding data practices

No change likely in DPDP rules on data storage, cross-border data transfers

A team of US officials was in India till Saturday to hold trade agreement talks with the commerce department ahead of the proposed reciprocal tax announcement by the Trump administration

88% parents favour forcing apps to shut child accounts with falsified age

A majority of parents surveyed favour a mandate for apps to shut down accounts of children opened by age misrepresentation or seek parental guidance for the continuation of the same, online survey firm LocalCircles said on Wednesday. The Digital Personal Data Protection Act 2023 mandates online platforms to verify the age of children and seek explicit parental consent before processing their data. The survey report said that some parents believe that many children have falsely represented their age when signing up on the platforms, and with no checks and balances existing on most platforms, they were able to sign up and use such platforms. "88 per cent of parents surveyed in favour of DPDP rules mandating that platforms (social media, OTT, online gaming, etc.) identify any minor accounts with age misrepresented and proactively either seek parental consent or shut such accounts," the survey said. Out of 21,760 parent respondents, only 4 per cent favoured continued usage of the ...

Data protection rules may be refined further to protect children: Vaishnaw

The Digital Personal Data Protection (DPDP) Rules will be refined further to connect children with technology while saving them from harms in the digital space, Union minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said on Tuesday. While speaking to reporters, the minister said the rules will evolve based on the learning from their implementation. "We will refine it (DPDP Rules) further to take the power of technology to children while saving them from many harm," Vaishnaw said. The government issued draft DPDP Rules 2025 on January 3 and these are open for public consultation till February 18, 2024. According to the draft rules, digital platforms can process data of a child only after taking consent from verifiable guardian or parents. The verification can be done using voluntarily provided details of identity and age, or through a virtual token issued by an entity entrusted by law or by the Centre or state governments to maintain details of a person. Vaishnaw said the token system has been successfu

Draft data protection rules balance regulation, innovation: Vaishnaw

The draft protection rules released by the government create a balance between regulation and innovation while completely protecting citizen rights, Union minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said on Saturday. The government issued draft rules for the Digital Personal Data Protection (DPDP) Act on Friday for public consultation till February 18. "Rules have to be within four walls of the Act. It is within the ambit of the Act passed by Parliament. These rules have been framed to ensure a balance between regulation and innovation while completely safeguarding the rights of citizens," Vaishnaw told PTI in an interview. The minister said earlier there was only one template available to the world -- the European data protection rule with a high level of regulation. However, Indian rules have attempted to balance the regulation with innovation to safeguard the boom in the innovation ecosystem developing among startups in the country. He said extensive consultations have been held with the industry

Consent, data, parental nod on social media in focus: Experts on DPDP

The draft DPDP rules which moot parents' verifiable consent to create a child's user account on social media platforms, and adds localisation requirement for certain types of personal data has significant ramifications for big tech firms, experts say noting that businesses may also face "complex challenges" in managing consent which is core to data protection norms. According to Deloitte India, maintaining consent artefacts and offering the option to withdraw consent for specific purposes would necessitate changes at design and architecture level of applications and platforms. The comment comes against the backdrop of government releasing the long-awaited draft of Digital Personal Data Protection Rules which proposes to make parent's verifiable consent and identification mandatory for creation of child's user account on online or social media platforms, and also moots possible data localisation requirements for specified personal data. The provision related to localisation and ...

Govt releases draft Digital Personal Data Protection Rules, no penal clause

The government has released the long-awaited draft of Digital Personal Data Protection Rules that do not mention any penal action for violations. The draft rules, which have been published for public consultations, will be taken into consideration for making the final rule after February 18. "Draft of rules proposed to be made by the central government in exercise of the powers conferred by sub-sections (1) and (2) of section 40 of the Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023 (22 of 2023), on or after the date of coming into force of the Act, are hereby published for the information of all persons likely to be affected thereby," the draft notification said. The draft rules have laid out provisions related to consent processing of individuals, data processing bodies and the functioning of authorities under the Digital Data Protection Act, 2023. "...notice is hereby given that the said draft rules shall be taken into consideration after 18th February, 2025," the notification said.

No inherent conflict between competition, data protection laws, says CCI

The Competition Act supplements data protection regulations by placing heightened responsibilities on dominant firms and there is no inherent conflict or repugnancy between the two laws, according to fair trade watchdog CCI. Besides, the regulator has said a broader view of the concept of user data is crucial in analysing data-related competition concerns in digital markets. The observations are part of the Competition Commission of India's 156-page order imposing a Rs 213.14 crore penalty on social media major Meta for unfair business ways with respect to WhatsApp privacy policy update done in 2021. Elucidating about user data in digital markets, CCI said data-related practices might violate data protection laws but they can also be seen as the imposition of unfair terms under competition law. "This overlap creates a point of intersection between data protection and competition law, with each addressing different aspects of harm. Further, while data protection laws primarily focus

Firms need time to comply with data protection law: Vinayak Godse

'Companies will need to overhaul processes and adjust operations'

Is your phone listening? Marketing firm confirms tech behind targeted ads

The fine print in terms of use agreements, which most users do not read in detail, often contains clauses that permit such invasive practices

Meity plans to deploy experts for streamlining internal govt data use

The said 'data expert' may be a single person or multiple people, depending on the requirements of a particular ministry

Govt likely to release draft data protection rules within a month: Vaishnaw

The government is likely to release draft rules under the Digital Personal Data Protection Act within a month, union minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said on Monday. The minister said the government has first worked on digital implementation of the Act and framed rules accordingly. "The framework is ready, and the draft rules for consultation are expected to be released within a month," Vaishnaw told reporters here. The minister said the final draft of the rules was reviewed last week, and it is expected to be in the public domain within a month.

One year of DPDP Act: Firms in a fix over delayed implementation of rules

Digital rights and advocacy groups said that the delay in the notification of rules is creating business uncertainty and has limited individuals' ability to exercise rights given to them

Nigeria slaps $220 mn fine on Meta over violation of data protection laws

Nigeria's government on Friday announced a fine of USD 220 million on Meta, saying its investigations found multiple and repeated violations of the country's data protection and consumer rights laws on Facebook and WhatsApp. A statement from Nigeria's Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission, or FCCPC, listed five ways that Meta violated data laws in the West African country, including by sharing the data of Nigerians without authorization, denying consumers the right to self-determine the use of their data, discriminatory practices as well as abuse of market dominance. "Being satisfied with the significant evidence on the record, and that Meta Parties have been provided every opportunity to articulate any position ... the Commission has now entered a Final Order, and issued a penalty against Meta Parties," FCCPC chief executive Adamu Abdullahi said in a statement. A spokesperson for Meta didn't immediately respond to a request for comment. Nigeria, which is Africa's

DPDP rules should be released soon to ensure a smooth compliance: Experts

Draft of Digital Personal Data Protection rules are in an advanced stage, and industry consultation will start soon, said Ashwini Vaishnaw, Minister of Electronics and I-T, Railways, and I&B