THE GIST of Editorial for UPSC Exams : 22 August 2019 (Privacy rights, wrongs (Indian Express))

Privacy rights, wrongs (Indian Express)

Mains Paper 2: Polity
Prelims level: Security - Privacy - Technology debate; Aadhaar issue
Mains level: Historical underpinnings, evolution, features, amendments, significant provisions and basic structure

Context

• Supreme Court has agreed to hear together multiple public interest litigations pending in Madras, Bombay and Madhya Pradesh high courts, calling for the linking of Aadhaar with social media accounts.

Why it is needed?

• Death threats, criminal intimidation, smearing and stalking are commonplace in social media.
• The mills of rumor and fake news have the capacity to spark violence and conflict.

Key challenges to the linkage

• It could have international implications and inspire litigation in other nations.
• Privacy is at stake. Supreme Court clarified it and defined it as a “guaranteed fundamental right” in 2017. That SC judgment was hailed by Electronic Frontier Foundation, the pioneering digital civil liberties group.
• The right to privacy is fundamental and cannot be reduced under normal circumstances.
• The data security of Aadhaar remains doubtful and it is not mandatory even for banking purposes.

Privacy and security concerns

• The balance between the imperatives of privacy and security should be maintained.
• Right to life is absolute until a death sentence is pronounced, and the right to liberty can be conditional only in a state of unrest or emergency.
• The question of striking a balance with an absolute right cannot arise under normal circumstances.

Way Forward

• Phone numbers associated with social media accounts can identify owners with complete accuracy since sim cards are issued against identity documents.
• The technical solution to the problem – AI can identify dubious content by textual analysis and flag it as spam or malware. Twitter proactively swept away Chinese accounts spreading disinformation about the Hong Kong protests.
• The Supreme Court should mandate a technical solution because it cannot encroach upon the very value that is upheld and protected.

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  General Studies Pre. Cum Mains Study Materials

Prelims Questions:

Q.1) Which of the following is the only state in India which has a uniform civil code?
a) Goa
b) Himachal Pradesh
c) Uttar Pradesh
d) Karnataka

Correct Answer: A
Mains Questions:
Q.1) Why is Aadhaar indispensable? Wouldn’t the phone numbers associated with social media accounts suffice?