On December 20th Indian Government gave legal authority to 10 agencies which can intercept, monitor or decrypt information generated, transmitted, received or stored in any computer.
These agencies can look into your computer and can reach to any data stored in your device.
The government has given these agencies this power under Section 69 of the Information Technology Act, 2000 and Rule 4 of the Information Technology Procedure and Safeguards for Interception, Monitoring and Decryption of Information Rules, 2009.
**RED ALERT**
1. The Home Ministry has issued a notification authorising 10 agencies to tap, intercept and decrypt all personal data on computers and networks in India. #SaveOurPrivacy pic.twitter.com/z1Ca5FGvXu
— Internet Freedom Foundation (IFF) (@internetfreedom) December 21, 2018
The ten agencies which government have identified and given power are:
- The Intelligence Bureau.
- The Narcotics Control Bureau.
- The Enforcement Directorate.
- The Central Board of Direct Taxes.
- The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence.
- The Central Bureau of Investigation.
- The National Investigation Agency.
- The Cabinet Secretariat (R&AW).
- The Commissioner of Delhi Police
- The Directorate of Signal Intelligence (for service areas of Jammu & Kashmir, North-East, and Assam only).
According to reports, these agencies could only track data at the movement, but now they have the power to monitor any data revived, stored and generated.
- This means not only your calls emails or browsing these agencies can also track any data stored on your device, and even now have the power to seize the equipment.
- The notification also made it clear that any Subscriber or Service provider will have to provide the entire corporation and is bound to extend all facilities.
If the person refuses to corporate, then it may face seven years in jail and a fine.
The order had come under attack by opposition parties.
अबकी बार,निजता पर वार!
Modi Govt mocks & flouts Fundamental ‘Right to Privacy’ with brazen impunity!
Having lost elections,now Modi Govt wants to scan/snoop YOUR computers?
‘Big Brother Syndrome’ is truly embedded in NDA’s DNA!
जनता की जासूसी=मोदी सरकार की निन्दनीय प्रवृत्ति! pic.twitter.com/qCe1IocgY8
— Randeep Singh Surjewala (@rssurjewala) December 21, 2018
Converting India into a police state isn’t going to solve your problems, Modi Ji.
It’s only going to prove to over 1 billion Indians, what an insecure dictator you really are. https://t.co/KJhvQqwIV7
— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) December 21, 2018
Ravi Shankar Prasad IT Minister of India, came out to defend the decision of Modi Government — Saying this has been going on from a long time and now the interception will be done in a structured manner on the defined ground of security.
#SnoopingSarkar | IT Minister @RSPrasad defends the MHA’s #Snooping order. Says monitoring of data has been going on for long enough now, the difference is that now interception will be done in a structured manner based on the defined ground of security.#SecurityVsSnooping pic.twitter.com/O1MF3qO6bL
— ET NOW (@ETNOWlive) December 21, 2018
Citizens of India expressed there concern over this matter on Twitter.
Dont Need The Rules N Guidelines Be Read Out Loud To Make A Point Of This Being The Breach Of Everything Including Privacy , Thatz Constitutional And A Basic Human Right …… #Shame
— Aabid Hussain حسین عابد (@AabidYetoo) December 21, 2018
If true, this is frightening. Not only is this a breach of privacy but also it is a security risk, for individuals and for the nation. @HMOIndia @rajnathsingh
— lerandomanon (@lerandomanon) December 21, 2018
Governments get to have all the rights, privacy, encryption & power, citizens will continue to be slaves until they say no to the system but authorities put fear as a way of silencing population.
— ShirleyRay (@Shirley78547054) December 21, 2018
Unfortunately our beloved government can or rather will misuse this clause to invade the privacy of any and every person that speaks out against them. Which is why this is a ginormous miscarriage of the right to privacy of every Indian citizen.
— गंधार जोशी (@gandhar_sj) December 21, 2018
.@cis_india opposed excessive #surveillance even in 2009. This is not a partisan issue, its about our fundamental rights: https://t.co/NM7hp2E7Cp
— Pranesh Prakash (@pranesh) December 21, 2018
