REGULATIONS LIKE GDPR IN EU GIVE FAR MORE EXEMPTIONS: VAISHNAW

Opposition Members of Parliament (MPs) had voiced their concerns about this provision, raising questions about its potential misuse and implications on citizens' privacy rights

Minister for Electronics and Information Technology, Ashwini Vaishnaw, took the stage on August 7 to address the criticisms and concerns surrounding the Digital Personal Data Protection (DPDP) Bill. The bill, designed to regulate the handling of personal data and ensure its protection, has been a topic of extensive debate and discussion. Vaishnaw’s remarks in the Parliament aimed to shed light on the key aspects of the bill and respond to the opposition’s concerns.

One of the central points of contention has been the exemptions granted to the government in the DPDP Bill. Vaishnaw tackled this issue by drawing parallels with similar regulations in other parts of the world, notably mentioning the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) implemented by the European Union. He pointed out that while the GDPR provides 16 exemptions, the DPDP Bill offers a much smaller number – only four exemptions. This comparison was aimed at highlighting that the DPDP Bill is not as lenient in granting exceptions to government agencies as some of its global counterparts.