India has become the latest addition to the list of countries looking to improvise their cyber security laws. The proposed Personal Data Protection Bill will bring a complete makeover to the country's existing data protection policies. The Information Technology Act, 2000 has not been able to keep up with the dynamic changes in the virtual world. Therefore, India had begun to witness a massive surge in cyberattacks, and cybercriminals discovered more innovative ways of stealing personal data. Moreover, the pandemic has catapulted the digital ecosystem a few years ahead.
Features Of The PDP Bill
Experts and several organizations have been left puzzled to find newer ways of safeguarding the privacy of internet users. The recent high-profile attacks on famous personalities and the common public have had a lasting impact on the regulatory landscape, Times Of India reported.
Therefore, the proposed Personal Data Protection Bill comes at the right time to regulate India's exponential digital growth. The first law meant solely for the protection and privacy of data requires the notice and prior consent of the individual for the use of their data. The law also limits the purposes for which data could be used or processed and mandates that data should be collected only for essential services.
How Will It Help Organizations?
A separate regulator called the Data Protection Authority of India would be established to protect and regulate the citizens' data. Moreover, the Bill necessitates the introduction of data protection officers in organizations. The Bill would help the organizations understand and classify the data, detect and prevent leaks if there are any, and secure the data. If organizations maintain a proactive approach and work to achieve the data protection standards, containing data leaks and privacy breaches might not be a daunting task. Moreover, several organizations could use the new Bill to gain a competitive advantage, thus making the best use of it.
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