Centre to hold talks with tech giants over Digital Personal Data Protection Act

Almost a month after the Digital Personal Data Protection Act (DPDP) was notified into law, the government is set to engage in crucial discussions with leading tech companies to shape the rules necessary for its effective implementation.

According to sources familiar with the matter, officials from the Ministry of Information Technology will convene with representatives from major technology firms, including Meta, Google, Apple, and Amazon, on September 20. The discussions will encompass a wide range of topics, including establishing a timeline for compliance, defining specific rules, and determining whether all entities will be afforded equal time to adhere to the provisions of the DPDP Act.

Minister of State for Electronics and IT, Rajeev Chandrasekhar, who will chair the meeting, expressed his expectations for the event. He emphasized the DPDP Act’s potential to create a balance between social media platforms and “Digital Nagriks” (Digital Citizens), leading to a significant behavioral shift in how digital personal data is handled. In a tweet on Tuesday, he stated, “Looking forward to my interaction with Industry Stakeholders tomorrow during Digital India Dialogues on DPDP Act.”

The DPDP bill received Presidential assent on August 11, following its passage by Parliament during the recent Monsoon session, formally enacting it into law. Union IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw had previously pledged to implement the Digital Personal Data Protection law within 10 months of its enactment.

The DPDP Act is designed to regulate the processing of digital personal data in a manner that respects individuals’ rights to safeguard their personal information while acknowledging the necessity of processing such data for lawful purposes and related matters.

Key provisions of the DPDP Act include:

Obligations of Data Fiduciaries: This pertains to individuals, companies, and government entities responsible for processing data, encompassing activities like data collection, storage, or any other operation involving personal data.

Rights and Duties of Data Principals: Data Principals refer to the individuals to whom the data relates, and the DPDP Act outlines their rights and corresponding duties.

Financial Penalties for Breach: The legislation imposes substantial financial penalties for breaches of rights, duties, and obligations, with penalties reaching as high as Rs 250 crore for failure to implement adequate safeguards against data breaches.

The DPDP Act places a significant emphasis on obtaining personal data from users through a consent-based mechanism while allowing some exceptions for specific “legitimate uses.” The upcoming discussions between government officials and tech industry leaders are expected to play a pivotal role in defining the practical framework for the DPDP Act’s enforcement, ensuring data protection and privacy in India’s digital landscape.


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