Cyber Encryption: Is there really any privacy on cyber space?

Earlier it was enforced on social media sites and apps, net banking and password-based e-commerce, to save data for 90 days from the date of transaction. A public outcry followed forcing the government withdraw altogether the draft encryption policy.

The draft policy that was proposed by the government required every message that is sent, through e-mail, Whatsapp or SMS to be stored in plain text format for 90 days from the date of transaction and made available to the law enforcement agencies on demand. Communications and IT Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad claimed that there was concern about the draft in certain sections. Going through the draft policy he found that there were two-three words which were giving rise to unnecessary misgivings. He added that policy will be reviewed and people who use social media networks will be out of the circle of encryption. It concerns those who encrypt their messages.

The mass uses encryption products, which are currently being used in web applications, social media sites, and social media applications such as Whatsapp, Facebook, Twitter, etc. It is a truth that cyber commerce, cyber dialogue and administrative work through cyber space has increased in the country. Thus, as in countries across the world, it has been felt that there should be an encryption policy. Hence an expert committee deliberated that there should be an encryption policy in India. The stated mission of the policy is to provide confidentiality of information in cyber space for individuals, protect sensitive or proprietary information, and ensure reliability and integrity of nationally-critical information systems and networks. Public reaction on cyber space was severe, which included criticism, satires and making mockery of government policy. Each time the government releases a proposal for our digital lives, it is people who remind the government about the adverse implications it could have.

While we sit back and talk about Digital India, smarter cities and so on, the makers of the law seem to be clueless about some major by-products concerning these initiatives such as security, privacy and likewise. Each time the government talks about a new initiative meant to bring in some law and order pertaining to digital rights; it somehow manages to come up with implications that could affect us far worse.

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