[September 23-30] CCG’s Week in Review: Curated News in Information Law and Policy

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The deadline to link PAN cards with Aadhaar was extended to December 31 this week; the Election Commission ruled that voting rights of those excluded in the NRC process remain unaffected; the Home Minister proposed a digital census with multipurpose ID cards for 2021; and 27 nations including the US, UK and Canada issued joint statement urging for a rules-based order in cyberspace – presenting this week’s most important developments in law, technology and national security.

Aadhaar and Digital IDs

  • [Sep 23] Home Minister announces digital census in 2021, proposed multipurpose ID card, Entrackr report; Business Today report.
  • [Sep 24] NRIs can now apply for Aadhaar on arrival without 182-day wait, The Economic Times report.
  • [Sep 24] Aadhaar will be linked to driving license to avoid forgery: Ravi Shankar Prasad, The Indian Express report.
  • [Sep 24] One nation, one card? Amit Shah floats idea of all-in-one ID; here are all the problems with that idea, Medianama report; Money Control report.
  • [Sep 24] Explained: Is India likely to have a multipurpose national ID card? The Indian Express report.
  • [Sep 24] UIDAI nod to ‘voluntary’ use of Aadhaar for National Population Register rollout, The Economic Times report.
  • [Sep 24] Govt must decide on Aadhaar-social media linkage:SC, Deccan Herald report.
  • [Sep 25] New law needed for Aadhaar-social media linkage: UIDAI, The Economic Times report; Inc42 report.
  • [Sep 26] NPR process to include passport, voter ID, Aadhaar and other details, Business Standard report.
  • [Sep 27] Gang involved in making fake Aadhaar cards busted, The Tribune report.
  • [Sep 27] What will happen if you don’t link your PAN card with Aadhaar by Sep 20, The Quint report.
  • [Sep 27] Explained: The National Population Register, and the controversy around it, The Indian Express report.
  • [Sep 27] Aadhaar to weed out bogus social security beneficiaries in Karnataka, Deccan Herald report.
  • [Sep 29] Bajrang Dal wants Aadhaar mandatory at dandiya to keep ‘non-Hindus’ out, The Hindustan Times report; The Wire report.
  • [Sep 30] Kerala urges Centre to extend deadline to link ration cards with Aadhaar, The News Minute report.
  • [Sep 30] PAN-Aadhaar linking deadline extended to December 31, The Economic Times report.

Digital India 

  • [Sep 25] India’s regulatory approach should focus on the regulation of the ‘core’: IAMAI, Livemint report.
  • [Sep 27] India may have to offer sops to boost electronic manufacturing, ET Tech report; Inc42 report.
  • [Sep 27] Digital India, start-ups are priorities for $5 trillion economy: PM Modi, Medianama report.
  • [Sep 29] Tech giants aim to skill Indian govt officials in AI, cloud, ET CIO report.
  • [Sep 29] India’s share in IT, R&D biz up in 2 years: report, The Economic Times report.

Internet Governance

  • [Sep 24] Supreme Court to MeitY: What’s the status of intermediary guidelines? Tell us by Oct 15, Medianama report.
  • [Sep 26] Will not be ‘excessive’ with social media rules, ay Govt officials, Inc42 report.
  • [Sep 26] Government trying to balance privacy and security in draft IT intermediary norms, The Economic Times report.
  • [Sep 27] Citizens, tech companies served better with some regulation: Facebook India MD Ajit Mohan, ET Tech report; Inc42 report.
  • [Sep 27] Balance benefits of internet, data security: Google CEO Sundar Pichai, ET Tech report; Business Today report.

Free Speech

  • [Sep 25] Jadavpur University calls upon ‘stakeholders’ to ensure free speech on campus, The New Indian Express report.
  • [Sep 28] RSS raises objections to uncensored content of Maoj Bajpayee’s “The Family Man”, The Hindu report; Outlook report.

Privacy and Data Protection

  • [Sep 23] A landmark decision on Tuesday could radically reshape how Google’s search results work, Business Insider report.
  • [Sep 23] Google tightens its voice assistant rules amidst privacy backlash, Wired report.
  • [Sep 24] Dell rolls out new data protection storage appliances and capabilities, ZDNet report.
  • [Sep 24] ‘Right to be forgotten’ privacy rule is limited by Europe’s top court, The New York Times report; Live Law report.
  • [Sep 27] Nigeria launches investigation into Truecaller for potential breach of privacy, Medianama report.
  • [Sep 29] Right to be forgotten will be arduous as India frames data protection law, Business Standard report.
  • [Sep 30] FPIs move against data bill, seek exemption, ET Telecom report; Entrackr report.

Data Localisation

  • [Sep 26] Reconsider imposition of data localisation: IAMAI report, The Economic Times report.
  • [Sep 27] Why data is not oil: Here’s how India’s data localisation norms will hurt the economy, Inc42 report.

Digital Payments and Fintech

  • [Sep 23] RBI rider on credit bureau data access has Fintech in a quandary, ET Tech report.

Cryptocurrencies

  • [Sep 23] Facebook reveals Libra currency basket breakdown, Coin Desk report.
  • [Sep 23] The face of India’s crypto lobby readies for a clash, Ozy report.
  • [Sep 23] Why has Brazil’s Central Bank included crypto assets in trade balance? Coin Telegraph report.
  • [Sep 24] French retailers widening crypto acceptance, Tech Xplore report.
  • [Sep 26] Why crypto hoaxes are so successful, Quartz report.
  • [Sep 26] South Africa: the net frontier for crypto exchanges, Coin Telegraph report. 
  • [Sep 27] The crypto wars’ strange bedfellows, Forbes report.
  • [Sep 28] Crypto industry is already preparing for Google’s ‘quantum supremacy’, Decrypt report.
  • [Sep 29] How crypto gambling is regulated around the world, Coin Telegraph report.

Tech and Law Enforcement

  • [Sep 29] New WhatsApp and Facebook Encryption ‘Backdoors’ – What’s really going on, Forbes report.
  • [Sep 28] Facebook, WhatsApp will have to share messages with UK Government, Bloomberg report.
  • [Sep 23] Secret FBI subpoenas scoop up personal data from scores of companies, The New York Times report.
  • [Sep 23] ‘Don’t transfer the WhatsApp traceability case’, Internet Freedom Foundation asks Supreme Court, Medianama report.
  • [Sep 24] China offers free subway rides to citizens who register their face with surveillance system, The Independent report.
  • [Sep 24] Facial recognition technology in public housing prompts backlash, The New York Times report.
  • [Sep 24] Facebook-Aadhaar linkage and WhatsApp traceability: Supreme Court says government must frame rules, CNBC TV18 report.
  • [ep 27] Fashion that counters surveillance cameras, Business Times report.
  • [Sep 27] Unnao rape case: Delhi court directs Apple to give Sengar’s location details on day of alleged rape, Medianama report.
  • [Sep 27] Face masks to decoy t-shirts: the rise of anti-surveillance fashion, Times of India report.
  • [Sep 30] Battle for privacy and encryption: WhatsApp and government head for a showdown on access to messages, ET Prime report.
  • [Sep 29] Improving digital evidence sharing, Scottish Government news report; Public technology report.

Internal Security: J&K

  • [Sep 23] Government launches internet facilitation centre in Pulwama for students, Times of India report; Business Standard report.
  • [Sep 23] Army chief rejects ‘clampdown’ in Jammu and Kashmir, Times of India report.
  • [Sep 24] Rising power: Why India has faced muted criticism over its Kashmir policy, Business Standard report.
  • [Sep 24] ‘Restore Article 370, 35A in Jammu and Kashmir, withdraw army, paramilitary forces’: 5-member women’s group will submit demands to Amit Shah, Firstpost report.
  • [Sep 24] No normalcy in Kashmir, says fact finding team, The Hindu report.
  • [Sep 25] End clampdown: Kashmir media, The Telegraph report.
  • [Sep 25] Resolve Kashmir issue through dialogue and not through collision: Erdogan, The Economic Times report.
  • [Sep 25] Rajya Sabha deputy chair thwarts Pakistan’s attempt at Kashmir at Eurasian Conference, The Economic Times report.
  • [Sep 25] Pakistan leader will urge UN intervention in Kashmir, The New York Times report.
  • [Sep 25] NSA Ajit Doval back in Srinagar to review security situation, The Hindustan Times report.
  • [Sep 27] Communication curbs add fresh challenge to Kashmir counter-insurgency operations, News18 report.
  • [Sep 27] Fresh restrictions in parts of Kashmir, The Hindu report.
  • [Sep 27] US wants ‘rapid’ easing of Kashmir restrictions, Times of India report.
  • [Sep 27] Kashmir issue: Rescind action on Art. 370, OIC tells India, The Hindu report.
  • [Sep 28] India objects to China’s reference to J&K and Ladakh at UNGA, The Economic Times report; The Hindu report.
  • [Sep 29] Surveillance, area domination operations intensified in Kashmir, The Economic Times report; Financial Express report.
  • [Sep 29] Police impose restrictions in J&K after Imran Khan’s speech at UNGA, India Today report.

Internal Security: NRC and the North-East

  • [Sep 23] Assam framing cyber security policy to secure data related to NRC, police, services, The Economic Times report; Money Control report.
  • [Sep 24] BJP will tell SC that we reject this NRC, says Himanta Biswa Sarma, Business Standard report.
  • [Sep 24] Amit Shah to speak on NRC, Citizenship Amendment Bill in Kolkata on Oct 1, The Economic Times report.
  • [Sep 26] ‘Expensive’ legal battle for those rejected in Assam NRC final list, The Economic Times report.
  • [Sep 27] Scared of NRC? Come back in 2022, The Telegraph report.
  • [Sep 27] Voters left out of NRC will have right to vote, rules Election Commission, India Today report; The Wire report.
  • [Sep 27] NRC: Assam government announces 200 Foreigners Tribunals in 33 districts, Times Now report; Times of India report.
  • [Sep 28] Judge urges new FT members to examine NRC claims with utmost care, Times of India report.

National Security Legislation

  • [Sep 23] Centre will reintroduce Citizenship Bill in Parliament: Himanta Biswa Sarma, The Hindu report.
  • [Sep 26] National Security Guard: History, Functions and Operations, Jagran Josh report.
  • [Sep 28] Left parties seek revocation of decision on Article 370, The Tribune India report.

Tech and National Security

  • [Sep 25] Army to start using Artificial Intelligence in 2-3 years: South Western Army commander, The Print report; India Today report; The New Indian Express report; Financial Express report.
  • [Sep 23] Modi, Trump set new course on terrorism, border security, The Hindu report.
  • [Sep 23] PM Modi in the US” Trump promises more defence deals with India, military trade to go up, Financial Express report.
  • [Sep 23] Punjab police bust terror module supplied with weapons by drones from Pak, NDTV report.
  • [Sep 26] Lockheed Martin to begin supplying F-16 wings from Hyderabad plant in 2020, Livemint report.
  • [Sep 26] Drones used for cross-border arms infiltration in Punjab a national security issues, says Randhawa, The Hindu report.
  • [Sep 27] UK MoD sets up cyber team for secure innovation, UK Authority report.
  • [Sep 29] New tri-services special ops division, meant for surgical strikes, finishes first exercise today, The Print report.
  • [Sep 30] After Saudi attacks, India developing anti-drone technology to counter drone menace, Eurasian Times report.

Tech and Elections

  • [Sep 20] Microsoft will offer free Windows 7 support for US election officials through 2020, Cyber Scoop report.
  • [Sep 26] Social media platforms to follow ‘code of ethics’ in all future elections: EC, The Economic Times report.
  • [Sep 28] Why is EC not making ‘authentic’ 2019 Lok Sabha results public? The Quint report.

Cybersecurity

  • [Sep 24] Androids and iPhones hacked with just one WhatsApp click – and Tibetans are under attack, Forbes report.
  • [Sep 25] Sharp questions can help board oversee cybersecurity, The Wall Street Journal report.
  • [Sep 25] What we know about CrowdStrike, the cybersecurity firm trump mentioned in Ukraine call, and its billionaire CEO, Forbes report.
  • [Sep 25] 36% smaller firms witnessed data breaches in 2019 globally, ET Rise report.
  • [Sep 28] Defence Construction Canada hit by cyber attack – corporation’s team trying to restore full IT capability, Ottawa Citizen report.
  • [Sep 29] Experts call for collective efforts to counter cyber threats, The New Indian Express report.
  • [Sep 29] Microsoft spots malware that turns PCs into zombie proxies, ET Telecom report. 
  • [Sep 29] US steps up scrutiny of airplane cybersecurity, The Wall Street Journal report.

Cyberwarfare

  • [Sep 24] 27 countries sign cybersecurity pledge urging rules-based control over cyberspace in Joint Statement, with digs at China and Russia, CNN report; IT world Canada report; Meri Talk report.
  • [Sep 26] Cyber Peace Institute fills a critical need for cyber attack victims, Microsoft blog.
  • [Sep 29] Britain is ‘at war every day’ due to constant cyber attacks, Chief of the Defence Staff says, The Telegraph report.

Telecom and 5G

  • [Sep 27] Telcos’ IT investments intact, auto companies may slow pace: IBM exec, ET Tech report.
  • [Sep 29] Telecom players to lead digital transformation in India, BW Businessworld report.

More on Huawei

  • [Sep 22] Huawei confirms another nasty surprise for Mate 30 buyers, Forbes report.
  • [Sep 23] We’re on the same page with government on security: Huawei, The Economic Times report.
  • [Sep 24] The debate around 5G’s safety is getting in the way of science, Quartz report (paywall).
  • [Sep 24] Govt will take call on Huawei with national interest in mind: Telecom Secy, Business Standard report.
  • [Sep 24] Huawei enables 5G smart travel system at Beijing airport, Tech Radar report.
  • [Sep 25] Huawei 5G backdoor entry unproven, The Economic Times report.
  • [Sep 25] US prepares $1 bn fund to replace Huawei ban kit, Tech Radar report.
  • [Sep 26] Google releases large dataset of deepfakes for researchers, Medianama report.
  • [Sep 26] Huawei willing to license 5G technology to a US firm, The Hindu Business Line report; Business Standard report.
  • [Sep 26] Southeast Asia’s top phone carrier still open to Huawei 5G, Bloomberg report.
  • [Sep 29] Russia rolls out the red carpet for Huawei over 5G, The Economic Times report.

Emerging Tech and AI

  • [Sep 20] Google researchers have reportedly achieved “Quantum Supremacy”, Financial Times report; MIT Technology Review report. 
  • [Sep 23] Artificial Intelligence revolution in healthcare in India: All we need to know, The Hindustan Times report.
  • [Sep 23] A new joystick for the brain-controlled vehicles of the future, Defense One report.
  • [Sep 24] Computing and AI: Humanistic Perspectives from MIT, MIT News report.
  • [Sep 24] Emerging technologies such as AI, 5G posing threats to privacy, says report, China Daily report.
  • [Sep 25] Alibaba unveils chip developed for artificial intelligence era, Financial Times report.
  • [Sep 26] Pentagon wants AI to interpret ‘strategic activity around the globe, Defense One report.
  • [Sep 27] Only 10 jobs created for every 100 jobs taken away by AI, ET Tech report.
  • [Sep 27] Experts say these emerging technologies should concern us, Business Insider report.
  • [Sep 27] What is on the horizon for export controls on ‘emerging technologies’? Industry comments may hold a clue, Modaq.com report.
  • [Sep 27] India can become world leader in artificial intelligence: Vishal Sikka, Money Control report.
  • [Sep 27] Elon Musk issues a terrifying prediction of ‘AI robot swarms’ and huge threat to mankind, The Daily Express (UK) report. 
  • [Sep 27] Russia’s national AI Centre is taking shape, Defense One report.
  • [Sep 29] Explained: What is ‘quantum supremacy’, The Hindu report.
  • [Sep 29] Why are scientists so excited about a new quantum computing milestone?, Scroll.in report.
  • [Sep 29] Artificial Intelligence has a gender bias problem – just ask Siri, The Wire report.
  • [Sep 29] How AI is changing the landscape of digital marketing, Inc42 report.

Opinions and Analyses

  • [Sep 21] Wim Zijnenburg, Defense One, Time to Harden International Norms on Armed Drones.
  • [Sep 23] David Sanger and Julian Barnes, The New York Times, The urgent search for a cyber silver bullet against Iran.
  • [Sep 23] Neven Ahmad, PRIO Blog, The EU’s response to the drone age: A united sky.
  • [Sep 23] Bisajit Dhar and KS Chalapati Rao, The Wire, Why an India-US Free Trade Agreement would require New Delhi to reorient key policies.
  • [Sep 23] Filip Cotfas, Money Control, Five reasons why data loss prevention has to be taken seriously.
  • [Sep 23] NF Mendoza, Tech Republic, 10 policy principles needed for artificial intelligence.
  • [Sep 24] Ali Ahmed, News Click, Are Indian armed forces turning partisan? : The changing civil-military relationship needs monitoring.
  • [Sep 24] Editorial, Deccan Herald, A polity drunk on Aadhaar.
  • [Sep 24] Mike Loukides, Quartz, The biggest problem with social media has nothing to do with free speech.
  • [Sep 24] Ananth Padmanabhan, Medianama, Civilian Drones: Privacy challenges and potential resolution. 
  • [Sep 24] Celine Herwijer and Dominic Kailash Nath Waughray, World Economic Forum, How technology can fast-track the global goals.
  • [Sep 24] S. Jaishankar, Financial Times, Changing the status of Jammu and Kashmir will benefit all of India.
  • [Sep 24] Editorial, Livemint, Aadhaar Mark 2.
  • [Sep 24] Vishal Chawla, Analytics India Magazine, AI in Defence: How Indi compares to US, China, Russia and South Korea.
  • [Sep 25] Craig Borysowich, IT Toolbox, Origin of Markets for Artificial Intelligence.
  • [Sep 25] Sudeep Chakravarti, Livemint, After Assam, NRC troubles may visit ‘sister’ Tripura.
  • [Sep 25] DH Kass, MSSP Blog, Cyber Warfare: New Rules of Engagement?
  • [Sep 25] Chris Roberts, Observer, How artificial intelligence could make nuclear war more likely.
  • [Sep 25] Ken Tola, Forbes, What is cybersecurity?
  • [Sep 25] William Dixon and  Jamil Farshchi, World Economic Forum, AI is transforming cybercrime. Here’s how we can fight back.
  • [Sep 25] Patrick Tucker, Defense One, Big Tech bulks up its anti-extremism group. But will it do more than talk?
  • [Sep 26] Udbhav Tiwari, Huffpost India, Despite last year’s Aadhaar judgement, Indians have less privacy than ever.
  • [Sep 26] Sylvia Mishra, Medianama, India and the United States: The time has come to collaborate on commercial drones.
  • [Sep 26] Subimal Bhattacharjee, The Hindu Business Line, Data flows and our national security interests.
  • [Sep 26] Ram Sagar, Analytics India Magazine, Top countries that are betting big on AI-based surveillance.
  • [Sep 26] Patrick Tucker, Defense One, AI will tell future medics who lives and who dies on the battlefield.
  • [Sep 26] Karen Hao, MIT Technology Review, This is how AI bias really happens – and why it’s so hard to fix.
  • [Sep 27] AG Noorani, Frontline, Kashmir dispute: Domestic or world issue?
  • [Sep 27] Sishanta Talukdar, Frontline, Final NRC list: List of exclusion.
  • [Sep 27] Freddie Stuart, Open Democracy, How facial recognition technology is bringing surveillance capitalism to our streets.
  • [Sep 27] Paul de Havilland, Crypto Briefing, Did Bitcoin crash or dip? Crypto’s trajectory moving forward.
  • [Sep 28] John Naughton, The Guardian, Will advances in quantum computing affect internet security?
  • [Sep 28] Suhrith Parthasarathy, The Hindu, The top court and a grave of freedom.
  • [Sep 28] Kazim Rizvi, YourStory, Data Protection Authority: the cornerstone to implement data privacy.
  • [Sep 28] Shekhar Gupta, The Print, Modi has convinced the world that Kashmir is India’s internal affair – but they’re still watching.
  • [Sep 29] Indrani Bagchi, The Economic Times, Why india needs to tread carefully on Kashmir.
  • [Sep 29] Medha Dutta Yadav, The New Indian Express, Data: Brave new frontier.
  • [Sep 29] Jon Markman, Forbes, New cybersecurity companies have their heads in the cloud.
  • [Sep 29] Editorial, The New York Times, On cybersecurity: Two scoops of perspective.
  • [Sep 30] Kuldip Singh, The Quint, New IAF Chief’s appointment: Why RKS Bhadauria must tread lightly.
  • [Sep 30] Karishma Koshal, The Caravan, With the data-protection bill in limbo, these policies contravene the right to privacy.

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