Johri, Amrita and Bhardwaj, Anjali
Shrouded in secrecy: Dangers in the DPDP act - Common Cause: Policy Oriented Journal Since 1982 - 42(3), Jul-Sep, 2023: p.24-25
This article critically examines the Digital Personal Data Protection (DPDP) Act from a governance and human rights perspective, highlighting concerns over secrecy and lack of transparency. While the Act aims to regulate personal data protection in India, critics argue that its provisions grant excessive discretionary powers to the state, potentially undermining privacy rights and democratic accountability. The study situates the DPDP Act within broader debates on digital governance, emphasizing how inadequate safeguards and opaque mechanisms can erode trust in institutions. Drawing on policy analysis and commentary from Common Cause, a journal committed to governance and accountability since 1982, the paper underscores the dangers of embedding secrecy into data regulation frameworks. It calls for stronger checks and balances, independent oversight, and citizen-centric safeguards to ensure that data protection does not become a tool for surveillance or authoritarian control.
Political Science, Digital Personal Data Protection Act (DPDP), India, Privacy, Governance, Secrecy, Accountability, Human Rights, Common Cause Journal, Policy Debate, Data Regulation
Shrouded in secrecy: Dangers in the DPDP act - Common Cause: Policy Oriented Journal Since 1982 - 42(3), Jul-Sep, 2023: p.24-25
This article critically examines the Digital Personal Data Protection (DPDP) Act from a governance and human rights perspective, highlighting concerns over secrecy and lack of transparency. While the Act aims to regulate personal data protection in India, critics argue that its provisions grant excessive discretionary powers to the state, potentially undermining privacy rights and democratic accountability. The study situates the DPDP Act within broader debates on digital governance, emphasizing how inadequate safeguards and opaque mechanisms can erode trust in institutions. Drawing on policy analysis and commentary from Common Cause, a journal committed to governance and accountability since 1982, the paper underscores the dangers of embedding secrecy into data regulation frameworks. It calls for stronger checks and balances, independent oversight, and citizen-centric safeguards to ensure that data protection does not become a tool for surveillance or authoritarian control.
Political Science, Digital Personal Data Protection Act (DPDP), India, Privacy, Governance, Secrecy, Accountability, Human Rights, Common Cause Journal, Policy Debate, Data Regulation