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Devdutta Mukhopadhyay

Devdutta Mukhopadhyay

aarogyasetu

Internal govt documents provide insight into the creation and expansion of Aarogya Setu #SaveOurPrivacy

Minutes of meetings of the 9th Empowered Group on Technology and Data Management provide an insider view into the creation and expansion of Aarogya Setu and other government data collection projects during the COVID-19 pandemic.
03 December, 2020
5 min read
Devdutta MukhopadhyayDevdutta Mukhopadhyay
internet shutdowns

As internet restrictions in J&K cross 480 days, we await SC judgement #KeepUsOnline

Non-publication of orders issued by the Review Committee and Special Committee continues to remain a problem in Jammu & Kashmir which must be decided by the Supreme Court to ensure independent application of mind by these bodies and implementation of their recommendations.
26 November, 2020
5 min read
Devdutta MukhopadhyayDevdutta Mukhopadhyay
aarogyasetu

Govt officials to justify denial of information about Aarogya Setu in secret hearing before CIC #SaveOurPrivacy

We sent a legal notice to the Central Information Commission challenging its refusal to let RTI activist, Saurav Das attend the show cause hearing in his complaint which seeks information about creation of the Aarogya Setu app.
23 November, 2020
5 min read
Devdutta MukhopadhyayDevdutta Mukhopadhyay
aarogyasetu

Mandatory imposition of Aarogya Setu by Delhi Govt is illegal and ineffective #SaveOurPrivacy

We wrote to the Delhi Government and its Excise Department urging against mandatory imposition of the Aarogya Setu app. Our alarm bells were rung by a circular issued by the Excise Department which directed licensed wholesale liquor vendors to ensure mandatory use of Aarogya Setu by every worker.
18 November, 2020
4 min read
Devdutta MukhopadhyayDevdutta Mukhopadhyay
internet shutdowns

Amendment to the Telecom Suspension Rules offers little protection against arbitrary and prolonged internet shutdowns #KeepUsOnline

The central government's recent amendment to the Telecom Suspension Rules will have limited utility and represents a missed opportunity for wider reform because it fails to incorporate directions issued by the SC requiring proactive publication and periodic review of internet shutdown orders.
12 November, 2020
6 min read
Devdutta MukhopadhyayDevdutta Mukhopadhyay
Surveillance

Statement: One year of inaction, delay and evasion on the NSO-Pegasus hack #SaveOurPrivacy

Despite multiple government and parliamentary bodies examining the Pegasus hack, a whole year has passed and we still do not know who was responsible for this egregious violation of the privacy of human rights defenders in the country.
02 November, 2020
4 min read
Devdutta MukhopadhyayDevdutta Mukhopadhyay
Privacy

While India copes with COVID-19, Aadhaar continues its function creep #SaveOurPrivacy

After the Aadhaar Amendment Act 2019 and the Aadhaar Good Governance Rules 2020, there remain virtually no limitations on the use of Aadhaar authentication, which had earlier been restricted by the SC to only government entities and only for receipt of benefits and subsidies.
10 October, 2020
6 min read
Devdutta MukhopadhyayDevdutta Mukhopadhyay
criminal law

We write to the Criminal Law Reform Committee which could make it even easier for TV anchors to read your texts #SaveOurPrivacy

Our submission reiterates demands to disband the Committee and we have also provided substantive inputs on various issues at the intersection of criminal law and digital rights.
29 September, 2020
6 min read
Devdutta MukhopadhyayDevdutta Mukhopadhyay
Health Data

Move fast, break things? Not when sensitive health data is at stake! #SaveOurPrivacy

We wrote to the National Health Authority seeking enactment of general and sectoral data protection laws and meaningful public consultation prior to deployment of any national digital health ID programme.
23 September, 2020
4 min read
Devdutta MukhopadhyayDevdutta Mukhopadhyay
aarogyasetu

Multi-domain orgs and individuals raise concerns about Aarogya Setu #SaveOurPrivacy

8 organizations and 145 individuals have written to MoHFW, MeitY and the IT Standing Committee raising serious concerns regarding Aarogya Setu and other COVID-19 apps and presented a clear set of 16 demands.
18 September, 2020
4 min read
Devdutta MukhopadhyayDevdutta Mukhopadhyay

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