How Safe Is Your Data? Understanding Digital Privacy Rights in India

ABSTRACT
Today's technology driven society people communicate, shop, work, avail services differently due to the ever-increasing digitalization. As usage of internet, mobile and digital India projects is growing exponentially people' s data is collected and made available to various people for usage. Issues surrounding people's right to privacy, unauthorised access, cybercrime, misuse of information and privacy concerns surrounding private bodies become important. Though measures have been put in place laws and regulation issues still exist about its implementation, awareness and accountability. The paper examines India's digital privacy rights, existing and emerging challenges like informed consent, growing data breaches, government’s responsibility, in a world defined by the growing internet and digital evolution. The paper also underlines loopholes that exist between legal safeguards meant to safeguard the digital rights and the ground reality and the need to evolve stronger enforcement actions complemented by enhanced digital literacy and awareness with greater transparency in data handling practices to protect every individual’s digital rights & freedom in India.