India's Data Protection Bill Inches Closer To Reality As Union Cabinet Set To Greenlight Draft

The Union Cabinet is expected to approve the Digital Personal Data Protection Bill on Wednesday, with the bill likely to be introduced during the monsoon session of Parliament starting July 20, 2023, The Economic Times reported.

Bill Overview

The DPDP Bill, a second attempt at a legal framework for data protection, outlines the rights and duties of citizens and the obligations of organizations using data. It was released for public consultation in November 2022.

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Digital India Bill

The draft of the much-anticipated Digital India Bill, which aims to govern emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI) and quantum computing, is expected to be opened for public consultation within the next fortnight.

Data Processing and New-Age Offences

The proposed regulations may include provisions requiring companies to inform consumers how their data is being processed. The new draft bill may also include objective definitions for new-age offences such as possession and distribution of child sexual abuse material, improper and unauthorized digital use of government-issued identity cards, and misinformation.

Replacing the IT Act

The Digital India Act aims to replace the 23-year-old IT Act in its entirety, instead of amending the law. The IT ministry may include provisions seeking to curb the influence of Big Tech, following two rounds of public consultations in the pre-drafting stage of the bill.

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