Big Data and Governance in India

Background Note

The roundtable discussion intends to delve deeper into various issues around the role of big data in Government schemes and projects like the Digital India, the UID Scheme and the 100 Smart Cities Mission. Some of the topics would include:

• Use/Assumptions about use of Big Data.
• The public dialogue in the context of Big Data, rights, and governance.
• Status and Role of India's data protection standards impacted by Big Data.
• Legal hurdles posed by Big Data.

We look forward to making this a forum for knowledge exchange and a learning opportunity for our friends and colleagues attending the discussion.

Contact:

• Vanya Rakesh [email protected] +919586572707
• Amber Sinha [email protected] +919620180343

Agenda

Detailed Agenda

Digital India

Scope of schemes under Digital India and how Big Data pertains to them

• What are the ways in which Big Data is defined?
• What aspects of Digital India initiatives pertain to Big Data?
• What could be the harms/benefits of Big Data for Digital India?

Scale and nature of data being collected

• What do the schemes intend to quantify?

Actors involved

• What kinds of issue arise in PPP model?
• Questions about ownership of data, access-control and security
• Application of Section 43A rules to private parties involved

Research Methodology and coding

• What the relevant questions that need to be asked in mapping each scheme?
• How do we view e-governance initiatives vis-a-vis privacy principles?
• What are the rights of citizens, and how are they impacted?

“Cradle to grave” identity

• What does ‘cradle to grave’ digital identity mean?
• What is the impact of using the Aadhaar number?

Need for privacy legislation/data protection policies

• What aspects of the right to privacy pertain to the schemes?
• Extending the Section 43A rules to government agencies
• Justice Shah committee’s nine privacy principles.

Big Data and Smart Cities

Use/Assumptions about use of Big Data in Smart cities

• What can be termed as big data in the context of smart cities.
• What would be the role of big data.
• Where do we see use/potential use of big data in the smart cities.

What bodies/companies are driving the use of Big Data in Governance in India?

• Identifying actors involved.
• Defining the role of: Government bodies, Private companies like IT Companies, consultants, etc.  in use of big data. Clarity on ownership, storage, use, re-use, deletion of data. Question of accountability in case of breach/misuse.

What has been the public dialogue around a scheme in the context of big data, rights, and governance?

• Weighing promises of big data.
• Weighing challenges of big data.
• Concerns around big data- data security, privacy, digital resilience of infrastructure, risks of identity management, Circumvention of democracy, social exclusion, right to equality, right to access, etc.
• Issue of governance and implementation: role of SPVs.

How are India's data protection standards impacted by Big Data?

• Need for developing standards.
• Drawing from existing international standards.

Are there other legislation/policy besides privacy impacted by Big Data? what type of 'legal hurdles' could Big Data pose?

• Legal landscaping: impact on current laws/policies/provisions.

Need for creating regulatory/legal framework?