Indians raise concerns over data compromises by govt and telcos: Report

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Ahead of the expected tabling of the Digital Personal Data Protection (DPDP) bill in Parliament on August 3, a new report highlights the concerns of Indian citizens regarding data breaches. The report, conducted by the online community platform LocalCircles, reveals that the majority of Indians believe their personal data has been compromised by government departments, telecom companies, and banks.

Reportedly, the survey received responses from over 23,000 citizens across 309 districts in India. Of the respondents, 67% were men, while 33% were women. The survey aimed to gauge whether the personal details of individuals were in the public domain and if any data compromises had occurred.

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Interestingly, only 9% of respondents claimed that no personal details had been leaked or were in the public domain. On the other hand, a significant 72% said that their personal information had been leaked or was in the public domain, while 19% remained uncertain and chose not to give a clear response.

Among those who believed their personal data had been leaked, 72% mentioned their mobile numbers, 63% cited email addresses, 53% referred to Aadhaar numbers, and 50% indicated PAN card numbers. Furthermore, 25% mentioned Voter ID numbers, 22% referenced credit/debit card numbers, 9% stated annual income/salary and 19% cited other details.

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Regarding the entities held responsible for data leaks, a significant portion of respondents pointed fingers at various government bodies, telecom service providers, and banks. Approximately 81% blamed state/local government offices and databases, including staff from RTO, municipalities, hospitals, public distribution systems, and property registration offices.

Nearly 75% mentioned telecom service providers, 69% blamed banks and financial service providers, and 56% held central government offices, databases, and staff responsible, including EPF, Passport, CoWIN, Aarogya Setu, Aadhaar, Income Tax, Vehicle Ownership, Voter ID, and more.

Inputs from IANS