The Big Picture - Data & Privacy: How Safe Are Apps?

Faceapp, an image-editing app has caught the imagination of everyone from New York to Sydney; from Brussels to Chennai and beyond. There are millions of people, including several in India, who are transforming their current photo, using the apps age filter to see what they will look like when they are old. And these people are also sharing these photos on social media. The problem, however, is that just with any other app that uses personal data such as a photo, there are privacy concerns around FaceApp. A number of people have raised concerns, including a US senator who wants the app investigated by the FBI for possible data misuse. The primary issue seems to be a clause in the terms and conditions of FaceApp. This clause says users give FaceApp "a perpetual, irrevocable, nonexclusive, royalty-free, worldwide, fully-paid, transferable sub-licensable license" to use photos they upload. Similar fears were raised when the trend of #10yearchallenge went viral on Facebook in January this year. In this people uploaded their photos from 10 years earlier to show how they changed. On this edition of ’The Big Picture’ we analyse how safe are apps?

Guests:
Subi Chaturvedi, Distinguished Public Policy Professional
Karnika Seth, Cyber Law Expert
Subimal Bhattacharjee, Cyber Security Expert

Anchor: Frank Rausan Pereira

[scorhigh]

Faceapp had 150 million downloads in a week.

India has about 940 million unique mobile connections and about 450 million people are online.
And now with Jio data has become inexpensive and our consumptions have gone up.

Issues to be concerned with apps:
1) Faceapp is a Russian made app. If it is a Russian app and the data is stored in the US servers then which laws will apply in this scenario.
2 A clause says users give FaceApp "a perpetual, irrevocable, nonexclusive, royalty-free, worldwide, fully-paid, transferable sub-licensable license" to use photos they upload.
3) Who has access to an individual's information? In which country? What kind of permissions is one giving?
4) There are various companies whose entire business model resides on what sites one browses and what are the choices.
5) The apps extract information like- name, email id, geolocation, photo gallery.
6) If there is a clickwrap agreement an individual gives consent to all the personal information.

Earlier issues- Tik tok app from China

Criticism:
1) Now many apps have permissions which they do not require and which should not be intrinsic to their functioning.
2) To make our work easier we at times add extensions to our browsers.
3) The business model of the companies hasn't changed regarding data privacy issues.

Challenge:
1) Implementation
2) There is no convention on cybersecurity that India has signed.
3) It's an individual discretion of which app to use and which do not. There is no thumb rule on whom one chooses and this gap creates fear.
4) Foreign actors- state-sponsored or non-state sponsored have meddled in democracies. There is Manufacturing Consent, Outrage, Hatred and Dissent. Eg: Whatsapp privacy issue.
5) Increasing Digital Footprint.
6) The consumer sees convenience first and then security.

India and Privacy Issues:
1) Article 21- Right to Privacy
2) Sri Krishna Committee Report
3) PDP Bill is under process.


Way forward:
1) When a Contact Management Program asks permission for access to camera and text the individual's instinct reaction should be a firm No. Privacy Policy pages should be easily available to the consumer to decide what he/she is giving up.
2) A consumer should make informed choices and demand more. A consumer should read TLC.
3) There should be engagement amongst civil society, academia and others regarding the internet and its regulation.
4) Educate students primarily. The outreach programme is the need. Private sector and corporations can get involved in through workshops and CSR.
5) Need stronger privacy laws in the country.
7) Experience with digital literacy needs to be enhanced.
8) More public stakeholders input.
9) Be a beneficiary of the technology rather than a victim. Have a progressive approach.
10) Prompt government actions- as in the cases of Child pornography, Blue Whale etc.
11) There should be a mix of law and regulations with technological enhancements.
12) Internet Governance required as the internet is called permissionless innovation.
13) Personal Data Protection Bill and The Draft intermediary guidelines need to move in fast.

[ashwin]

Subhi chaturvedi madam was phenomenal...wat a nice way of explaining and equally good choice of words.
Plz invite her frequently for discussion.

[pd]

Suba madam is really cute and she just nailed the topic holistically, great debate thankyou all thankyou frank

[shashiketan]

*60. TECHNOLOGY, DATA & PRIVACY*
- Faceapp, an image editing app has caught attention, 150 mn downloads in last week.
The primary issue seems to be a clause in the terms and condition: users give FaceApp "a perpetual, irrevocable, nonexclusive, royalty-free, worldwide, fully-paid, transferable sub-licensable license
- Fears were raise when trend of #10 year challenge went viral this Jan.
- Last Yr - Issue of Facebook leaking data to Cambridge Analytica.

Issues:
- The App don't need to read your text or contact list while functioning yet they ask for permissions.
- Add extensions through which they can access to what users browse.
- Leaking data to Companies whose business model reside on consumer's choices.
- Data Protection & Security: Faceapp data in Russia. Even if user deletes the app, the data is there in the cloud forever & can be misused.
CCTV's - giving access to neighbourhood 24*7

Challenges:
- US based intermediaries (apps) also have such security concerns but never raised. (Facepp - Russia, Tiktok - China) - Skewed Concern.
- India's first experience with Internet is in terms of entertainment - making videos or songs - Convenience.
- Lack of Digital literacy.
- Creation of digital footprint which can be used without user knowing about it.
- Manufacturing outrage, Hatred, dissent through Social media.
- "I have nothing to hide so everyone can have access" attitude in common people is dangerous.

Way Forward:
- Digital Awareness for Consumers - they should know the trade off.
- Privacy pages in the front & reading Terms & conditions.
- Data Protection law - BN Srikrishna Committee.
- Continuous engagement with Civil society, academia & technical experts.
- Technology like AI can be used for Cyber Security,
- INTERNET GOVERNANCE - less government & more governance.

- Educating Children.
- Funding mechanism for outreach programmes- CSR.

We definitely need to be progressive & embrace technology. Internet has wide interoperability, universality & ability to innovate without permission. More discussion, deliberations need to happen within nation & among nations regarding data security & appropriate law governing it.

[zekeyaeger]

Frank's face changed as soon as Subi Maam brought up that " whats app and anti national" quote of professor. 😂😂
Bhai was like "Rehne de behen... naukari jayegi mera" 😂😂

[monootan]

More women in big picture discussions please. As a policy, atleast one panelist a day could be a woman. They bring in a different flavour & perspective to the debates.

[vijaykanth]

Solution is along with creating better laws and policy, we need institutions working together to maintain the data privacy of every individual.

[devinarayanagarwal]

Implement B. N. SHRI KRISHNA COMMITTEE Report, Meity should initiate action for Ordinance on privacy law. The GoI does not understanding the ramifications of the 1.30+ billion people data is captured by private entities, huge risk for so called National Security also

[yash.dwivedi]

The big picture is a great debate platform

[AniketSawant-xfob]

People were complaining that aadhar violates their privacy...but they dont know their privacy is already violated by such apps...so no point of complaining against aadhar issue..atleast it has some positive benefits also.

[devinarayanagarwal]

Amend the objective of PM DISHA program ran by Meity, to teach the people about risks, data footprints, privacy issues

[Expert_trader_banknifty]

Thank you for bringing such beautiful panels

[abrahamrajashekar]

I am commenting most of the videos to pls add subtitles, pls add it would help to understand things more easily

[madhubansingh]

It's a real pleasure to listen to Dr. Subi Chaturvedi and her balanced views. She is not just beautiful. She is also deeply insightful and incisive.

[devinarayanagarwal]

Finalize whether India needed to sign Budapest convention or not. Why MHA is don't disposing the issue

[ganeshgaitonde]

Very inlightend discussion by rstv. All the penalist made some good points except Dr suba.

[anonymousisbest.]

Digital India... Thanks for selling our privacy . ...
If the government really care.. It should have implemented cyber education n strengthened the laws around it first and thn unleash digital India. Now we dont evn hv a proper law n we r beginning to pay for it..

[rupendrarathore]

Frank sir is shying from subi mam, his smile showing 😊

[kmkanchan]

Whole aspect of this privacy concerned with human being attraction to not control one's engaging in app or whatever

[amitabhishek]

Look any one who had ever made and published app knows you have to do something to earn money as people these days don't want to pay money for apps. They want everything for free so we developers put ads which then track users and give us money. Big developers collect your all information, catelog it and then sell to third parties. It's a business model where you don't pay us by money but your data. All paid apps have simpler privacy and doesn't demand unnecessary permission. If you want things for free you pay the price of admission