The Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) has proposed amendments to the Aadhaar (Sharing of Information) Regulations, 2016, which govern the sharing of Aadhaar information with government entities. The UIDAI has proposed changes to the rules and restrictions that govern entities, including a requesting entity—having Aadhaar information of an individual—when it comes to using, storing, sharing, and retaining of such information for varied purposes.
The proposed amendments aim to expand the scope of regulations and allow greater access to Aadhaar data for government authorities. The amendments also dilute the requirement for consent-based data sharing and raise concerns about privacy and data security.
It is important to note that the IT Ministry’s recent draft amendments to the Aadhaar Authentication for Good Governance Rules, 2020, allow private entities to conduct Aadhaar authentication of individuals. Both these proposed amendments mainly mean greater use and access of Aadhaar data for purposes way beyond the objective of providing government benefits, subsidies, or services. Further, the more biometric information is exposed to multiple entities and their databases, the greater the threat to privacy and data security. Not to forget, these developments are taking place in the absence of a data protection law.
Watch this quick explainer to know what the amendments are:
Also Read:
- India’s Unique ID Authority Expands The Scope Of Sharing Aadhaar Data By Entities Via Proposed Amendments
- IT Ministry’s Proposed Amendments Allow Private Entities To Use Aadhaar Authentication To Provide Services
- Section 57: Why Aadhaar Can’t Be Used As Authentication By Private Companies
- Government Allows Aadhaar E-KYC For Telecoms Despite Supreme Court Judgement Striking Down Section 57 Of Aadhaar Act 2016
