Data Protection Bill approved by Cabinet

The Union Cabinet on Wednesday approved the Digital Personal Data Protection Bill, 2022, reported Indian Express.

The Digital Personal Data Protection Bill, 2022, which was initially proposed in November, is anticipated to be presented during the Monsoon Session of Parliament starting on July 20. Before reaching this stage, the bill underwent multiple rounds of public feedback and discussions between different ministries. As a result, a second draft of the bill was prepared, bringing it closer to the legislative process.

The Cabinet's approval of the bill comes at a time when cyberattacks and data breaches are on the rise. Recent incidents, like the alleged breach of the CoWIN vaccination portal, have raised concerns about the potential exposure of sensitive data belonging to hundreds of thousands of Indians.

The government prioritizes the safety of children as a top concern. Considering the changing landscape of cybercrime, the new bill may include measures to address criminal offenses related to child protection. These measures could involve addressing issues such as the possession and distribution of child sexual abuse material, misuse of government-issued identity cards, and the spread of misinformation. 

The IT ministry has decided to retain the definition for children as anyone under the age of 18 in the face of sustained pushback from industry experts, Economic Times said in their report.

The bill suggests six categories of penalties for non-compliance, with fines ranging from Rs 250 crore for neglecting to implement adequate security measures, Rs 200 crore for failing to notify the Board and affected users in case of a personal data breach, to Rs 200 crore for not meeting additional obligations concerning children, The Print added in their report.