Ministry of Information and Broadcasting has no clue on who controls India's data

Fake Information on Facebook – Broken democracies and Criminal Culpability on Facebook Owners, a Research Right to Information (RTI) with the Ministry Of Information & Broadcasting India

By Rakesh Prasad {{descmodel.currdesc.readstats }}

Originally Posted by {{descmodel.currdesc.parent.user.name || descmodel.currdesc.parent.user.first_name + ' ' + descmodel.currdesc.parent.user.last_name}} {{ descmodel.currdesc.parent.user.totalreps | number}} {{ descmodel.currdesc.parent.last_modified|date:'dd/MM/yyyy h:mma' }}

During 1857 mutinee and the Sieze of Delhi Sir Colin Campbell warned William Howard Russell against unguarded chatter saying.

It is most essential for us to preserve secrecy in war, especially in a country like this.

Delhi was seized by 40,000 mutineers from Bengal Native Infantry in 1857 uprising but was defeated by 7,000 British Raj troops partly in a war fought over human psychology involving these chatters, emotions getting out off the walls by the kosids (spys) hired for as much as Rs. 50 per day at that time.

The value of data in today's information age, especially human behavioral patterns, emotional stimulus, and responses are very important for any nation, this data in the hand of agencies who can sell it to anyone willing to pay is way too dangerous for any nation's sovereignty. So India is losing its citizen's, leaders and anyone significant's data through these "kosids" to agencies who have no moral or legal binding to secure it and sell it agencies say from China, Pakistan or any such nation who might find it useful to exploit the vulnerability in the Indian psyche.

We asked this question of national interest to the ministry responsible for this. The answer was

Information sought is not available with Cyber Law and E-Security Group" You may approach respective service providers i.e. Google, Facebook and Twitter.

So essentially Indian apex body at the vanguard of securing the internet for Indians has literally no clue.

Below the Right to Information Seeked which went through departments and offices before returning with a big blank on the face.

To,

PIO, Ministry Of Information & Broadcasting,

Govt. Of India,

Dear Sir/Madam,

As a concerned citizen of India, I would like to request the following information backed by relevant

data/Information:

The corporations Google, Facebook, and Twitter operate and provide their services in India, collecting

Indian consumer data. Please provide the details of where all the relevant data collected from their Indian

customers and operations is stored and who owns and controls this data. Example of such data is:

1. Maps data collected by Google.

2. Data originating from the usage of such platform by Indian users

e.g. Search data, Internet user behavioral data, purchase data, social connections/affiliations and

background data etc. of people’s online/social media profiles. Email data, Data originating from their

usage of messaging tools such as Whatsapp and messenger, news portals etc.

Please provide the details individually for these three corporations below, based on the following

suggested categories (or similar categorizations that might be available with you):

1)Facebook –

A- Foreign Entity owned, data resides on foreign lands and controlled by a foreign organization.

B- Foreign Entity owned, data resides on foreign lands but controlled by Indian Laws.

C- Foreign Entity Owned, data resides in India and controlled by Indian laws.

D- Foreign Entity Owned, Data resides in India but controlled by a foreign organization.

E- Indian Entity Owned, data resides in India and controlled by Indian laws.

F- Indian Entity Owned, data resides in India and controlled by an Indian entity.

G- Indian Entity Owned, data resides outside India and controlled by Indian laws.

H- Indian Entity Owned, data resides outside India and controlled by a foreign entity.

I- Other -Please detail

2)Twitter