Information is wealth but at what cost?

                             Friends, don’t worry if you have mistakenly deleted any important e-mails or texts/pictures communicated through social networking sites etc, for Nobel Peace Laureate and International Human Rights Saviour Shri.Barack Obama would have a copy of them, and access them if so through your lobbying skill. 

                           So aren't you aware of PRISM? While prism in scientific physical concept is excessively colourful, the one by Mr. President is boundlessly controversial which authenticates official access to personal communication through internet in order to safeguard national security without due concern to individual privacy. By the way, we have to submit our gratitude to the internet content providers and others who take extra efforts to protect our privacy but end up finally giving back-door access to governmental organisations.

                               

                               Thus majority of the private communications that are ultimately routed through internet are filtered at the ‘global gateway’ of United States irrespective of the place of their origin. Nonetheless do you think that our Indian Authorities would continue to be a dumb spectator in such an event? Nay, we are much more pragmatic and adaptive, and our efforts to institutionalise such a monitoring and surveillance of private data communication through the 21^st Century devices on our own are under way. 

                               So gratify yourself that not just Barack Obama but our fellow locals Shri.ManMohan or why not it could be even Shri.Narendra Modi or Shri.Rahulji who would have safely accessed your private data before it reaches the intended recipient in the coming days. I beg your pardon hence to ensure that you mark a copy of such communication to them too in future so that you evolve a personal relationship with them as in social networking sites. 

                                 

                                What PRISM is all about? In simplistic terms it is a comprehensive system aimed at surveillance, monitoring and filtering of privately communicated data by ‘potentially culpable persons’ and to generate actionable report in order to ensure that they do not plot anything against the nation and cost its security. Information and Communication Technology (ICT) is put to its best usage to ensure that this is achieved. Central Monitoring System(CMS) is the Indian equivalent of American PRISM which is under progress. However, who fall under culpable persons and what would cost national security are purposefully ill defined in Indian version.

                                  Although current institutions allow the administrative machinery to access those private data but only after having accorded with the necessary approvals from the Home Ministry. But the imminent CMS is alleged to be vested with right of unfettered access to data by intercepting the fixed,mobile, Internet Service Providers traffic, according to media reports. When such powers are vested in the name of national security without adequately protecting the privacy of individuals through proper legislative backup it is liable for misuse and abuse. The recent happening of tapping the telecommunication channel of opposition political party leader is a corroboration for potential misuse of such authority.

                                

                                Freedom of speech and expression, right to life and personal liberty are Constitutionally guaranteed promises and it is the responsibility of a duty-bound government, be it the world's vibrant democracy or largest democracy, to safeguard them in addition to safeguarding national security, and there settles the happiness of being a democratic polity.


Source: http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/indias-surveillance-project-may-be-as-lethal-as-prism/article4834619.ece