Post by Joy Lim
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My name is Joy Lim, and I am a second year law student. For my research assignment this semester, I am working with Justice Ventures International (JVI). JVI partners with a number of organizations in India to achieve the goal of securing justice for the poor and oppressed, primarily through rescue interventions.
JVI works to empower local partners and by equipping and strengthening local nonprofit organizations and business to fight injustice through human rights training, legal services, and funding.
JVI maintains sensitive information about the people who enter into its program after being rescued and would like recommendations to ensure compliance with data protection laws.
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Data protection is important especially today because a lot of things are done electronically, and a breach into data protection can be costly. It is imperative to prevent cybercrimes by making sure that sensitive data such as personal information are protected.
I have been researching India’s Information and Technology Act and the Personal Data Protection Bill and have been reading secondary sources on data protection of NGOs. Something I found interesting was that the Personal Data Protection Bill (PDP) created a Data Protection Authority of India.
Under the PDP, the Central Government of India was to create this authority to promote data protection and make sure that the obligations under the PDP are being complied. I think it is important to be able to enforce the bill and facilitating compliance will help NGOs because data protection is very complex.
The PDP acknowledges that the right to privacy is fundamental. The right to privacy helps maintain social boundaries. Every person has things they don’t want certain people to know and protects them from unwanted inference his or her life, and that is especially true with people who JVI helps.
Today, with technology, it has become possible for the government, businesses, companies, etc. to listen in on conversations we have daily, get information on our credit card transactions, and find places we have been to through the location function on our phones.
Under the PDP, NGOs would be obligated to get consent from people to obtain personal information, use this information only for the purpose that was permitted to them, and get rid of the information after the purpose has been fulfilled.
Through my research assignment, I have been learning a lot about data protection and am grateful for the opportunity to work with JVI on this issue. This post was written by a Center for Global Justice Student Staff member.
This post was written by a Center for Global Justice Staff Member. The views expressed in this post do not necessarily reflect those of Regent University, Regent Law School, or the Center for Global Justice.