How the Data Protection Act Will Change Your Online Experience

Hello, have you heard about the new Data Protection Act in India? This law will have a significant impact on daily internet use in India. The Data Protection Act provides all Indians more Privacy, Control, and Security than ever before. Let's discuss the changes that you will see in your online experience.

What is the Data Protection Act?​

The Data Protection Act is a new law governing how companies may collect, process and store your personal information. The Act will give greater rights and authority to internet users.

What does the Data Protection Act do?​

• Companies must obtain explicit consent before they store and process your data.
• You will be entitled to view a copy of your personal information held by a company.
• You will be allowed to request the deletion of your personal information.

The Indian Government has created the Data Protection Board, which will handle complaints registered against companies violating the provisions of the Data Protection Act.

How will your online experience change?​

You will have greater control over what the company tracks and how it tracks your activities. Presently most of the websites and applications are tracking your every click without providing any clear notice to you.

Once the Data Protection Act comes into effect, companies will be required to obtain your consent before they can track any of your data.

This means:

• There will now be fewer applications that track what you do.
• You get to choose what information you share.
• You will be able to see clearly what information an organization is trying to obtain.

Have you ever been confused about receiving requests out of nowhere to access your information such as your "allow access to your contacts"? This means that there will be a change.

More than that, you now have the option to ask companies what information they have about you, and if you would like to have it deleted.

You can erase:

• Old accounts that you may no longer remember
• Your previous shopping experience history
• Email addresses that you may have listed on a number of random websites

I am sure, Indian people enjoy this provision because they do not want the past to come back to haunt them.

Better safeguards should also be established for younger users and they are:

• Children will not be allowed specific links to shopping or tracking agencies.
• Children's social networking sites will require parental consent.

As the parent of younger cousins and having so many social networkers, I think this is a great idea.

You will have several additional requests for permission when you start using this service. At times you may think that these additional requests become a nuisance to you. But these requests provide additional privacy protection to all users and this is a pretty small price to pay for better privacy protection for your own personal data.

In closing, the Data Protection Act will help to create a safer and more truthful environment for the internet. You will experience the following positive changes as a result:

• Better privacy
• More control
• Reduced spam online
• Reduced tracking that feels too intrusive

The experience may slow down a little due to the additional requests for consent to use your data; however, you will have a better understanding of the individuals who are accessing and using your data.