Lok Sabha Question No. 176 (STARRED), answered on 2019-07-03
Subject: Data Collection by Mobile Applications
Ministry: ELECTRONICS AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
Asked by: Parvesh Sahib Singh

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF ELECTRONICS AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

## LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO.  *176

TO BE ANSWERED ON: 03.07.2019

## DATA COLLECTION BY MOBILE APPLICATION

## *176:    SHRI PARVESH SAHIB SINGH:

Will the Minister of ELECTRONICS AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY, be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government has taken note of large amount of personal data collection by mobile  application  developers  in  the  country  and  if  so,  the  details  thereof  and  the reaction of the Government thereto;
- (b) whether  the  Government  has  put  in  place/proposes  to  bring  in  any  mechanism  for ensuring safety and prevention of misuse of the data collected by such mobile application developers and if so, the details thereof;
- (c) whether  the  Government  has  received  any  complaints  pertaining  to  data  misuse  by mobile  application  developers/  companies  in  the  country  during  each  of  the  last  five years and if so, the details thereof; and
- (d) the steps taken/being taken by the Government in this regard?

## ANSWER

MINISTER FOR ELECTRONICS AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY (SHRI RAVI SHANKAR PRASAD)

- (a) to (d): A Statement is laid on the Table of the House.

## STATEMENT REFERED TO IN REPLY TO LOK SABHA  STARRED QUESTION *176 FOR 03.07.2019  REGARDING  DATA COLLECTION BY MOBILE APPLICATION

……..

- (a):   Proliferation of mobile/smart phones and related applications in all areas is growing in the  country.  Propagation  of  malicious  Apps  targeting  mobile  phones  are  being  reported globally. Such malicious Apps could be used for stealing data from infected mobile phones for further misuse by cyber criminals.
- (b):  Government has taken following measures to check malicious apps and enable users to protect their mobile phones:
1. Alerts  and  advisories  about  the  threats  and  vulnerabilities  affecting  mobile  phones along with countermeasures are issued regularly by the Indian Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-In).
2. Security tips have been published to enable users to secure their mobile/smart phones
3. Government has operationalised the Cyber Swachhta Kendra to enable detection and cleaning of malicious code including from mobile / smart phones. The Cyber Swachhta Kendra portal  provides  users  with  free  tools  for  cleaning  malicious  code  as  well  as tools such as M-Kavach for addressing threats related to mobile phones.
4. Ministry  of  Electronics  &  Information  Technology  (MEITY)  regularly  conducts programs to generate information security awareness. Tips for  users about information security  including  securing  mobile  phones  are  disseminated  through  websites  like 'https://infosecawareness.in','www.cert-in.org.in'and 'www.cyberswachhtakendra.gov.in'.
- (c):      Ministry  of  Electronics  &  Information  Technology  (MEITY)  has  not  received  any specific complaint pertaining to data misuse by mobile application developers/ companies.
- (d):  Government had constituted a committee of expert on data protection, chaired by Justice (Retd)  B.N.  Srikrishna,  Supreme  Court  of  India  to  study  various  issues  relating  to  data protection  and  come  out  with  Data  Protection  Bill.  The  said  committee  has  brought  out  a draft Personal Data Protection Bill (PDPB). Wide ranging consultations have been conducted on the recommendations of the committee with a view to finalizing the draft legislation.

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