Lok Sabha Question No. 493 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2020-09-16
Subject: Data Privacy of Public WiFi
Ministry: COMMUNICATIONS
Asked by: Ravi Kishan Shukla

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF COMMUNICATIONS DEPARTMENT OF TELECOMMUNICATIONS

## LOK  SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 493 TO BE ANSWERED ON 16 TH  SEPTEMBER, 2020

## DATA PRIVACY OF PUBLIC WiFi

## †493.   SHRI RAVI KISHAN:

Will the Minister of COMMUNICATIONS be pleased to state:

- (a) whether  adequate  steps  have  been  taken/are  proposed  to  be  taken  by  the  Government  to  ensure privacy of user data and security of free and public WiFi connections being provided at many places in the country such as railway stations, airports and other public places and if so, the details thereof;
- (b) whether  the  Government  proposes  to  make  it  mandatory  to  display  information  regarding  safe internet browsing and modalities of its use for the above places; and
- (c) if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE FOR COMMUNICATIONS, EDUCATION AND ELECTRONICS & INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY (SHRI SANJAY DHOTRE)

- (a) Sir, the Government has taken adequate steps to ensure privacy of user data and security of free and public Wi-Fi connections being provided at many places in the country such as railway stations, airports and other public places. Intentionally damaging or tampering with telegraphs or unlawfully attempting to learn  the  contents  of  messages  is  a  punishable  offence  as  per  the  Section  24,  25  &  26  of  the  Indian Telegraph Act. Moreover, DoT has issued instructions in February 2009 to Telecom Service Providers who have been granted Licenses for provision of Telecom services regarding safeguards in provision of Wi-Fi Internet  services  in  the  delicensed  frequency  band  for  secure  use  of  Wi-Fi  services  including  those provided at public places i.e. Hotel, Restaurants, Airports, Malls, Shops, Railway Stations through Hotspot.

Further, a document on Security in Public Wi-Fi Implementations-Best Practices was circulated to Internet service Providers (ISPs) for implementation.

- (b) The implementation of License clauses related with the Security, Privacy and Data confidentiality, the  instructions  issued  in  2009  regarding  safeguards  in  provisioning  of  Wi-Fi  Internet  services  and  the document containing  the  Best  Practices  on  Security  in  Public  Wi-Fi  enables  the  display  of  information regarding a Secure Wi-Fi on the user terminal/Mobile phone being used. This also enables a simple, secure and  safe  internet  access  by  the  users  through  the  Wi-Fi  obviating  the  need  for  display  of  information regarding safe internet browsing and modalities of its use  at these places.
- (c) The  program  of  MeitY  titled  'Information  Security  Education  and  Awareness  (ISEA)'  has  an objective of Creation of Mass Information Security Awareness towards academic, general and Government users for the period 2015 - 2020. Further, Government has instructed Telecom Service Providers/Internet Service Providers under Unified License (Similar provisions in other Licences also) to protect the interest of the stakeholders/customers and privacy of the individual through License conditions.

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