{"id":148344,"date":"2024-12-24T19:26:28","date_gmt":"2024-12-24T13:56:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/?post_type=current-affairs&#038;p=148344"},"modified":"2024-12-24T19:28:48","modified_gmt":"2024-12-24T13:58:48","slug":"telecommunications-rules","status":"publish","type":"current-affairs","link":"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/current-affairs\/telecommunications-rules","title":{"rendered":"Telecommunications Rules 2024"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Union government has notified the Telecommunications (Procedures and Safeguards for <\/span><b>Lawful Interception of Messages) <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Rules, 2024.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-size: 18pt;\"><b>What is Message Interception?<\/b><\/span><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It is the act of <\/span><b>secretly accessing or capturing messages<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> sent between two or more people without their permission.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The new rule regarding message interception aims to safeguard<\/span><b> national security<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> while addressing concerns over potential Right to Privacy violations.<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It replaces<\/span><b> Rule 419A of the Indian Telegraph Rules, 1951.<\/b><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span class=\"vc_button\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pw.live\/batches\/upsc?utm_source=seo+upsc+batch&#038;utm_medium=seo+upsc&#038;utm_campaign=seo&#038;utm_id=upsc\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Enroll now for UPSC Online Course<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-size: 16pt;\"><b>Key Features of the New Rules<\/b><\/span><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><b>Purpose: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">To allow <\/span><b>authorized agencies<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> to intercept messages for specific reasons and for limited durations<\/span><b>.<\/b><\/li>\n<li><b>It is <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">based on existing call <\/span><b>interception protocols.<\/b><\/li>\n<li><b>Duration: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Interception permitted for a maximum of six months.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><b>Competent Authorities for Approvals<\/b>\n<ul>\n<li><b>Union Level: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Home Secretary.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><b>State Level: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Chief Secretary.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><b>Urgent Cases: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Joint Secretary or Inspector General-level officers can issue interim orders, subject to confirmation by the competent authority within three working days.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><b>Failure to confirm within 7<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> working days will terminate the interception, and collected data cannot be used as evidence.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><span style=\"font-size: 18pt;\"><b>Judiciary view on intercepted conversation<\/b><\/span><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>R.M. Malkani v. State of Maharashtra (1973): <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This case revolved around the question that criminal prosecution can be started against a person on just part of telephonic conversation or not.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Admissibility of telephonic conversation:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> In this case,<\/span><b> SC <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">ruled that a recorded telephonic conversation , if it is relevant and does not violate any provision of Indian evidence act (IEA), can be used as evidence.\u00a0<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">However, it should be recorded in such a way so that accuracy can be verified.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><span style=\"font-size: 16pt;\"><b>Differences Between New Rules and Rule 419A<\/b><\/span><\/h3>\n<div class=\"vc_table_green\"><\/p>\n<table style=\"width: 99.5959%;\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"text-align: center; width: 24.6988%;\"><b>Base\u00a0<\/b><\/td>\n<td style=\"text-align: center; width: 37.4643%;\"><b>Rule 419A<\/b><\/td>\n<td style=\"text-align: center; width: 37.6173%;\"><b>New Rule<\/b><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"width: 24.6988%;\"><b>Relaxation of &#8216;Emergent Cases&#8217; Condition<\/b><\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 37.4643%;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Allowed interception only in emergent cases.<\/span><\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 37.6173%;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Broadened scope to include &#8220;remote areas&#8221; or &#8220;operational reasons.&#8221;<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"width: 24.6988%;\"><b>Limits on Authorized Officers<\/b><\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 37.4643%;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">No limit on the number of officers at the Inspector General rank at the state level.<\/span><\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 37.6173%;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Only the head or the second senior-most officer of the authorized agency can issue interception orders.<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"width: 24.6988%;\"><b>Validation of Interception Orders<\/b><\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 37.4643%;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">No specific validation timeline.<\/span><\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 37.6173%;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Orders not confirmed within<\/span><b> seven days <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">become invalid, and collected data cannot be used.<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<p><\/div>\n<h3><span style=\"font-size: 16pt;\"><b>Key Concerns<\/b><\/span><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li><b>Potential for Misuse: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">There are concerns that these rules could be misused by authorities, leading to unwarranted surveillance of citizens.<\/span><\/li>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><b>Privacy Violation: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">These rules infringe on the fundamental right to privacy of individuals.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span class=\"vc_button\"><a href=\"https:\/\/store.pw.live\/govt-entrance-exams\/upsc-books\/upsc-modules?utm_source=SEO&#038;utm_medium=PW+Live&#038;utm_campaign=UPSC+Modules\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Check Out UPSC Modules From PW Store<\/span><\/a><\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-size: 18pt;\"><b>Old framework for message interception\u00a0<\/b><\/span><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><b>Indian Telegraph Act, 1885 :<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> The Indian Telegraph Act, 1885, granted the government powers to intercept messages for reasons such as public safety and national security.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><b>Rule 419A (2007): <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It was introduced in <\/span><b>2007<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> following the landmark Supreme Court judgment in the case of <\/span><b>PUCL vs. Union of India (1996)<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The <\/span><b>PUCL ruling<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> emphasized the importance of protecting an individual\u2019s <\/span><b>Right to Privacy<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> under Article 21 of the Constitution.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Key provisions introduced under Rule 419A:<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><b>Clear approval process<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> for interception.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><b>Accountability mechanisms<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> for law enforcement agencies.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Oversight by senior officials to ensure that interception is not misused.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<div class=\"vc_table_green\"><\/p>\n<table style=\"width: 99.7979%;\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<th style=\"width: 100%; border-style: solid; border-color: #000000; background-color: rgba(184, 165, 217, 0.53); text-align: left; vertical-align: middle;\">\n<h3><span style=\"font-size: 16pt; color: #000000;\"><b>How Does Message interception Happen?<\/b><\/span><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><b>Man-in-the-Middle (MITM) Attack: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Hackers place themselves between the sender and receiver to capture messages.<\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><b>Network Sniffing: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Monitoring unsecured networks like public Wi-Fi to steal data.<\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><b>Malware:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Malicious software is used to access or redirect messages.<\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400; color: #000000;\">Man-in-the-Middle (MITM) Attack<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><b>SIM Swapping : <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Attackers duplicate a SIM card to intercept SMS messages and calls.<\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><b>Phishing: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Tricking users into sharing login credentials through fake emails or websites to access communications.<\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><b>Exploitation of Software Vulnerabilities :<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Using outdated or flawed software to gain unauthorized access to messages.<\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><b>Why Is It Done?<\/b><\/span>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400; color: #000000;\">To spy on individuals or organizations.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400; color: #000000;\">To steal sensitive information like passwords or bank details.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400; color: #000000;\">For government or agency surveillance.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><b>Effects:<\/b><\/span>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400; color: #000000;\">Breach of privacy.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400; color: #000000;\">Loss of personal or sensitive data.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400; color: #000000;\">Can lead to legal and ethical problems.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><b>How to Prevent It?<\/b><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: none;\">\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400; color: #000000;\">Use apps or platforms with end-to-end encryption.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400; color: #000000;\">Avoid using public Wi-Fi for important communications.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400; color: #000000;\">Keep your software and devices updated.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400; color: #000000;\">Use strong passwords and secure your accounts.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<p><\/div>\n<div class=\"vc_table_green\"><\/p>\n<table style=\"width: 99.6375%;\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"width: 111.19%; text-align: center;\" colspan=\"2\"><span style=\"font-size: 18pt;\"><b>Also Read<\/b><\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"width: 49.797%; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/editorial-analysis\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><b>UPSC Daily Editorials<\/b><\/a><\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 61.393%; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/daily-current-affairs\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><b>UPSC Daily Current Affairs<\/b><\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"width: 49.797%; 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