{"id":147536,"date":"2024-12-18T20:21:26","date_gmt":"2024-12-18T14:51:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/?post_type=editorial-analysis&#038;p=147536"},"modified":"2024-12-18T20:21:26","modified_gmt":"2024-12-18T14:51:26","slug":"indias-unregulated-al-surveillance","status":"publish","type":"editorial-analysis","link":"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/editorial-analysis\/indias-unregulated-al-surveillance","title":{"rendered":"The Legal Gaps in India&#8217;s Unregulated Al Surveillance"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">India&#8217;s rapid expansion of AI-powered surveillance, including facial recognition at railway stations and plans for 50 AI satellites, boosts law enforcement but raises critical privacy and constitutional concerns<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-size: 18pt;\"><b>India&#8217;s Current Position<\/b><\/span><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">India has begun deploying AI-powered facial recognition technology and CCTV surveillance in public spaces<\/span><b> without substantial legislative debate, risk assessment, or the establishment of clear guidelines.<\/b><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Technologies like those implemented in Delhi and Hyderabad are being integrated into policing systems without publicly available rules regarding data collection, processing, or storage.\u00a0<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This lack of regulation leaves room for potential misuse of data and raises concerns about national security.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">As of now, <\/span><b>AI remains largely unregulated in India.<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> In 2022, the government announced plans to regulate AI technologies under the forthcoming <\/span><b>Digital India Act<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, <\/span><b>but draft legislation has not yet materialized.<\/b><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This lack of regulation exposes citizens to<\/span><b> risks such as <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">infringement of privacy, discrimination, data breaches, potential misuse of sensitive information etc.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">India&#8217;s approach to AI adoption needs a structured regulatory framework to safeguard privacy, promote accountability, and mitigate the risks of misuse in AI-powered systems.<\/span><\/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<div class=\"vc_table_green\"><\/p>\n<table style=\"width: 99.6975%;\">\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;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><b>Note:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> In 2019, the Indian government announced plans to create the world\u2019s largest facial recognition system for policing.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<p><\/div>\n<h2><span style=\"font-size: 18pt;\"><b>Legal and Constitutional Concerns Associated with AI Surveillance<\/b><\/span><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Lack of Proportional Safeguards: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Data-driven governance enhances governance and crime prevention but must safeguard privacy under Article 21 of the Constitution.<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Th<\/span><b>e K.S. Puttaswamy case (2017)<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> affirmed privacy as a fundamental right, yet inadequate safeguards and incidents like the T<\/span><b>elangana Police data breach highlight ongoing concerns.<\/b><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<div class=\"vc_table_green\"><\/p>\n<table style=\"width: 99.7992%;\">\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;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><b>Case Study: The Telangana Police Data Breach<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Reports revealed unauthorized access to databases from social welfare schemes like <\/span><b>\u201cSamagra Vedika.\u201d<\/b><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The breach raised serious questions about the <\/span><b>scope of data collection <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">and the l<\/span><b>ack of transparency in its use<\/b><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<p><\/div>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Expansion of Principles:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> The right to privacy and the principle of proportionality demand that any<\/span><b> intrusion into personal data be backed by law, pursue legitimate aims, and remain proportionate to the goal pursued.<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">However, the current surveillance framework, bolstered by AI technologies, appears to stretch these principles to their limits.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Dragnet Surveillance: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It refers to the indiscriminate collection of data on a large scale, far beyond the scope of targeting specific suspects or criminals.<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This approach involves gathering information from the general population, raising concerns about privacy violations and the potential misuse of collected data.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Concerns from Data Breaches: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Incidents like the Telangana Police data breach highlight the lack of transparency in the data collection practices of law enforcement agencies and the risks posed to citizens&#8217; privacy.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Risks of AI Misuse Despite Laws: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Even well-intentioned surveillance laws can lead to overreach and infringe on citizens\u2019 rights, as demonstrated by Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence <\/span><b>Surveillance Act (FISA) in the United States<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.\u00a0<\/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-textbooks?utm_source=SEO&#038;utm_medium=PW+Live&#038;utm_campaign=UPSC+Textbooks\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Check Out UPSC NCERT Textbooks From PW Store<\/span><\/a><\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"vc_table_green\"><\/p>\n<table style=\"width: 99.5985%;\">\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;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><b>Concerns with the Digital Personal Data Protection Act (DPDPA)<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><b>Broad Government Exemptions<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">:<\/span><\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400; color: #000000;\">The DPDPA, enacted in 2023, aims to regulate consent and data privacy. However, it has been criticized for providing the government with sweeping exemptions:<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"3\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><b>Section 7(g)<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: Waives consent requirements for processing personal data during epidemics for medical treatment.<\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"3\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><b>Section 7(i)<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: Exempts the government from <\/span><b>consent requirements for processing employment-related data,<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> raising concerns about potential misuse in AI-powered surveillance.<\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><b>Section 15(c)<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: Mandates that citizens must not suppress material information when submitting personal data, potentially leading to punitive measures for errors or outdated data, exacerbating privacy issues.<\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><b>Limited Scope of the DPDPA<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">:<\/span><\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400; color: #000000;\">While the Act focuses on consent mechanisms, it overlooks broader challenges posed by AI technologies:<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"3\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400; color: #000000;\">Fails to regulate high-risk AI activities such as facial recognition and biometric surveillance.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<p><\/div>\n<h2><span style=\"font-size: 18pt;\"><b>Western Countries Approach in Tackling AI Situations<\/b><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">India is not alone in addressing the challenges posed by AI and its impact on civil liberties. The European Union (EU) has implemented regulations that can serve as a useful guide for India.<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Risk-Based Framework<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: The EU\u2019s Artificial Intelligence Act adopts a risk-based approach to AI activities, categorizing them into <\/span><b>unacceptable<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, <\/span><b>high<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, <\/span><b>transparency<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, and <\/span><b>minimal risk<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> levels.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Prohibitions and Exceptions<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: Activities like real-time remote biometric identification for law enforcement are prohibited under EU law due to their unacceptable risk.\u00a0<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Exceptions are allowed only in specific cases, such as locating victims of serious crimes or addressing imminent threats.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Transparency and Minimal Risk<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: Provisions are in place to ensure transparency for certain activities, while minimal-risk AI technologies face fewer restrictions.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><span style=\"font-size: 18pt;\"><b>Way Forward<\/b><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">To address the risks associated with AI-powered surveillance and ensure the protection of civil liberties, India must adopt the following measures:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Embed Privacy Measures<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: Integrate robust privacy safeguards into AI and surveillance infrastructure <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">before<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> deployment. Surveillance protocols should include clear limits on data collection, storage, and access.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Consent Mechanisms and Transparency<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">:<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Implement systems for obtaining explicit consent from individuals before collecting personal data.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Publish transparency reports detailing the <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">purpose<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> of data collection, <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">time period<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> of storage, and intended use of the data.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Judicial Oversight<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">:<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Ensure that exemptions for processing personal data are narrowly defined and subject to <\/span><b>independent and effective judicial oversight<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Establish mechanisms for regular audits to prevent misuse and maintain accountability.<\/span><\/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\/pw-only-ias?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 Classes<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-size: 18pt;\"><b>Conclusion<\/b><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The issue is not the use of AI in governance, but rather its unchecked application without adequate safeguards. To protect citizens&#8217; rights and ensure responsible use of technology, a comprehensive regulatory framework is urgently required.<\/span><\/p>\n<table style=\"width: 99.6988%;\">\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;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><b>Mains Question:<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400; color: #000000;\"><a style=\"color: #000000;\" href=\"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/mains-answer-writing\/examine-the-balance-between-national-security-and-individual-privacy\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Q. While AI powered surveillance promises enhanced security and efficient governance, it poses significant challenges to privacy rights and civil liberties. In light of India&#8217;s current regulatory framework, examine the balance between national security and individual privacy. Suggest measures for a comprehensive legal framework. (15 M, 250 words)<\/a>\u00a0<\/span><\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\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%; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/quiz\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><b>Daily Current Affairs Quiz<\/b><\/a><\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 61.393%; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/mains-answer-writing\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><b>Daily Main Answer Writing<\/b><\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"width: 49.797%; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/store.pw.live\/govt-entrance-exams\/upsc-books\/upsc-previous-year-papers?utm_source=SEO&#038;utm_medium=PW+Live&#038;utm_campaign=UPSC+Previous+Year+Papers\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><b>Check Out Previous Years Papers From PW Store<\/b><\/a><\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 61.393%; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/upsc-test-series-courses\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><b>UPSC Test Series<\/b><\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"width: 49.797%; text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/store.pw.live\/govt-entrance-exams\/upsc-books\/upsc-textbooks?utm_source=SEO&#038;utm_medium=PW+Live&#038;utm_campaign=UPSC+Textbooks\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><b>Check Out UPSC NCERT Textbooks From PW Store<\/b><\/a><\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 61.393%; text-align: center;\"><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\"><b>Check Out UPSC Modules From PW Store<\/b><\/a><b>\u00a0<\/b><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<p><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>India&#8217;s rapid expansion of AI-powered surveillance, including facial recognition at railway stations and plans for 50 AI satellites, boosts law enforcement but raises critical privacy and constitutional concerns<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":11,"featured_media":147482,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"rank_math_lock_modified_date":false,"footnotes":""},"tags":[],"paper-wise":[],"subject":[],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/editorial-analysis\/147536"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/editorial-analysis"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/editorial-analysis"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/11"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=147536"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/editorial-analysis\/147536\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":147539,"href":"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/editorial-analysis\/147536\/revisions\/147539"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/147482"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=147536"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=147536"},{"taxonomy":"paper-wise","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/paper-wise?post=147536"},{"taxonomy":"subject","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/subject?post=147536"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}