Mains issueGS-2Editorials30 September 2026

Multi-faceted Threats to Privacy: State, Private Actors, and Technology

An aspirant should be able to argue that the right to privacy in India faces complex, evolving threats from both state and non-state actors, exacerbated by technology, necessitating a comprehensive legal and policy framework beyond traditional state-centric approaches.

Source: thehindu.comOriginal report

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Why now

Recent incidents involving facial recognition during protests, doxxing, deepfakes, and mass deletions from electoral rolls highlight the complex and evolving nature of privacy challenges in India, necessitating a re-evaluation of existing legal and constitutional safeguards.

Core issue

The article argues that privacy challenges extend beyond traditional state surveillance to include doxxing, deepfakes, and electoral roll scrutiny, involving a complex interplay of state actors, private firms, and online networks. It highlights how the K.S. Puttaswamy judgment, while foundational, is insufficient to address these diffuse threats, especially given exemptions in the Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023, and the non-cooperation in cases like Pegasus. The author emphasizes that the scale and speed of modern technology necessitate a re-evaluation of India's privacy jurisprudence to effectively protect citizens' rights.

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