A new technology report by Observer Research Foundation (ORF) said that a majority of urban youth want a say in how their data is share and use by the government and social media intermediaries, and support the right to be forgotten through a mandatory erasure.
India’s youth want data localisation and feel foreign enterprises should store and process data within data centres in India.
They believe that the government must promote domestic tech and enterprises, ORF said.
‘Swiping Right on Tech Policy: An Assessment of Young India’s Aspirations’ is ORF’s inaugural technology policy survey, which attempts to assess the Indian youth’s understanding of the role of technology in their lives.
ORF Said :
The report, base on a survey of urban youth, was conduct to meet three objectives :
- Measure young India’s awareness of issues pertaining to technology policy
- Identify their concerns
- Gauge their opinions on future policy options in this space.
ORF Said :
About 80% of them support the right to be forgotten through the mandatory erasure, on a user’s request, of their personal data collect by private companies.
They also want data localisation, 70% feel that foreign enterprises should store and process data within data centres in India.
They believe that the government must promote domestic tech and enterprises.
Over 80% support policies that would enable and protect India’s domestic technology industry.
While the youth have a strong interest in safeguarding their individual privacy, they showed extensive support towards sharing personal data to support government schemes and public welfare mechanisms, such as providing rations or cash to the poor, reducing road accidents, and maintaining robust healthcare services.
ORF Said :
Over 85% of the respondents support government investments in mobile towers, uninterrupt supply of critical mineral resources, development of indigenous computer or mobile chips, open data regimes for enabling AI innovation, and development of indigenous social media platform alternatives or encrypted messaging platforms.
The government, young India suggests, must address the need for data literacy and cyber hygiene programmes, utilising greater involvement from different stakeholders and providing greater attention to women, unemploye youth and other marginalise sections of society.
India must also continue to engage in bilateral and multilateral partnerships that help mitigate the risks pose by higher-tech innovations, such as artificial intelligence (AI).
As per ORF statement Said :
These collaborations must also develop safeguards against threats of foreign interference in domestic elections, and target campaigns on critical public infrastructure.