A new report by a committee of the European Parliament claimed that EU democracy is under attack by the increasing use of mercenary spyware that violates privacy rights.

Report: EU democracy is under attack by mercenary spyware

Twitter on Tuesday apologised after "inadvertently" using phone numbers and email addresses for advertising even though the personal data was provided for account security.

Twitter users' phone numbers and email addresses,&nbsp;submitted to allow for account authentication,&nbsp;were matched with advertisers' own data to enable targeted ads.

"When you provided an email address or phone number for safety or security purposes this data may have inadvertently been used for advertising purposes," Twitter said in an online post.

"This was an error and we apologise."

None of the user data was shared with partners outside the company, and it was unclear how many people were affected, the San Francisco-based company said.

The issue was fixed in mid-September, Twitter said.

"We're very sorry this happened and are taking steps to make sure we don’t make a mistake like this again," Twitter said.

Privacy and internet data are hot political topics worldwide, with tech giants such as Twitter and Facebook in the crosshairs of regulators.

Twitter on Tuesday apologised after "inadvertently" using phone numbers and email addresses for advertising even though the personal data was provided for account security.

Twitter on Tuesday apologised after "inadvertently" using phone numbers and email addresses for advertising even though the personal data was provided for account security. Twitter users' phone numbers and email addresses, submitted to allow for account authentication, were matched with advertisers' own data to enable targeted ads. "When you provided an email address or phone number for safety or security purposes this data may have inadvertently been used for advertising purposes," Twitter said in an online post. "This was an error and we apologise." None of the user data was shared with partners outside the company, and it was unclear how many people were affected, the San Francisco-based company said. The issue was fixed in mid-September, Twitter said. "We're very sorry this happened and are taking steps to make sure we don’t make a mistake like this again," Twitter said. Privacy and internet data are hot political topics worldwide, with tech giants such as Twitter and Facebook in the crosshairs of regulators.

Twitter admits phone numbers meant for security used for ads

Aadhaar, literally meaning &ldquo;base&rdquo;, is now being used as the new age identity proof. It will be needed not only for accessing government benefits, but also for verification of identity in the banking services, digital communication system, education sectors and even in public and private employment sectors.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Aadhaar is basically an 11 digit proof of identity system that is meant to play a crucial role in availing government and non-government services. According to S.3(3) of the Aadhaar Act, 2016 (The Act), every resident (not a citizen, as this term has not been mentioned in the provision) is entitled to obtain Aadhaar number after submission of biometrics and other related data and proper verification of the same by the government agency.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

The Act also mentions that the unique identification authority of India will take special measures to issue Aadhaar number to specific groups of individuals, including senior citizens, women, disabled persons etc.&nbsp; While the recent government decisions to mandatorily connect Aadhar with the banking system and telecommunication services has created a wide range of controversies, one must also be concerned about the security of &lsquo;Aadhaar of information&rsquo;, especially for the senior citizens and women.&nbsp; Aadhaar biometrics include image of iris, finger prints and photograph of the face. &nbsp;

&nbsp;

When the concept of Aadhar was introduced way back in 2010-11, it was not mandatory. Consequently, senior citizens and women might not have taken much interest in the same. But later, the Aadhar verification number was made essential for availing some government-aided services, including cooking gas connection. This was one of the very first steps to include Aadhaar as an essential &lsquo;card&rsquo; or identity proof for individuals.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

This essentialisation of Aadhaar remained questionable because several stakeholders raised the issue of limited awareness about it.&nbsp; Moreover, there were already too many verification processes needed for availing government schemes and there were not many Aadhaar card holders. Mostly, the cooking gas services were being availed by stakeholders by way of linking Aadhaar of the head of the families. &nbsp;

&nbsp;

This indeed questioned the basic understanding of the equal distribution of natural wealth through the social welfare system supported by the government. It was only with the demonetisation move in 2017 that Indian citizens, generally, became more concerned about mandatory nature of the Aadhaar card. Without the Card, banks would not extend their services equally to those who did not possess Aadhaar. It was at this juncture that individuals, irrespective of their gender and age, started registering for Aadhaar number and was also made aware of the privacy issues that was attached to this concept.

&nbsp;

Aadhaar may give unwarranted access to personal financial information as well as private mobile and landline numbers. Privacy right defenders have argued that this is against the basic norms of ensuring privacy as the Aadhaar system itself may not be foolproof. Recent report on possibilities Aadhaar information leakage has made their claim stronger.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

To check possible data leakages, the service providers, including the banking and telecom sector, are duty bound to ensure double verification system. The UIDIA itself is an &lsquo;authority&#39; to safeguard sensitive personal data like the biometrics. They have, time and again, released statements about their own strong mechanisms to prevent data leakage. However, this does not make the whole system free from concern.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Majority of the senior citizens in India are digitally illiterate and may have to depend on the younger generation to &lsquo;authenticate&rsquo; the Aadhaar online. The question of &lsquo;trust&rsquo; essentially arise here because the younger generation becomes the &lsquo;information conveyer&rsquo; to the older generation. The third party inclusion may automatically breach the privacy at the beginning. &nbsp;

&nbsp;

Similarly, while senior citizens may possess mobile phone numbers, the recent call for linking Aadhaar number with telecom service industry has caused another havoc. Consider the plight of pensioners and other beneficiaries who may be availing financial benefits and depend majorly on the SMS system for receiving message regarding crediting or debiting of amounts in their accounts: the fear of blocking of the phone numbers&nbsp; because of not linking of Aadhaar with the same may create several health hazards for the senior citizens. &nbsp;

&nbsp;

The Indian government may not have an answer to such problems, particularly, at a time when the courts are being approached for ensuring senior citizen&rsquo;s rights. However, this constant tussle between government&rsquo;s responsibility towards ensuring holistic rights of senior citizens and the latter&rsquo;s silent suffering due to the problematic nature of &ldquo;Aadhaar of identity&quot; should not go unnoticed.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

It is essential to make workable policies related to identity proof, which must not only provide assurance of safety but also should ensure the privacy of more vulnerable citizens of India.

&nbsp;

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

&nbsp;

The constant tussle between government’s responsibility towards ensuring holistic rights of senior citizens and the latter’s silent suffering due to the problematic nature of “Aadhaar of identity" should not go unnoticed.

Aadhaar, literally meaning “base”, is now being used as the new age identity proof. It will be needed not only for accessing government benefits, but also for verification of identity in the banking services, digital communication system, education sectors and even in public and private employment sectors. Aadhaar is basically an 11 digit proof of identity system that is meant to play a crucial role in availing government and non-government services. According to S.3(3) of the Aadhaar Act, 2016 (The Act), every resident (not a citizen, as this term has not been mentioned in the provision) is entitled to obtain Aadhaar number after submission of biometrics and other related data and proper verification of the same by the government agency. The Act also mentions that the unique identification authority of India will take special measures to issue Aadhaar number to specific groups of individuals, including senior citizens, women, disabled persons etc. While the recent government decisions to mandatorily connect Aadhar with the banking system and telecommunication services has created a wide range of controversies, one must also be concerned about the security of ‘Aadhaar of information’, especially for the senior citizens and women. Aadhaar biometrics include image of iris, finger prints and photograph of the face. When the concept of Aadhar was introduced way back in 2010-11, it was not mandatory. Consequently, senior citizens and women might not have taken much interest in the same. But later, the Aadhar verification number was made essential for availing some government-aided services, including cooking gas connection. This was one of the very first steps to include Aadhaar as an essential ‘card’ or identity proof for individuals. This essentialisation of Aadhaar remained questionable because several stakeholders raised the issue of limited awareness about it. Moreover, there were already too many verification processes needed for availing government schemes and there were not many Aadhaar card holders. Mostly, the cooking gas services were being availed by stakeholders by way of linking Aadhaar of the head of the families. This indeed questioned the basic understanding of the equal distribution of natural wealth through the social welfare system supported by the government. It was only with the demonetisation move in 2017 that Indian citizens, generally, became more concerned about mandatory nature of the Aadhaar card. Without the Card, banks would not extend their services equally to those who did not possess Aadhaar. It was at this juncture that individuals, irrespective of their gender and age, started registering for Aadhaar number and was also made aware of the privacy issues that was attached to this concept. Aadhaar may give unwarranted access to personal financial information as well as private mobile and landline numbers. Privacy right defenders have argued that this is against the basic norms of ensuring privacy as the Aadhaar system itself may not be foolproof. Recent report on possibilities Aadhaar information leakage has made their claim stronger. To check possible data leakages, the service providers, including the banking and telecom sector, are duty bound to ensure double verification system. The UIDIA itself is an ‘authority' to safeguard sensitive personal data like the biometrics. They have, time and again, released statements about their own strong mechanisms to prevent data leakage. However, this does not make the whole system free from concern. Majority of the senior citizens in India are digitally illiterate and may have to depend on the younger generation to ‘authenticate’ the Aadhaar online. The question of ‘trust’ essentially arise here because the younger generation becomes the ‘information conveyer’ to the older generation. The third party inclusion may automatically breach the privacy at the beginning. Similarly, while senior citizens may possess mobile phone numbers, the recent call for linking Aadhaar number with telecom service industry has caused another havoc. Consider the plight of pensioners and other beneficiaries who may be availing financial benefits and depend majorly on the SMS system for receiving message regarding crediting or debiting of amounts in their accounts: the fear of blocking of the phone numbers because of not linking of Aadhaar with the same may create several health hazards for the senior citizens. The Indian government may not have an answer to such problems, particularly, at a time when the courts are being approached for ensuring senior citizen’s rights. However, this constant tussle between government’s responsibility towards ensuring holistic rights of senior citizens and the latter’s silent suffering due to the problematic nature of “Aadhaar of identity" should not go unnoticed. It is essential to make workable policies related to identity proof, which must not only provide assurance of safety but also should ensure the privacy of more vulnerable citizens of India. (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

Opinion: How Aadhar impacts the senior citizens of India

Microsoft on Thursday scored a big victory on a keenly watched privacy battlefront, with a US appeals court exonerating the company for refusing to give police user data stored overseas. 
 
A three-judge panel in a US court of appeals in New York City ordered that a finding of contempt against Microsoft be tossed out along with the warrant in the case. 
 
The December 2013 warrant directed Microsoft to turn over the contents of an email account used by a suspected drug trafficker. 
 
Redmond, Washington-based Microsoft handed over account information it kept on US soil, but said the content of emails was off-limits because it was stored on servers in Ireland, according to a summary of the case. 
 
The citizenship and location of the suspected drug trafficker were not revealed. 
 
The warrant had been issued under provisions of Stored Communications Act (SCA) legislation enacted as part of the Electronic Communications Privacy Act of 1986. 
 
Judge Susan Carney of the appeals court said that the SCA does not give US courts authority to force internet companies in the United States to seize customer email contents stored on foreign servers. 
 
&quot;We conclude that Congress did not intend the SCA&#39;s warrant provisions to apply extraterritorially,&quot; the judges said. 
 
&quot;The focus of those provisions is protection of a user&#39;s privacy interests.&quot; Microsoft welcomed the decision, saying it helped insure people&#39;s privacy rights are protected by laws in their own countries. 
 
The case had been closely watched by those who feared that a ruling against Microsoft would pave the way for countries to force internet firms to disclose user data no matter where in the world it was kept. 
 
&quot;This decision provides a major victory for the protection of people`s privacy rights under their own laws rather than the reach of foreign governments,&quot; Microsoft chief legal officer Brad Smith said in an email. 
 
&quot;It makes clear that the US Congress did not give the US Government the authority to use search warrants unilaterally to reach beyond US borders.&quot; 
 
Knowing personal information will be protected by local law is also imperative for people to trust technology companies, Smith reasoned. 
The long-running case has been a key point of concern for online service providers and their users. 
 
If the Department of Justice had triumphed over Microsoft in the case, other countries would have easily seen it as a green light to use their own laws to demand data stored in the US, said Greg Nojeim, a project director at Washington-based nonprofit Center for Democracy and Technology. 
 
&quot;It would have been like the Wild West and disaster for privacy,&quot; Nojeim said.The Information Technology and Innovation Foundation, a Washington-based tech policy think tank which supported Microsoft&#39;s case, said data stored in other countries should be sought under auspices of a Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty designed to let police agencies around the world to help one another. 
 
&quot;The question here isn&#39;t whether the US government can gain lawful access to this data, but rather the process it should use to do so,&quot; said ITIF vice president Daniel Castro. 
 
The US has such mutual assistance treaties with more than 50 countries, including Ireland, according to Castro. 
 
Microsoft&#39;s legal win came with the risk that foreign governments would begin forcing tech companies to rely on local servers to keep information away from US authorities, the ITIF warned. 
 
The group was among several urging US political leaders to speed efforts to improve the MLAT process and create a global framework for governments to legally access data stored in the cloud. 
 
(AFP)

The December 2013 warrant directed Microsoft to turn over the contents of an email account used by a suspected drug trafficker

Microsoft on Thursday scored a big victory on a keenly watched privacy battlefront, with a US appeals court exonerating the company for refusing to give police user data stored overseas. A three-judge panel in a US court of appeals in New York City ordered that a finding of contempt against Microsoft be tossed out along with the warrant in the case. The December 2013 warrant directed Microsoft to turn over the contents of an email account used by a suspected drug trafficker. Redmond, Washington-based Microsoft handed over account information it kept on US soil, but said the content of emails was off-limits because it was stored on servers in Ireland, according to a summary of the case. The citizenship and location of the suspected drug trafficker were not revealed. The warrant had been issued under provisions of Stored Communications Act (SCA) legislation enacted as part of the Electronic Communications Privacy Act of 1986. Judge Susan Carney of the appeals court said that the SCA does not give US courts authority to force internet companies in the United States to seize customer email contents stored on foreign servers. "We conclude that Congress did not intend the SCA's warrant provisions to apply extraterritorially," the judges said. "The focus of those provisions is protection of a user's privacy interests." Microsoft welcomed the decision, saying it helped insure people's privacy rights are protected by laws in their own countries. The case had been closely watched by those who feared that a ruling against Microsoft would pave the way for countries to force internet firms to disclose user data no matter where in the world it was kept. "This decision provides a major victory for the protection of people`s privacy rights under their own laws rather than the reach of foreign governments," Microsoft chief legal officer Brad Smith said in an email. "It makes clear that the US Congress did not give the US Government the authority to use search warrants unilaterally to reach beyond US borders." Knowing personal information will be protected by local law is also imperative for people to trust technology companies, Smith reasoned. The long-running case has been a key point of concern for online service providers and their users. If the Department of Justice had triumphed over Microsoft in the case, other countries would have easily seen it as a green light to use their own laws to demand data stored in the US, said Greg Nojeim, a project director at Washington-based nonprofit Center for Democracy and Technology. "It would have been like the Wild West and disaster for privacy," Nojeim said.The Information Technology and Innovation Foundation, a Washington-based tech policy think tank which supported Microsoft's case, said data stored in other countries should be sought under auspices of a Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty designed to let police agencies around the world to help one another. "The question here isn't whether the US government can gain lawful access to this data, but rather the process it should use to do so," said ITIF vice president Daniel Castro. The US has such mutual assistance treaties with more than 50 countries, including Ireland, according to Castro. Microsoft's legal win came with the risk that foreign governments would begin forcing tech companies to rely on local servers to keep information away from US authorities, the ITIF warned. The group was among several urging US political leaders to speed efforts to improve the MLAT process and create a global framework for governments to legally access data stored in the cloud. (AFP)

Microsoft wins appeal to protect overseas data

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