MP Patnaik says non personal data only needs light touch regulations

Patnaik, a Biju Janata Dal leader, launched the IAMAI – EY Report on Impact Assessment of NPD Governance.

“If the use of the data is to make evidence-based policymaking and to ensure that the roots of these data used in terms of increased or better delivery of services to citizen then you want us to first develop this market and once you develop the market, then innovations will come up and various types of no new solution should come for human needs,” Patnaik said.

He added that if there is “misuse of non-personal data to create distrust in society, create disharmony in society”, then a regulation will be required but if India does not develop the market and straightaway implements stringent regulations, then it will not be serving the purpose.

The government-constituted panel headed by S (Kris) Gopalakrishnan, cofounder of Infosys studying the need for regulation for NPD in India has submitted a draft legislation along with a final report to the government, ET reported recently.

“The government’s effort and the regulations should be to promote the market and then to (implement) very soft touch recommendations. And then once the market is developed, then there are chances of market failure and therefore, the regulation has to be even stronger,” he said.

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Patnaik said personal data protection bill and non-personal data are not comparable as the element of privacy is missing from NPD and therefore should not be put on the same pedestal. The purpose of non-personal data is to deliver to the people is services, improved care benefits and utilities, he added.

He added that whole both are different, a watertight distinction is not possible between them.

“I have been actually mentioned in several times in the in the in the joint parliamentary committee is that it is very difficult to completely keep them separate, because at some stage technology will be able to catch up to reidentify the data, and the fact that there are mixed data sets.” Patnaik said.