Telecom Act 2023: Safeguarding User Data

The Telecommunications Act, 2023 has no provision for telecom surveillance, according to the Minister of State for Communications Pemmasani Chandra Sekhar. The Act is designed to protect users' personal data under the Information Technology Rules, 2011, and complements the Digital Personal Data Protection Act for lawful data processing.

The Telecommunications Act, 2023 does not include provisions permitting telecom surveillance, the Parliament was informed on Thursday.

Minister of State for Communications Pemmasani Chandra Sekhar, in a written reply to the Rajya Sabha, stated that the Act outlines practices and procedures to safeguard user data according to the Information Technology (Reasonable Security Practices and Procedures and Sensitive Personal Data or Information) Rules, 2011.

He also highlighted that the Digital Personal Data Protection Act encompasses the processing of personal digital data, balancing the protection of individual rights and the lawful needs of data fiduciaries.

(With inputs from agencies.)