Dinesh Kamath's Editorial 'Misuse of modern technology should stop' that was published in Newsband

Misuse of modern technology should stop

The political parties ought to combat the party ideologically rather than on issues such as surveillance and the tapping of telephone conversations. They should also stop such recordings of conversations find their way into the public domain, either through a calculated leak or through journalistic resourcefulness. The personal nature of the allegations and suspicions over the motives behind the leak warrant extra care and scrutiny since they can raise embarrassing and troubling questions.

The law of privacy is inadequately developed in India, but it is doubtful if the physical surveillance and massive intrusion into the privacy is legally justified. Telephone tapping is an altogether new dimension. The Information Technology Act, 2000, through a 2008 amendment, provides for interception in the interest of sovereignty and integrity of the country, defence, security, friendly relations with foreign states, public order, and to prevent incitement to a cognisable offence or for investigation of an offence.

It is a moot question if these essential procedural safeguards laid down by the Supreme Court to protect the constitutional and common law right to privacy in telephone conversations are observed. No doubt, in the case of many police departments and government agencies these safeguards are honoured more in the breach. It is time to expand the gambit of surveillance laws to include right to privacy with a constitutional amendment.

Very often such a casual request for surveillance is made in all parts of India.

Those who see no harm to tap someone's phone and do surveillance have an ideology that is not in line with true democracy. Bringing innocent people's privacy to public is totally breach of fundamental rights.

The central issue is gross misuse of official power for private ends. Are we sure that no government, state or central has not snooped, is not snooping? Recently the US seems to have snooped on India, Pranab Mukherjee's office seemed to have been bugged, and so was Chidambaram's.

Illegal phone tapping and monitoring cellphone calls are made by politicians in power by misusing the official machinery and these have become so rampant that there is no non-sinner, who can raise his finger on any other politician. Surveillance happens everyday, minute and second by individuals, institutions, State.

 US was blatantly snooping against all the heads of the state (be it PM or other ministers). Snooping happens in all states on hundreds of individuals ranging from hardened criminals to political hacks who try to destabilize Governments. If modern technology has proved to be a boon many a times, it has also proved to be harmful quite a number of times.