Tech Entrepreneurs Demand Clarity on Digital Data Rules

The Tech Entrepreneurs Association of Mumbai (TEAM) calls for revisions and clarity on the draft Digital Personal Data Protection rules. They seek a tiered compliance approach based on entity size to foster innovation, along with guidelines on age gating, breach protocols, and ethical data usage.

The Tech Entrepreneurs Association of Mumbai (TEAM) has urged the government to make specific changes and provide clearer guidelines on the draft Digital Personal Data Protection (DPDP) rules. As a representative of startups in Mumbai, TEAM believes that a tiered approach to compliance, based on company size, could significantly boost innovation.

In a statement released shortly after the government unveiled the draft, TEAM highlighted the need for discussion on several key areas, including age gating, breach protocols, and penalties. They also seek clarity on compliance frameworks, cross-border data transfers, and data retention and erasure policies. TEAM's members, which include businesses like Dream11 and BookmyShow, emphasize the necessity of guidelines for the ethical use of personal data, especially with the growing prevalence of large language models.

The association advocates for user-driven data deletion processes, aligning them with international standards such as GDPR and CCPA. TEAM also proposes a 'structured platform' that brings together startups, tech companies, civil society, think tanks, and academic institutions to offer feedback and analyze the rules. They stress the importance of making the rules available in multiple languages to encourage greater civic participation and express their support for the government's mission of creating a robust digital ecosystem.

(With inputs from agencies.)