Indian Government Introduces Bill To Cut Back e-Crime

The IT (Amendment) Bill, carried by Shakeel Ahmed, state minister for communications, said a rise in computer and Internet usage has resulted in new types of crimes such as sexually explicit content on Internet and video voyeurism.

Confidentiality infringement, data leakage by an intermediary, e-commerce swindles, identity pilferages and offensive messages via communication services have increased. Thus, there was a requirement to inculcate penal provisions in the IT Act, the IPC, the Indian Evidence Avct and the CrPc tp avoid such crimes. Under the provisions of the Bill, service provides can be certified by the state or central governments to establish, operate and upgrade the computerized services.

The new Bill would give alternate technology of e-signatures that are now connected to a particular technology under the current provisions of the Information Technology Act. Moreover, it would allow the state and central governments to certify the service providers to establish, operate and upgrade electronic signatures.

The purpose of this move is to bring harmony with the Model Law on e-signatures adopted by the UNCITL (United Nations Commission on International Trade Law) in 2001.

The UN General Assembly in December 2001 suggested that all States concord favorable consideration to the Model Law. To stop data thievery, an issue that cripple BPOs, the Bill puts forth a new segment to ensure safety procedures and practices by any organization handling confidential data.

The Bill should bring an air of relief, especially for BPO sector that has been living under pressure of data safety for quite some time.

Ahmed stated with spreading of IT-enabled services, like e-commerce, e-governance and e-transactions, safety of personal details and information and application of security measures and methods linked to these usages of e-communications have become more important.

Safety of important information infrastructure is crucial to the national security, public health, safety and economy. It has become essential to show such infrastructure as a safe system to limit its access.

Related article: Indian Financial Industry Facing Rising Online Fraud

» SPAMfighter News - 12/20/2006