Catergory

VoterPrivacyWatch

2024 Elections

Your personal data, their political campaign? Beneficiary politics and the lack of law

As the 2024 elections inch closer, we look into how political parties can access personal data of welfare scheme beneficiaries and other potential voters through indirect and often illicit means, to create voter profiles for targeted campaigning, and what the law has to say about it.

10 April, 2024

6 min read

Disha Verma

MeitY

A DM from the PM (and the storm it stirred)

Last week, millions of WhatsApp users received a message from the Ministry of Electronics & IT, undersigned by the Prime Minister, asking for feedback on schemes introduced by the incumbent government. We unravel what this means for your privacy and the electoral process.

22 March, 2024

7 min read

Tejasi Panjiar &

Disha Verma

elections

NIC withdraws polling station surveillance tender: A small win for voter rights #VoterPrivacyWatch

Following IFF's letter to the ECI raising concerns over NIC's tender for deploying drones and facial recognition technologies at polling stations in the 2024 elections, ECI directed NIC to withdraw the tender, noting risks to voter privacy.

22 January, 2024

3 min read

Disha Verma

elections

Why NIC’s proposed polling station surveillance during the 2024 elections is a terrible idea

It’s election year, and NIC is already planning on deploying FRT and drones at polling stations to surveil voters and “maintain law and order”. We write to NIC and ECI outlining why this is undemocratic, unconstitutional, and overall a terrible idea.

18 January, 2024

4 min read

Disha Verma

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