AA Edit | India must secure phone privacy for all citizens

When a group of publicly known citizens raised the issue of their mobile phones being possibly under attack from potentially State-sponsored hackers, after Apple iPhone users across the country received such alerts notifying them of specific risks to their data and privacy, it was immediately converted into a political debate, skirting and digressing from core issues that require serious examination, and precautionary and indemnifying action.

The prominent personalities in politics who came out after receiving this Apple alert on their phones, or emails, connected to their Apple IDs, are predominantly from the Opposition, and have been known critics of the Narendra Modi-led BJP government. Among them were Shashi Tharoor (Congress), Asaduddin Owaisi (MIM), Sitaram Yechury (CPM), Mahua Moitra (TMC), Akhilesh Yadav (Samajwadi Party), Raghav Chadha (AAP) and Uddhav Thackeray (Shiv Sena-Uddhav Thackeray), besides some journalists and members of think tanks et al.

The problem of anything taking on the shape of a direct political argument between the BJP and the Opposition is the potential distraction and predictable digressions abound, often at the cost of crucial reflection needed to respond in a mature way.

The BJP-led Central government quickly clarified that these Apple alerts were received by personalities across 150 countries, and that the Apple notification does not specify any particular nation or government as being responsible. The company also concurred that such was indeed the case, and that the spying, if true, could be a case of hacking by any nation.

While the Opposition and government fight over it, and snooping and illegal surveillance are very crucial issues — on which there can be no compromise — it is universally acknowledged that all countries, and governments, to the best of their capability and wherewithal, have acquired such surveillance, including technologically-aided armoury, as part of its national security duties.

The line, especially in a democracy, becomes very thin. Legally, in India, only the National Investigation Agency (NIA) is empowered to conduct limited surveillance based on specific intelligence and threats to national security and in cases related to terrorism.

In its alert, Apple had clearly explained that State-sponsored cyber hackers are by definition highly sophisticated and, in high likelihood, come armed with spyware not sold to non-State players. If government departments or state governments or any other such player in India is conducting such hacking, it must be stopped and the government must ensure it is done immediately.

Any political or partisan temptation to keep a check on political rivals and known critics, and prying on their privacy to develop potential lines of pressuring them into changing their stances unfairly, is not morally acceptable. It is politically reprehensible.

On the other hand, the government must also probe to ensure this has not been the handiwork of some foreign government or State player. Protection of citizens and providing security are the foremost duties of any State, indeed the primary reason for their existence and, therefore, in today’s era, extends to digital, date and privacy protection.

India, the world’s largest democracy and most populated country, with a huge demographic predominance of the young and a new ubiquitous mobile availability, having one of the lowest costs of data globally, cannot afford to have Big Brother watching us through our phones.