Mar 21, 2024
Non-Personal Data (NPD) Governance and Data Marketplaces
1. What is Non-Personal Data (NPD)?
Non-Personal Data (NPD) refers to data that cannot identify an individual directly. It excludes any personal identifiers, making it a type of data that can be utilized for analysis and insights without compromising individual privacy. Examples include aggregated data about user behavior on a website, traffic patterns, and environmental data.
2. How can NPD contribute to India’s economy?
NPD has the potential to add significant value to India’s economy, especially in the realm of artificial intelligence (AI) and big data analytics. By utilizing NPD, sectors across the economy can improve efficiency, innovate new services, and enhance decision-making processes. According to a NASSCOM report, data and AI could contribute approximately $450-500 billion to India’s GDP by 2025.
3. What are the challenges in regulating NPD?
One of the main challenges in regulating NPD is ensuring privacy and security while promoting innovation and utilization of data for public good. The lack of a comprehensive regulatory framework leads to concerns over data misuse, privacy breaches, and unequal access to data. Balancing these concerns with the benefits of NPD utilization is a complex regulatory challenge.
4. What is the National Data Governance Framework Policy (NPD Framework)?
The National Data Governance Framework Policy is an initiative by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeiTY) aimed at creating a structured approach to data governance in India. It focuses on maximizing the use of NPD for data-driven governance while addressing issues like data sharing, ownership, and privacy. However, it has been critiqued for its lack of actionable guidance and enforceable regulatory mechanisms.
5. How do data exchanges work, and why are they important?
Data exchanges are platforms that facilitate the sharing and transaction of data between various stakeholders, including government departments, businesses, and researchers. They play a crucial role in making NPD interoperable across sectors, enabling advanced analytics, and driving economic and social benefits at scale. However, ensuring the security and privacy of data within these exchanges is a paramount concern.
6. What steps have been taken internationally towards the regulation of data exchanges?
Countries like Australia, the U.K., and Estonia have developed data exchange frameworks to facilitate the secure and efficient sharing of data across sectors. These frameworks often include protocols for data privacy, security, and interoperability, serving as models for other countries looking to harness the power of data for public and economic benefits.
7. What can India learn from other countries in terms of NPD governance?
India can learn from the successes and challenges faced by these countries in implementing data exchange frameworks. Key lessons include the importance of clear regulatory guidelines, the need for robust privacy and security measures, and the benefits of fostering a collaborative ecosystem for data sharing among public and private entities.
SRIRAM’s
