from Hacker News

Aadhaar: Ushering in a Commercialized Era of Surveillance in India

by bhuthesh_r on 8/9/17, 10:15 AM with 39 comments

by acdjuiamadfn on 8/9/17, 12:20 PM
It took gas connection 6 months (or upto years) and now I get it in 3 fucking hours. Same for license and what not.
Sure there are problems to be fixed but lets fix basic problems first
by calvinbhai on 8/9/17, 2:30 PM
Does the author mean, biometric details have been leaked? I think he last 3 paragraphs, it looks like she's kind of using the numbers leak (aadhar numbers are not meant to be private, like SSN in the US) and the biometrics leak interchangeably.
AFAIK, no biometric data has been leaked yet.
by bdeorus on 8/9/17, 11:16 AM
The whole purpose of the project was to provide means of identification of people that didn't have any kind of document – passport, driving license, etc.
Identification of people is crucial in regions where some people receive subsidies as ensures it reaches the right people.
It's a shame this platform is being potentially used to violate citizen's privacy. Maybe a EU GDPR-esque regulation would balance the control on where private information is used back to the citizen.
by rajadigopula on 8/9/17, 12:30 PM
Yet the irony is - The govt. will never dare to link it with voter registration. And no one questions, as everyone knows why!
by k_lander on 8/9/17, 6:18 PM
Why don't they create a system like UIDAI Payments where you can generate different aliases that all link to your actual aadhaar profile with permission based access and access history features. Seems like an issue that can be remedied with technology IMO.
by pushparajxa on 8/9/17, 12:51 PM
This is on steps to provide Universal Basic Income on the long run. That which requires ID & bank account for every person to deposit cash.
by dhaneshnm on 8/9/17, 1:17 PM
Indian left wing has been calling the current ruling party and the government "Fascist"[1] for a while now. So there is quite a bit of fear mongering regarding Adhar, as left suspects that govt. will eventually use this to crack down on the dissenting voices. But for those who don't share that opinion, this is part that needs attention, "The guidelines could have come earlier, and given large data leaks in the past may also be redundant. Nevertheless, it is reassuring to see practices for keeping information safe and the idea of positive informed consent being reinforced for government departments."ie, Though delayed, corrective measures are being taken.
1.http://indianexpress.com/article/india/india-news-india/sita...
by thrawy67 on 8/9/17, 2:06 PM
From the article:
> However, unlike countries where similar schemes have been implemented, invasive bio-metric collection is being imposed as a condition for basic entitlements in India
Remember: India has a unique set of challenges to overcome if it has to survive and prosper as a nation. It is surrounded by not-so-amenable neighbors and with cross-border infiltration at a constant strategy used against India ("death by thousand cuts").[1]
And almost 20 million Bangladeshis have illegally crossed over from the eastern border [2] [3] and (unfortunately, reportedly getting Aadhar cards through whatever means, which defeats the purpose if it is true), for a country of a billion odd people at risk with such high uncertainty profile - the requirement to identify at least their own citizens vs the intruders/ offenders becomes a strategic and security action from the government perspective.
I think we would be in wrong to compare the "right to privacy" in this scenario to that of the more developed nations that are pretty much geographically blessed/ isolated, population wise less dense, religiously homogenous and technologically advanced as such that they can track covertly vis-a-vis getting biometric details directly. In fact, the Supreme Court of India has observed that [4] "Supreme Court asks if right to privacy is absolute?"
[1] https://www.pgurus.com/india-superpower-or-balkanized-war-zo... [2] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Illegal_immigration_to_India#H... [3] http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Two-crore-Banglades... [4] http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/privacy-not-absolute-s...
by anilgulecha on 8/9/17, 11:13 AM
The pro: There have been significant fiscal benefits - fake personas have been completely eliminated in the welfare schemes that are aadhar linked, saving a lot for the taxpayers.
The con: Government has all your biometrics, and can technically mine data from connected services to build a very detailed profile of you (hypothetically).
IMO, both sides have valid points, and so it ends up being about which side the ruling government wants to fall towards.