Amazon Refused to Appear Before JPC relating to Issue of Protection of Data Privacy

Amazon Refused to Appear Before JPC relating to Issue of Protection of Data Privacy

The Joint Committee of Parliament (JPC) had issued summon to Amazon over issue of protection of data and privacy, in its response to the Government being called, said that in the awake of pandemic and other risks with travelling, its subject matter experts will not appear.

Proposed back in 2018, the Union Cabinet has given a green signal to the Personal Data Protection Bill in India. As the name suggests, the new bill is meant to ensure the privacy and the protection of user data.

The new bill is intended to construct a streamlined system to deal with clients' very own information. The law will likewise direct how tech companies utilize individuals' personal information. In addition to this, the law's aim is to fight against fake news being spread via social media platforms – a term that was a serious subject in the previous year.

Besides, the law will help diminish the quantity of fake accounts on social media platforms.The new draft will be soon discussed in the Parliament, following which a concrete framework will be formed.

Amazon, alongside Facebook and Twitter, was asked to appear before the committee, however, the e-commerce company stated that it won't have the option to oblige due to risks associated with travelling since their subject matter experts are based overseas.

Declining to appear before the JPC, Amazon stated, "owing to the current circumstances and the risks associated with travelling, our subject matter experts who are based overseas will not be able to appear for the deposition. We will therefore have to decline the request for the deposition."

According to panel chairperson and BJP MP Meenakshi Lekhi said on Friday, stated this amounts to breach of privilege. Lekhi said that "the panel is unanimous in its opinion that coercive action can be suggested to the government against the e-commerce company."

Amazon has refused to appear before the panel on October 28 and if no one on behalf of the e-commerce company appears before the panel it amounts to breach of privilege, she stated. Meanwhile, Facebook's policy head Ankhi Das appeared before the panel on the issue of data security on Friday.

Facebook India representatives were asked some tough and searching questions by the members of the panel, according to sources.

During the meeting, a member suggested that the social media should not draw inferences from the data of its users for commercial benefits of its advertisers.The panel has summoned officials of micro-blogging site Twitter on October 28, 2020 and Google and Paytm on October 29, 2020.