Jio officials appeared before panel inspecting data protection bill today.
Jio Platforms Ltd and Reliance Jio Infocomm do not have any data sharing mechanism with Google and Facebook which are its investors, officials of the firms told a parliamentary committee looking into the issue of data safety today. The officials who deposed before the committee today were asked if there was any data-sharing mechanism between the company and Facebook and Google, which are among its investors.
The BJP's Meenakshi Lekhi, who is heading the committee, said , "It was asked to Jio executives that does the company have any data-sharing mechanism with Google and Facebook and its users, to which the representatives of the telecom firm declined and informed that both tech players are its financial investors", reported news agency Press Trust of India.
Not just third party or investors, personal data is not even shared with the (Reliance) Group of Companies or any other entity within the (Reliance) Group, the officials have said.
The officials also said that they were in favour of data privacy, sources in the committee said. They assured the Parliamentary Committee that Reliance would not share the available personal data of their customers with any third party.
Sources said that in its deposition, Reliance has said it favours data protection and its localization in India, as opposed to Facebook's stand on this issue.
"Any data stored abroad is bound by regulation of foreign countries, the officials said. The data principal (content owner) cannot have effective relief in case of a breach in foreign land," sources said quoting the officials.
Personal data should be stored in India to ensure its security, sovereignty and privacy. Also data stored in India
leads to development of digital infrastructure in the country, the officials have said.
Besides, data residency in India will be helpful to law enforcing agencies. Punishment provisions in the law should be according to the nature of crime committed and not the size of the company, the officials have said, according to sources.
The Parliamentary Joint Committee has conveyed to the officials that they must avoid any conflict of interest while dealing with personal data of their customers.
Representatives of Ola and Uber have been called to appear before the panel -- -- which is looking into all aspects of personal data protection -- on November 5. Representatives of Airtel and Truecaller are scheduled to depose before the panel separately the next day.
The proposed law seeks bar on storing and processing of personal data by entities without the explicit consent of an individual.
Following Congress concerns over the 2019 bill, the committee is looking into the matter and involving all stakeholders for an overview.