A new law to inhibit the tracking of minors’ information likely to affect tech giants

The discussion regarding large technology corporations tracking and processing users’ data seems to be pervasive. Countries all over the world continue to regulate the usage of customer data by tech behemoths such as Facebook, Microsoft, and Google and so on. India, with a population of over 1.3 billion, forms one of the largest bases of users of the internet services. But a new legal draft regarding the usage of information about minors could be a major cause for concern for the internet titans. China, the only other country with a population to match strictly prohibits any internet service that is not homegrown.

The draft for the data privacy regulation advocates stringent restrictions on corporations collecting and assessing data about children. Internet companies regularly gather and process users’ data in order to deliver customized content. The panel that put forth this draft has raised concerns over the harming and inappropriate influencing of impressionable teenage minds. “The justification for such differential treatment arises from the recognition that children are unable to fully understand the consequences of their actions,” the panel added.

The mode of data collection and usage by the companies is something that is not properly understood by the common user. Most experts agree that the revenues of the companies may be hit, given the fact that India is home millions upon millions of teenage internet users. It remains to be seen to as what extent this law if implemented, can go in ensuring better privacy for minors.