The Personal Data Protection Bill Empowers Government to Play with Data Amaresh Patel LAW CRITIQUE Wed, Dec 11, 2019, at ,08:59 AM The government has introduced The Personal Data Protection Bill on Wednesday which would allow transfer of certain categories of personal data overseas, but has also given broad powers to government agencies to collect personal and sensitive data of citizens. The bill is commonly referred to as the “Privacy Bill”. The purpose of the bill is to protect individual rights by regulating the collection, movement and processing of data that is personal, or which can identify the individual. However, the processing of such personal data includes data can be share with other government agencies, collect and process the same for the purpose of security, criminal investigations and crime prevention. The bill was drafted by Justice BN Srikrishna committee does not include any limitations on the government agencies from the law. The government on one hand promises to protect the data of citizen, on other, it gives power to government to allow any agencies to process such personal data so long it is “satisfied that it is necessary or expedient” for purpose such as “preventing incitement to the commission of any cognizable offence.” The point of concern, for example is that the government can collect data, and change/motivate/alter/influence the citizens for better or the purpose known to them. The bill gives the power to Data Protection Authority to create a Sandbox, a technical environment for software experimentation which often uses individuals data for the purpose of testing a product before launch.