Surveillance of Prominent Indian Citizens:Digital Footprint Makes It Easy To Track And Monitor
By A Special Correspondent
First publised on 2020-09-15 14:17:29
About the Author
Most embassies and consulates in most countries keep tabs on influential citizens in host countries. They even have a list of people they seek to influence through invitations to events or through other means. They also send feedback to government think tanks in their countries for further strategic use. Hence, it is not surprising that it has been discovered that a Chinese company, with alleged links to the government there and the Communist Party of China is tracking more than 10000 prominent citizens of India. What is surprising is that they are targeting people and perhaps using big data analysis to derive the results they want from such monitoring.
The digital age means that most citizens leave a huge footprint all over the internet. Be it social media posts or other activity, most of this data is in public domain and can be compiled by anyone who thinks it can be useful. Obviously the Chinese think it will be and that is why they are investing time and money doing so. The kind of analysis this available data can be put through and the way it can be used is entirely up to the agenda of the company or government that does it. But one thing is clear, as long as no law is broken, there is little any one can do about it.
Data analysis had given birth to the job of political analysts in the past. Indian elections are now driven by backroom boys who analyze data and advise politicians and political parties on the designing of their campaigns and the areas of constituents to focus on. The human element is largely being taken over by data analytics. Charts and graphs are driving campaigns. Hence, it is not inconceivable that tracking, monitoring and data analysis will drive the geopolitical agenda of countries in the future.
Governments the world over will have to sensitize key personnel to use only encrypted and official channels to transmit sensitive information and will have to take cyber security up by several notches, with a provision of periodic review, to prevent data theft. Otherwise, there is little that they can do to prevent profiling of individuals, however highly placed, from data that is available in the public domain.
Image from: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/What-is-my-digital-footprint-poster-3005468
