MeitY to Review Instagram Data Scraping Concerns
The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) will examine concerns over the scraping of data from public Instagram accounts to determine if such practices align with India's legal framework. This follows notices issued by the ministry on the matter, with responses expected shortly.
Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of the CII event on GCC Business Summit in New Delhi on Thursday, MeitY Secretary S. Krishnan stated, "We will have to look at it with reference to the legal framework and whether it is in accordance with the legal framework or not." He emphasized that the ministry would await formal responses before deciding on further action.
Timeline for Responses
Krishnan noted that the deadline for replies to one of the notices was the same day. "I think today is the day when the reply is due," he said, referring to the notice concerning the username issue. A separate notice regarding Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM) has also been issued, with more time allowed for responses.
The secretary explained, "There are two. The one that she asked about was the username issue because that is something which was sent to the other agencies as well. Today is the last date for that." He added, "The other issue, of course, is on the Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM) issue, for which also a separate notice has been issued. For that, there is still time before the response is due."
Next Steps After Review
Krishnan reiterated that the government would examine the representations received and assess the matter under the existing legal framework. "We will examine the representations... We will await a formal response to the notice that we've issued and thereafter we will take a view based on what the response is," he said.
The ministry's decision will hinge on whether the data scraping practices comply with Indian laws. The issue has drawn significant social media backlash and public concern, prompting the government's intervention.
