Data is an integral part of life, Centre tells SC

The Centre today informed the Supreme Court that data is an integral part of life, covered under 'Right to life'. Attack on data assails right to life in connection with the WhatsApp Privacy matter. Personal data of users, the Centre said, is a part of right to life and cannot be shared freely by telecom providers or social network sites.

The Centre disclosed that it is contemplating enacting regulatory regime for social networking sites or services including Whatsapp, Facebook and Skype. A five-judge bench, headed by Justice Dipak Misra, hearing the Whatsapp privacy case, decided to wait for the verdict of the nine-judge Constitution bench on the individuals privacy issue, involving Aadhaar. Counsel for WhatsApp informed the apex court that litigation is a vendetta of telecom companies, an indirect attack. The telecom majors, the counsel contended, are scared of competition. The five-judge bench fixed the matter for further hearing on 6th September.