Today, history was made as a nine-judge constitutional bench unanimously decided that the Right to Privacy was a Fundamental Right in the Indian Constitution.
The Internet Freedom Foundation, that fights for a fair, open, and neutral internet, wholeheartedly welcomes this decision and thanks the Supreme Court for championing the rights of Indian citizens.
We urge the government to now pass a citizen focused privacy and data protection bill, on the basis of this powerful statement from the Supreme Court, and protect the rights of citizens over their data. The Privacy Bill has been pending since 2011, and there has never been a more urgent need for one.
We also congratulate every individual and every organisation involved in his fight. This is a victory only won by all of us collaborating and it’s important for all citizens to come together to protect their rights. These fights are never truly over, and we look forward to continuing to defend such causes in the future.
IFF will seek to safeguard and strengthen our fundamental right to privacy, including before the constitutional bench on WhatsApp data sharing. You can learn more about our work here.