Tsaaro got CERT-IN Empanelled | MeitY has published the DPDP Rules, 2023.
Tsaaro got CERT-IN Empanelled | MeitY has published the DPDP Rules, 2023.
Tsaaro got CERT-IN Empanelled | MeitY has published the DPDP Rules, 2023.
Tsaaro got CERT-IN Empanelled | MeitY has published the DPDP Rules, 2023.
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Research Team (Tsaaro)
Smart Meter Rollout in Maharashtra Raises Accessibility and Privacy Concerns
The rollout of smart electricity meters across Maharashtra has raised concerns regarding accessibility, digital inclusion, cybersecurity, and data privacy. While some consumers fear that the technology may create challenges for senior citizens, persons with disabilities, and individuals without smartphones, officials from the Maharashtra Energy Department have sought to address these concerns by explaining the features and safeguards associated with the new system. Some of the features of this system are:
Officials Clarify the Purpose of Smart Meters: Smart meters are intended to simplify electricity management and improve transparency in billing. Officials stated that the concerns surrounding the technology largely stem from a lack of awareness and emphasised that the system does not compromise consumer privacy or data security.
Real-Time Data Collection for Efficient Billing: Officials explained that smart meters automatically record electricity consumption every 15 minutes and transmit the information digitally. Unlike the existing digital meters, which require manual monthly readings, smart meters eliminate manual intervention and enable consumers to monitor their electricity usage in near real time through a mobile application.
Consumption Data Does Not Reveal Appliance Usage: Addressing privacy concerns, it was further stated that smart meters only record overall electricity consumption and do not identify which specific appliances are being used. While consumers may infer the electricity consumption of individual appliances by observing usage patterns through the mobile application, service providers cannot determine appliance-level details from the recorded data.
Data Protection and Cybersecurity Measures: Officials stated that electricity consumption data is accessible only to authorised IT personnel and is not shared or sold to third parties. They further noted that electricity usage data has already been stored under the existing digital meter system, with smart meters only modernising the process of data collection.
Consumer Grievance Redressal Mechanism: According to officials, consumers who suspect inaccurate meter readings may first approach their electricity distribution company. If the issue remains unresolved, complaints can be escalated to the Consumer Grievance Redressal Forum under the Maharashtra Electricity Regulatory Commission (MERC), with further appeals available before the Appellate Tribunal for Electricity (APTEL).
Remote Disconnection Will Continue to Follow Legal Procedure: Officials clarified that although smart meters technically enable remote disconnection, electricity supply cannot be disconnected without following the legal process. Under Section 56 of the Electricity Act, 2003, distribution companies must issue a written 15-day notice before disconnecting electricity for non-payment, except in cases involving meter tampering or electricity theft.
News of the week
Perforce Report Reveals Confidence Gap in Enterprise Data Security and AI Protection
Perforce Software has released its 2026 State of Data Compliance and Security Report, based on a global survey of more than 500 enterprise leaders. The report highlights a gap between organisations' confidence in protecting sensitive data and the actual security and compliance risks they face. While 98% of respondents expressed confidence in their data protection capabilities, 34% reported experiencing data breaches or theft, and 43% had faced audit failures. Although 99% of organisations have data masking policies, 84% still allow compliance exceptions, raising concerns about inconsistent implementation.
The report also highlights growing concerns around AI data security. Although 86% of organisations have AI data privacy mandates and 98% are confident in protecting sensitive data within AI workflows, 68% remain concerned about data leaks and 62% about training data breaches. To address these risks, 80% of organisations plan to invest in AI data protection solutions during 2026–2027. Additionally, 51% of respondents identified poor data quality as the biggest challenge to protecting sensitive data in AI, machine learning, and analytics environments, while organisations are increasingly prioritising the security of data stored on analytics platforms such as Databricks and Snowflake.
Experts Warn AI-Driven Data Inferences Are Outpacing Privacy Laws
Privacy experts have warned that advances in artificial intelligence are outpacing existing state privacy laws by enabling organisations to infer sensitive personal information from seemingly ordinary data. During a virtual panel hosted by LGBT Tech and the Justice Education Project, experts explained that AI can analyse app usage, search history, location data, and online activity to infer characteristics such as sexual orientation, health conditions, or political beliefs, even if individuals have never directly disclosed this information. They noted that current state privacy laws generally regulate the collection and sale of personal data but often do not cover the inferences generated from that data, leaving significant gaps in legal protection.
The panellists recommended updating state privacy laws to explicitly include AI-generated inferences within the definition of personal data, allowing individuals to delete or challenge such inferences. They also called for stronger data minimisation requirements, greater restrictions on government access to commercially available datasets, warrant requirements for purchasing bulk location data, and broader enforcement powers for state authorities. Additionally, they suggested introducing limited private rights of action where the misuse of inferred data leads to serious harms such as discrimination, stalking, or the wrongful disclosure of sensitive personal information.
Source: https://statescoop.com/ai-data-inferences-outpacing-state-privacy-laws/
Net-Defence Urges Parents to Discuss Online Privacy with Children
Cybersecurity company Net-Defence has urged parents to make online privacy a regular part of conversations with their children, particularly during school holidays when children spend more time on gaming platforms, social media, and AI tools. Supporting the Information Commissioner's Office's (ICO) new awareness campaign, the company highlighted research showing that nearly one-quarter of primary school children have shared personal information online, such as their name, address, or school, while one in five parents have never discussed online privacy with their children. Net-Defence stressed that online privacy is now an essential life skill, as children increasingly interact with digital services that continuously collect and process personal data.
The company also warned that AI tools present new privacy risks because children often treat them as trusted assistants without recognising that their interactions may be recorded and used to improve AI systems. Net-Defence noted that children frequently share personal details during conversations with AI chatbots and may unknowingly expose themselves to profiling, targeted advertising, and data sharing, especially when bypassing age restrictions. The company encouraged parents to have regular discussions about the apps their children use, the information they share, privacy settings, and app permissions, emphasising that ongoing awareness is key to helping children build safer digital habits and protect their personal information.
Source: https://itbrief.co.uk/story/net-defence-urges-parents-to-talk-privacy-with-children
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