At a glance.
- India releases latest draft of Digital Personal Data Protection Bill.
- US Air Force designates first National Guard cyberspace wing.
India releases latest draft of Digital Personal Data Protection Bill.
The Indian government on Friday released a new draft of the Digital Personal Data Protection Bill 2022, Indian Express reports. Three months ago a lengthier draft containing more than ninety clauses was withdrawn, and the new version has just thirty clauses, mainly because many operational details have been left to subsequent rule-making. While the reworked version includes large penalties for non-compliance, it tempers them with relaxed rules for cross-border data transactions and lighter compliance requirements for start-ups. Some privacy experts might be concerned about a stipulation exempting government agencies from some of the bill’s stricter requirements, and the dilution of the powers of the proposed Data Protection Board, leaving the appointment of the board’s members to the discretion of the central government. Minister of State for Electronics and IT Rajeev Chandrasekhar says “We have clearly stated in the Bill that the Data Protection Board will be very independent…The board will have a purely adjudicatory mechanism to decide on the issue of data breaches. It carries the same rank as a civil court and its decisions will be appealable to a High Court. This…is enough of an incentive or disincentive for the board to work transparently. Simply saying that it would be appointed by a third party will not guarantee its adequate performance.” Officials also emphasize that the Data Protection Bill will serve as just one piece in a larger digital policy vision that will also include a comprehensive digital India Act and a new telecom bill that was put in the public domain last month.
US Air Force designates first National Guard cyberspace wing.
Governor of the US state of Ohio Mike DeWine on Friday announced that the 179th Airlift Wing in Mansfield has been formally selected by the Department of Air Force to become the Air National Guard’s first cyberspace wing. WHIO TV 7 explains, the decision comes after a yearlong assessment of the site carried out by the Air Force and National Guard Bureau. The cyberspace wing will be tasked with providing Ohioans with training in cybersecurity and advanced tech. Governor DeWine stated, “The 179th is the right choice for this mission, which will bring the unit, the Ohio Air National Guard, and the surrounding community into the forefront of cyberspace capabilities with a clear stake in emerging National Defense Strategy. Gaining the new cyberspace wing involved a comprehensive effort at the local, state, and national levels to ensure the unit remained in Mansfield and relevant into the future.”