Context: The article discusses the rising concerns about surveillance practices in India.
Relevance: GS 3 (Security)
- Pegasus Spyware: The article highlights a U.S. court ruling on December 20, 2024, holding Israel’s NSO Group responsible for installing Pegasus spyware on phones, targeting over 300 Indians, including journalists and activists.
- Threat to Privacy and Press Freedom: The use of Pegasus against journalists undermines press freedom, which is crucial for democracy. It threatens the privacy and safety of journalists, especially those critical of the government.
- Flaws in Existing Surveillance Laws: Current surveillance laws, such as the Indian Telegraph Act and IT Act, are opaque and fail to provide sufficient judicial oversight, giving the executive branch unchecked power for surveillance.
- Violation of Constitutional Rights: Covert surveillance violates fundamental rights under Articles 19 and 21 of the Indian Constitution, including freedom of speech, privacy, and personal liberty.
- Need for Judicial Oversight: The article argues for judicial oversight over surveillance practices to ensure they are proportionate and necessary, balancing state security and individual rights.
- Risk of Mass Surveillance: As surveillance technologies become cheaper and more efficient, mass surveillance could become widespread, threatening individual freedoms and democratic values.
- Call for Surveillance Reform: The authors advocate for immediate and comprehensive surveillance reform, including stronger legal protections, better judicial checks, and the prevention of authoritarian practices through transparency and accountability in surveillance actions.
