There has been demand from several sections to consider right to forget as a part of right to privacy. The right to privacy evolved as a fundamental right after the Puttaswamy Case. The Supreme Court said that right to privacy is a fundamental right under Article 21 of the constitution.Right to forget
Deleting information from official sources
The process involves removing information about a person from official sources such as court records, criminal database etc. This is applicable only if they are acquitted or served sentence.
Removing from public domain
Information in public domain includes email id, phone number, date of birth, health records, and news clippings etc which are part of day to day transactions.
Need for right to forget
Prevent leakage of personal data
Personal data can be easily leaked and can be misused for wrongful purposes. By deleting information after a stipulated time, the chances of leakage can be controlled.
Violation of fundamental right
The Supreme Court announced that right to privacy is a fundamental right. Some courts have also observed that right to forget is an intrinsic part of right to privacy.
Concerns in right to forget
Right to information
Deletion of data from official sources could violate right to information statute. Deleting information can be misused to hide crimes.
Lack of statute
Currently, there are no laws to implement right to forget. Without proper laws, petitioners have to rely on court’s precedence to implement their demand.
Thus, right to forget is an evolving domain that has made significant progress in the past few years. More deliberations are needed to arrive at a suitable conclusion.
Latest News