Users Can Now Request Their Data Collected By Aarogya Setu App To Be Deleted; Centre Issues Protocol

In a major move to uphold data privacy and authority of individuals, the central government on Monday (11 May) said that any user whose demographic data was being stored by Aarogya Setu application could now request for the same to be deleted, reports Hindustan Times.

The Government on Monday issued a set of protocols to regulate the definition, collection, processing, and storage of data by the Aarogya Setu application which has grown to become the world's most downloaded healthcare application.

The protocols issued on Monday would remain in force for six months and allows the storage of the user's name, mobile number, age, gender, profession and travel history. It also allows for the retention of such data for 180 days. Earlier, the period was capped at 60 days.

The government has entrusted the National Informatics Centre to perform the collection, processing and management of the data collected through the application while specifying that only the data of those who are infected, are at a high risk of being infected, or have come in contact with someone infected are likely to be collected.

The government in its protocol also specified the data collected in such cases would include demographic and contact details, and self-assessment and location data.