Quick Links
Quick Links
UPSC Exams
Latest Update
Coaching
UPSC Current Affairs
Syllabus
UPSC Notes
Previous Year Papers
UPSC Mains Previous Year Question Papers Last 25 Years UPSC Prelims Question Papers Last 10 Years UPSC Question Papers UPSC CSE Prelims 2025 Question Paper UPSC Mains 2024 Model Answers UPSC 2024 Question Papers UPSC 2023 Question Papers UPSC 2022 Question Papers UPSC 2021 Question Papers UPSC 2020 Question Papers UPSC 2019 Question Papers UPSC 2018 Question Papers UPSC 2017 Question Papers UPSC 2016 Question Papers UPSC 2015 Question Papers UPSC 2014 Question Papers UPSC CSAT Question Papers UPSC IFS Previous Year Paper UPSC Assistant Labour Commissioner Previous Question Year Papers UPSC Combined Geo Scientist Previous Year Paper UPSC APFC Previous Year Question Papers UPSC CMS Previous Year Question Paper UPSC EPFO Previous Year Paper UPSC Air Safety Officer Previous Year Papers UPSC SO Steno Previous Year Paper UPSC IES ISS Previous Year Question Papers
Mock Tests
UPSC Editorial
Bilateral Ties
Albania India Relations India Algeria Relations Andorra India Relations India Angola Relations India Antigua Barbuda Relations India Argentina Relations Austria India Relations India Azerbaijan Relations Bahamas India Relations India Bahrain Relations Barbados India Relations India Belarus Relations Belgium India Relations Belize India Relations Benin India Relations Bolivia India Relations India Bosnia Herzegovina Relations India Botswana Relations Brazil India Relations Brunei India Relations Bulgaria India Relations Burundi India Relations Cabo Verde India Relations India Cambodia Relations India Cameroon Relations Canada India Relations India Cayman Islands Relations India Central African Republic Relations India Chad Relations Chile India Relations India Colombia Relations India Comoros Relations India Democratic Republic Of The Congo Relations India Republic Of The Congo Relations India Cook Islands Relations India Costa Rica Relations India Ivory Coast Relations India Croatia Relations India Cyprus Relations India Czech Republic Relations India Djibouti Relations India Dominica Relations India Dominican Republic Relations India Ecuador Relations India El Salvador Relations India Equatorial Guinea Relations India Eritrea Relations Estonia India Relations India Ethiopia Relations India Fiji Relations India Finland Relations India Gabon Relations India Gambia Relations India Georgia Relations Germany India Relations India Ghana Relations India Greece Relations India Grenada Relations India Guatemala Relations India Guinea Relations India Guinea Bissau Relations India Guyana Relations India Haiti Relations India Holy See Relations India Honduras Relations India Hong Kong Relations India Hungary Relations India Iceland Relations India Indonesia Relations India Iran Relations India Iraq Relations India Ireland Relations India Jamaica Relations India Kazakhstan Relations India Kenya Relations India Kingdom Of Eswatini Relations India Kiribati Relations India Kuwait Relations India Kyrgyzstan Relations India Laos Relations Latvia India Relations India Lebanon Relations India Lesotho Relations India Liberia Relations Libya India Relations Liechtenstein India Relations India Lithuania Relations India Luxembourg Relations India Macao Relations Madagascar India Relations India Malawi Relations India Mali Relations India Malta Relations India Marshall Islands Relations India Mauritania Relations India Micronesia Relations India Moldova Relations Monaco India Relations India Montenegro Relations India Montserrat Relations India Morocco Relations Mozambique India Relations India Namibia Relations India Nauru Relations Netherlands India Relations India Nicaragua Relations India Niger Relations India Nigeria Relations India Niue Relations India North Macedonia Relations Norway India Relations India Palau Relations India Panama Relations India Papua New Guinea Relations India Paraguay Relations Peru India Relations India Philippines Relations Qatar India Relations India Romania Relations Rwanda India Relations India Saint Kitts And Nevis Relations India Saint Lucia Relations India Saint Vincent And Grenadines Relations India Samoa Relations India Sao Tome And Principe Relations Saudi Arabia India Relations India Senegal Relations Serbia India Relations India Sierra Leone Relations India Singapore Relations India Slovak Republic Relations India Slovenia Relations India Solomon Islands Relations Somalia India Relations India South Sudan Relations India Spain Relations India Sudan Relations Suriname India Relations India Sweden Relations India Syria Relations India Tajikistan Relations Tanzania India Relations India Togo Relations India Tonga Islands Relations India Trinidad And Tobago Relations India Tunisia Relations India Turkmenistan Relations India Turks And Caicos Islands Relations India Tuvalu Relations India Uganda Relations India Ukraine Relations India Uae Relations India Uruguay Relations India Uzbekistan Relations India Vanuatu Relations India Venezuela Relations India British Virgin Islands Relations Yemen India Relations India Zambia Relations India Zimbabwe Relations
Books
Government Schemes
Production Linked Incentive Scheme Integrated Processing Development Scheme Rodtep Scheme Amended Technology Upgradation Fund Scheme Saathi Scheme Uday Scheme Hriday Scheme Samagra Shiksha Scheme India Nishta Scheme Stand Up India Scheme Sahakar Mitra Scheme Mdms Mid Day Meal Scheme Integrated Child Protection Scheme Vatsalya Scheme Operation Green Scheme Nai Roshni Scheme Nutrient Based Subsidy Scheme Kalia Scheme Ayushman Sahakar Scheme Nirvik Scheme Fame India Scheme Kusum Scheme Pm Svanidhi Scheme Pmvvy Scheme Pm Aasha Scheme Pradhan Mantri Mahila Shakti Kendra Scheme Pradhan Mantri Lpg Panjayat Scheme Mplads Scheme Svamitva Scheme Pat Scheme Udan Scheme Ek Bharat Shresth Bharat Scheme National Pension Scheme Ujala Scheme Operation Greens Scheme Gold Monetisation Scheme Family Planning Insurance Scheme Target Olympic Podium Scheme
Topics
NASA Space Missions
NASA Mercury-Redstone 3 (Freedom 7) Mission NASA Mercury-Redstone 4 (Liberty Bell 7) Mission NASA Mercury-Atlas 6 (Friendship 7) Mission NASA Mercury-Atlas 7 (Aurora 7) Mission NASA Mercury-Atlas 8 (Sigma 7) Mission NASA Mercury-Atlas 9 (Faith 7) Mission NASA Gemini 3 Mission NASA Gemini 4 Mission NASA Gemini 5 Mission NASA Gemini 7 Mission NASA Gemini 8 Mission NASA Gemini 9 Mission NASA Gemini 10 Mission NASA Gemini 11 Mission NASA Gemini 12 Mission NASA Apollo 1 (AS‑204) Mission NASA Apollo 7 Mission NASA Apollo 8 Mission NASA Apollo 9 Mission NASA Apollo 10 Mission NASA Apollo 11 Mission NASA Apollo 12 Mission NASA Apollo 13 Mission NASA Apollo 14 Mission NASA Apollo 15 Mission NASA Apollo 16 Mission NASA Apollo 17 Mission NASA Skylab Orbital Workshop Mission NASA Skylab 2 Mission NASA Skylab 3 Mission NASA Skylab 4 Mission NASA Apollo–Soyuz Test Project Mission NASA STS‑1 Columbia Mission NASA STS‑3 Columbia Mission NASA STS‑7 Challenger Mission NASA STS‑8 Challenger Mission NASA STS‑41B Challenger Mission NASA STS‑41G Discovery (1st female EVA) Mission NASA STS‑51L Challenger (accident) Mission NASA STS‑26 Discovery (Return‑to‑Flight) Mission NASA STS‑31 Discovery (Hubble Launch) Mission NASA STS‑49 Endeavour (first capture EVA) Mission NASA STS‑61 Endeavour (Hubble Servicing 1) Mission NASA STS‑73 Columbia (microgravity) Mission NASA STS‑95 Discovery (John Glenn returns) Mission NASA STS‑107 Columbia (accident) Mission NASA STS‑114 Discovery (RTF‑2) Mission NASA STS‑120 Discovery (Node 2) Mission NASA STS‑125 Atlantis (Final Hubble Service) Mission NASA STS‑132 Atlantis Mission NASA STS‑135 Atlantis (Final Shuttle flight) Mission NASA Artemis I (Orion/ SLS‑1) Mission NASA Artemis II (Planned) Mission NASA Artemis III (Planned lunar landing) Mission NASA Mariner 4 Mission NASA Mariner 6 Mission NASA Mariner 7 Mission NASA Mariner 9 Mission NASA Viking 1 Orbiter/Lander Mission NASA Viking 2 Orbiter/Lander Mission NASA Mars Pathfinder & Sojourner Mission NASA Mars Global Surveyor Mission NASA 2001 Mars Odyssey Mission NASA Mars Exploration Rover – Spirit Mission NASA Mars Exploration Rover – Opportunity Mission NASA Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter Mission NASA Phoenix Mars Lander Mission NASA InSight Mars Lander Mission NASA Mars 2020 (Perseverance & Ingenuity) Mission NASA Mars Sample Return – SRL (planned) Mission NASA Pioneer 10 Mission NASA Pioneer 11 Mission NASA Voyager 1 Mission NASA Voyager 2 Mission NASA Galileo Jupiter Orbiter/Probe Mission NASA Cassini–Huygens Mission NASA New Horizons (Pluto & KBO) Mission NASA Juno Mission NASA Europa Clipper (planned) Mission NASA Parker Solar Probe Mission NASA Solar Orbiter (ESA/NASA) Mission NASA Surveyor 1 Mission NASA Lunar Orbiter 1 Mission NASA Lunar Prospector Mission NASA LCROSS Mission NASA LADEE Mission NASA Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) Mission NASA CAPSTONE Mission NASA VIPER Rover (planned) Mission NASA NEAR Shoemaker Mission NASA Deep Space 1 Mission NASA Stardust Mission NASA Genesis Mission NASA Deep Impact Mission NASA Dawn (Vesta/Ceres) Mission NASA OSIRIS‑REx Mission NASA Lucy Mission NASA DART Mission NASA Landsat‑1 (ERTS‑1) Mission NASA Landsat‑5 Mission NASA Landsat‑9 Mission NASA Terra Mission NASA Aqua Mission NASA Aura Mission NASA Suomi NPP Mission NASA Sentinel‑6 Michael Freilich Mission NASA ICESat‑2 Mission NASA GRACE‑FO Mission NASA SMAP Mission NASA GPM Core Observatory Mission NASA CALIPSO Mission NASA CloudSat Mission NASA NISAR (NASA‑ISRO) Mission NASA Explorer 1 Mission NASA COBE Mission NASA Compton Gamma Ray Observatory Mission NASA Hubble Space Telescope Mission NASA Chandra X‑ray Observatory Mission NASA Spitzer Space Telescope Mission NASA WISE Mission NASA Kepler Mission NASA TESS Mission NASA Fermi Gamma‑ray Space Telescope Mission NASA NICER Mission NASA IXPE Mission NASA Roman Space Telescope (planned) Mission NASA NuSTAR Mission NASA GALEX Mission NASA Swift Mission NASA SOHO (ESA/NASA) Mission NASA Cluster II (ESA/NASA) Mission NASA TIMED Mission NASA STEREO‑A/B Mission NASA MMS Mission NASA IRIS Mission NASA Solar Dynamics Observatory Mission NASA X‑37B OTV‑1 (USAF/NASA liaison) Mission NASA X‑59 QueSST Mission NASA Mars Helicopter Ingenuity Mission NASA Valkyrie R5 Robot Mission NASA Low‑Boom Flight Demo Mission NASA CRS‑1 Dragon Mission NASA CRS‑1 Cygnus Mission NASA Crew Dragon Demo‑2 Mission NASA Starliner OFT‑2 Mission NASA STS-2 (Shuttle flight) Mission NASA STS-4 (Shuttle flight) Mission NASA STS-5 (Shuttle flight) Mission NASA STS-6 (Shuttle flight) Mission NASA STS-41C (Shuttle flight) Mission NASA STS-41D (Shuttle flight) Mission NASA STS-51A (Shuttle flight) Mission NASA STS-61C (Shuttle flight) Mission NASA STS-26 (Shuttle flight) Mission NASA STS-27 (Shuttle flight) Mission NASA STS-29 (Shuttle flight) Mission NASA STS-30 (Shuttle flight) Mission NASA STS-32 (Shuttle flight) Mission NASA STS-34 (Shuttle flight) Mission NASA STS-38 (Shuttle flight) Mission NASA STS-45 (Shuttle flight) Mission NASA STS-60 (Shuttle flight) Mission NASA STS-70 (Shuttle flight) Mission NASA STS-71 (Shuttle flight) Mission NASA STS-73 (Shuttle flight) Mission NASA STS-88 (Shuttle flight) Mission NASA STS-92 (Shuttle flight) Mission NASA STS-97 (Shuttle flight) Mission NASA STS-99 (Shuttle flight) Mission NASA STS-100 (Shuttle flight) Mission NASA STS-104 (Shuttle flight) Mission NASA STS-106 (Shuttle flight) Mission NASA STS-110 (Shuttle flight) Mission NASA STS-112 (Shuttle flight) Mission NASA STS-115 (Shuttle flight) Mission NASA STS-116 (Shuttle flight) Mission NASA STS-117 (Shuttle flight) Mission NASA STS-118 (Shuttle flight) Mission NASA STS-120 (Shuttle flight) Mission NASA STS-122 (Shuttle flight) Mission NASA STS-123 (Shuttle flight) Mission NASA STS-126 (Shuttle flight) Mission NASA STS-130 (Shuttle flight) Mission NASA Vanguard 1 Mission NASA Transit 1B Mission NASA Echo 1 Mission NASA Telstar 1 Mission NASA Syncom 3 Mission NASA ATS‑6 Mission NASA Skynet Mission NASA Nimbus‑1 Mission NASA Nimbus‑7 Mission NASA ERS-1 Mission NASA SeaSat Mission NASA QuikSCAT Mission NASA Jason‑1 Mission NASA Jason‑3 Mission NASA ICESat Mission NASA Earth Observing‑1 Mission NASA Orbiting Carbon Observatory‑2 Mission NASA CYGNSS Mission NASA PACE Mission NASA TRMM Mission NASA Terrestrial Planet Finder (cxl) Mission NASA Laser Interferometer Space Antenna (LISA) Mission NASA Explorer 33 Mission NASA Voyager Interstellar Mission Mission NASA Helios‑A Mission NASA Helios‑B Mission NASA ISEE‑3 (ICE) Mission NASA ACE Mission NASA DSCOVR Mission NASA IBEX Mission NASA Solar Orbiter Heliospheric Imager Mission NASA SAGE‑III ISS Mission NASA SPACE Telescope Imaging Spectrograph Mission NASA ARIEL (ESA/NASA) Mission NASA OSAM‑1 (Restore‑L) Mission NASA Dragonfly (Titan rotorcraft) Mission NASA VERITAS (Venus orbiter) Mission NASA DAVINCI (Venus probe) Mission NASA SPHEREx Mission NASA MAGGIE (Mars Geophysical) Mission NASA CLPS – Peregrine Mission NASA CLPS – VIPER Delivery Mission NASA CAPSTONE Mission NASA Gateway (HALO / PPE) Mission NASA Mars Telecommunication Orbiter (cxl) Mission NASA Mars Polar Lander (MPL) Mission NASA Mars Climate Orbiter Mission NASA Pathfinder Mission Mission NASA SLS Block 1B (Exploration Upper Stage) Mission NASA Orion Crew Module Mission NASA Commercial LEO Destinations – Axiom Station Mission NASA ISS Expedition 1 Mission NASA ISS Expedition 70 Mission NASA CRS‑11 (Dragon) Mission NASA CRS‑21 (Dragon 2) Mission NASA Snoopy CubeSat Mission
ISRO Space Missions
NVS-02 ISRO Space Mission SPADEX-A ISRO Space Mission SPADEX-B ISRO Space Mission Proba-3 ISRO Space Mission GSAT-N2 ISRO Space Mission EOS-08 ISRO Space Mission INSAT-3DS ISRO Space Mission XPoSat ISRO Space Mission Aditya-L1 ISRO Space Mission Chandrayaan-3 ISRO Space Mission NVS-01 ISRO Space Mission EOS-07 ISRO Space Mission INS-2B ISRO Space Mission EOS-06 ISRO Space Mission EOS-02 ISRO Space Mission GSAT-24 ISRO Space Mission INS-2TD ISRO Space Mission EOS-04 ISRO Space Mission EOS-03 ISRO Space Mission CMS-01 ISRO Space Mission EOS-01 ISRO Space Mission GSAT-30 ISRO Space Mission RISAT-2BR1 ISRO Space Mission Chandrayaan 2 ISRO Space Mission RISAT-2B ISRO Space Mission EMISAT ISRO Space Mission GSAT-31 ISRO Space Mission Microsat-R ISRO Space Mission GSAT-7A ISRO Space Mission GSAT-11 ISRO Space Mission HysIS ISRO Space Mission GSAT-29 ISRO Space Mission IRNSS-1I ISRO Space Mission GSAT-6A ISRO Space Mission INS-1C ISRO Space Mission Microsat ISRO Space Mission IRNSS-1H ISRO Space Mission GSAT-17 ISRO Space Mission GSAT-19 ISRO Space Mission GSAT-9 ISRO Space Mission Cartosat-2 Series Satellite INS-1A ISRO Space Mission INS-1B ISRO Space Mission RESOURCESAT-2A ISRO Space Mission GSAT-18 ISRO Space Mission INSAT-3DR ISRO Space Mission IRNSS-1G ISRO Space Mission IRNSS-1F ISRO Space Mission IRNSS-1E ISRO Space Mission GSAT-15 ISRO Space Mission GSAT-6 ISRO Space Mission IRNSS-1D ISRO Space Mission Crew module Atmospheric Re-entry Experiment (CARE) ISRO Space Mission GSAT-16 ISRO Space Mission IRNSS-1C ISRO Space Mission IRNSS-1B ISRO Space Mission GSAT-14 ISRO Space Mission Mars Orbiter Mission Spacecraft GSAT-7 ISRO Space Mission INSAT-3D ISRO Space Mission IRNSS-1A ISRO Space Mission SARAL ISRO Space Mission GSAT-10 ISRO Space Mission RISAT-1 ISRO Space Mission Megha-Tropiques ISRO Space Mission GSAT-12 ISRO Space Mission GSAT-8 ISRO Space Mission RESOURCESAT-2 ISRO Space Mission YOUTHSAT ISRO Space Mission GSAT-5P ISRO Space Mission GSAT-4 ISRO Space Mission Oceansat-2 ISRO Space Mission RISAT-2 ISRO Space Mission Chandrayaan-1 ISRO Space Mission IMS-1 ISRO Space Mission INSAT-4CR ISRO Space Mission INSAT-4B ISRO Space Mission SRE-1 ISRO Space Mission INSAT-4C ISRO Space Mission INSAT-4A ISRO Space Mission HAMSAT ISRO Space Mission EDUSAT ISRO Space Mission IRS-P6 / RESOURCESAT-1 ISRO Space Mission INSAT-3E ISRO Space Mission GSAT-2 ISRO Space Mission INSAT-3A ISRO Space Mission KALPANA-1 ISRO Space Mission INSAT-3C ISRO Space Mission GSAT-1 ISRO Space Mission INSAT-3B ISRO Space Mission Oceansat(IRS-P4) ISRO Space Mission INSAT-2E ISRO Space Mission IRS-1D ISRO Space Mission INSAT-2D ISRO Space Mission IRS-P3 ISRO Space Mission IRS-1C ISRO Space Mission INSAT-2C ISRO Space Mission IRS-P2 ISRO Space Mission SROSS-C2 ISRO Space Mission IRS-1E ISRO Space Mission INSAT-2B ISRO Space Mission INSAT-2A ISRO Space Mission SROSS-C ISRO Space Mission IRS-1B ISRO Space Mission INSAT-1D ISRO Space Mission INSAT-1C ISRO Space Mission SROSS-2 ISRO Space Mission IRS-1A ISRO Space Mission SROSS-1 ISRO Space Mission INSAT-1B ISRO Space Mission Rohini Satellite RS-D2 ISRO Space Mission INSAT-1A ISRO Space Mission Bhaskara-II ISRO Space Mission Ariane Passenger Payload Experiment (APPLE) ISRO Rohini Satellite RS-D1 ISRO Space Mission Rohini Satellite RS-1 ISRO Space Mission Rohini Technology Payload (RTP) ISRO Space Mission Bhaskara-I ISRO Space Mission Aryabhata ISRO Space Mission
Home / UPSC Editorials / Right to be Forgotten

Right to be Forgotten: Background, Significance & More| UPSC Editorials

Last Updated on Jul 30, 2024
Also Read Right to be Forgotten in Hindi
Download As PDF
IMPORTANT LINKS
Why Loksabha Speaker & Deputy Speaker are in News? Why Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act, 2024 and NEET are in news? Indo-Bangladesh Relations Manipur Conflict National Emergency in India 1975 Balancing Religious Traditions and Human Dignity India-West Diplomatic Relations India Needs a National Security Strategy Judicial Oversight in the Prevention of Money Laundering Act India Russia Bilateral Relations Digital Bharat Nidhi (DBN) COP 28 Climate Summit Muslim Women’s Right to Maintenance NITI Aayog’s Sustainable Development Goals Report India Mauritius Relations Supreme Court Ruling on the Citizenship Case Economic Outlook Survey 2023-24 Union Budget 2024-25 Person with Disability

The Supreme Court of India has recently agreed to hear a case that may have significant implications for the future development of the "right to be forgotten" in India. Such a right, allowing for the obliteration of personal information from the public domain in certain situations, is well established in European law but lacks any statutory framework in India. The court's decision will likely shape how this right is integrated with existing fundamental rights guaranteed by the Indian Constitution.

Analysis based on 

Editorial SC to examine acquitted man’s ‘right to be forgotten’: What is the right, and how have courts ruled earlier? published in The Indian Express on July 30th, 2024

Topics for UPSC Prelims

Significant rulings impacting privacy rights, Global Developments and Precedents (e.g., EU’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR)), Fundamental Rights under the Indian Constitution, Key Judicial Rulings such as the Puttaswamy Judgment, Basics of Data Protection and Privacy, Cybersecurity Laws and Initiatives in India, Personal Data Protection Bill, 2019

Topics for UPSC Mains

The concept of the Right to be Forgotten and its legal basis in India, implications of the Personal Data Protection Bill, 2019, Role of the judiciary in shaping privacy laws in India, Balancing individual privacy rights with public interest and transparency

Background and Global Context

The right to be forgotten, popularly known as "right to erasure," is one of the landmark provisions under European information privacy regulations. The court established this provision after the case concerning Mario Costeja González, a Spanish lawyer, who had demanded Google to pull down old and irrelevant information, relating to him, from the search results. The court specifically made reference to Articles 7 and 8 of the EU Charter on Fundamental Rights, pronouncing particularly on the right to respect for private and family life as well as the right to the protection of personal data.

The Indian Scenario

In India, the right to be forgotten does not enjoy explicit statutory backing. However, the right to privacy was declared a fundamental right through the judgment delivered by the Supreme Court in 2017 in the case of Justice K S Puttaswamy v Union of India. Justice S K Kaul, in his opinion concurring with the majority, stated that the right to be forgotten must provide a right to the people to delink, disassociate, and dissociate from themselves personal information whose use has ceased to be necessary, relevant, or has lost its quality of being accurate and has no bearing on public interest.

Read the article on aadhaar and the right to privacy!

UPSC Beginners Program

Get UPSC Beginners Program SuperCoaching @ just

₹50000

Claim for free
Want to know more about this pass ?
Explore SuperCoaching

About the Case Before the Supreme Court

A three-judge bench led by Chief Justice of India D Y Chandrachud is going to hear a challenge made to a Madras High Court verdict. That verdict had ordered legal search portal Indian Kanoon to remove a judgment in a 2014 rape and cheating case which involved an acquitted person. The acquitted man's contention was that the judgment continued to be available on the portal and therefore came in the way of his getting Australian citizenship.

What is the Right to be Forgotten?

The right to be forgotten refers to the right to erasure, where an individual could have their information deleted from the public or digital records when it is irrelevant, inefficient, or inaccurate. This relatively new right helps protect the privacy of individuals since they can control their digital footprints. Originating from European Union legislation, it was specifically established in 2014 through the "Google Spain case" by the Court of Justice of the European Union, in which it was held that an individual has the right to require obsolete personal data to be erased from an index of a search engine so that the information is no longer made available in the search results.

Significance of the Right to be Forgotten

The right to be forgotten is significant for several reasons:

  • Protection of Privacy: It enhances personal privacy by allowing a person to delete irrelevant and obsolete personal data, thus reducing opportunities for identity theft or encroachment of reputation.
  • Digital Self-Determination: It gives a person the possibility of independently controlling personal data when acting in the digital space as one of the important conditions for an individual's self-determination.
  • Rehabilitation Support: This helps prevent, for those who have been acquitted of crimes and who have served their sentences, any legacy issues that would hinder their social integration and cooperation in future opportunities.
  • Cultural Relevance: This caters to the progressive culture of privacy rights in this digital age, when information can be accessed and disseminated with greater ease.

Issues Associated with the Right to be Forgotten

Though the right to be forgotten is a powerful instrument for maintaining an individual's privacy, it also suffers from the following:

  • Freedom of Expression: The right to be forgotten raises concern about the fundamental right of freedom of expression and information, specifically when issues of public interest and the freedom of journalism are involved.
  • Technological Feasibility: This right is hard to implement, basically due to the fact that digital data is pervasive and persistent. Removing the information from the internet at all is technically challenging.
  • Legal Ambiguity: In most jurisdictions, including India, a statutory framework does not exist, causing massive ambiguity and varying patterns in the enforcement of this right.
  • Potential for Abuse: This could prove quite prone to easy misuse by interested persons even to hide legitimate public interest information, including old criminal records or even instances of professional misconduct.

Previous Landmark cases on the Right to be Forgotten

There have been some landmark cases in the discourse around the right to be forgotten in India:

  • Rajagopal vs. State of Tamil Nadu (1994) - The Supreme Court held the right to privacy and the "right to be let alone," though distinct from the right to erase public records.
  • Dharamraj Bhanushankar Dave vs State Of Gujarat (2017): The Gujarat High Court denied a prayer seeking the expunging of court records from the public domain, highlighting the public interest in the availability of judicial pronouncements.
  • The Registrar General, Karnataka HC (2017) Case: In an annulment petition, the High Court of Karnataka anonymized the petitioner, commenting on the growing recognition of privacy where the nature of the information is sensitive.
  • Jorawar Singh Mundy v. Union of India, Delhi HC (2021): The Delhi High Court allowed to delink the search engine result which could lead to causing injury to the social and professional life of the petitioner.

Read the article on the Digital personal data protection bill 2022!

Right to Privacy and Right to be Forgotten

The right to be forgotten is an adjunct of the right to privacy. In an important judgement, this right has been recognized as part of the basic structure of the Indian Constitution by the Supreme Court of India in Justice K S Puttaswamy v. Union of India in 2017, which provides the right to privacy including the right to control personal information. As observed, in the Puttaswamy judgment, by Justice S K Kaul, the right to be forgotten allows an individual to control personal data, which may be irrelevant or no longer needed. This meshing of both rights is imperative to ensuring personal autonomy and dignity in the cyber age.

Government Initiatives to Protect Privacy

The Indian government has taken several initiatives to protect privacy, including:

  • Personal Data Protection Bill (PDPB), 2019: A bill suggested in the year 2019 for the objective of putting in place a data protection framework consisting of, among other things, provisions regarding the right to be forgotten.
  • Aadhaar and Other Laws (Amendment) Act, 2019: Incorporates measures for increasing data security and data-privacy measures needed to address concerns emanating from the Aadhaar system.
  • Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021: Amended requirements that will be laid on the intermediaries and digital platforms to protect the data of users and provide privacy.
  • Initiatives in Cybersecurity: Specifically, programs like Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-IN) tend to work toward making cybersecurity stronger, thereby preventing personal data breaches as well.

Read the article on the International covenant on civil and political rights ICCPR!

Way Forward

Following steps may be taken for the proper implementation of the right to be forgotten in India:

  • Enact a clear and comprehensive data protection law that clearly defines and regulates the right to be forgotten, ensuring that the right be applied in a consistent and legally certain manner.
  • Develop judicial guidelines on how to balance the right to be forgotten with other fundamental rights, such as freedom of expression and possible public interest considerations.
  • Invest in technological advancements and their provisions, making the removal of data feasible without misuse.
  • Increase public awareness and understanding of digital rights, including the right to the deletion of personal information, to empower individuals to assert their privacy rights.
  • Cooperate with other countries to establish global best practices and ensure enforcement of data protection and privacy rights across the border.

Testbook provides a set of comprehensive notes for different competitive exams. Testbook is always on the top of the list because of its best quality assured products like live tests, mocks, Content pages, GK and current affairs videos, and much more. You can check out our UPSC Online Coaching, and download the Testbook App now to check out various other topics relevant to the UPSC IAS Exam.

UPSC Previous Year Questions

Year

Question

2017

Examine the scope of Fundamental Rights in the light of the latest judgement of the Supreme Court on Right to Privacy.

UPSC Practice Questions

Q1. Examine the concept of the Right to be Forgotten (RTBF) and its legal basis in India. Discuss the implications of the RTBF on the balance between individual privacy and public interest. (250 words)

Q2. The Personal Data Protection Bill, 2019 aims to provide a detailed framework for data privacy in India. Critically analyze how this bill proposes to address the Right to be Forgotten in comparison with international standards like the EU’s GDPR. (250 words)

Q3. Discuss the ethical considerations involved in implementing the Right to be Forgotten in the digital age. How can India ensure a balance between protecting individual privacy and maintaining freedom of information? (250 words)

Report An Error
Exams Tests Super Practice