The Murky Waters of Government Transparency

Governments Refuse Information on Their Collaborations with Big Tech

Newsreel Asia Insight #69
Dec. 10, 2023

Central and state government entities have significant partnerships with global technology giants like Microsoft and Google, involving sensitive health data and public funds. However, when Right to Information (RTI) queries sought details on these contracts, the government’s response was less than transparent, according to a media report. It raises questions over how our personal data is handled and the fairness of the digital market.

These partnerships include collaborations between the All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Jodhpur, and Microsoft India; the Central Health Ministry’s telemedicine service, e-Sanjeevani, and Amazon Web Services; and the Tamil Nadu state government and Google, as reported by Scroll.in. The areas of focus for these collaborations involve a remote healthcare project, utilisation of cloud space, and the development of a population health registry.

These collaborations began in 2022, according to The Times of India, Frost and The Ken.

Big Tech companies, known for their prowess in handling massive amounts of data and their advanced technological capabilities, are in partnership with the Indian government and state governments. While this collaboration has the potential to revolutionise healthcare delivery, it also brings concerns about data privacy and market dynamics.

Big Tech can offer cutting-edge technologies like artificial intelligence to analyse medical data, cloud computing to store vast amounts of health records securely, and sophisticated algorithms to predict disease outbreaks. This can lead to better patient care, more efficient hospital management, and even breakthroughs in medical research.

However, health data is incredibly personal and sensitive. When tech companies handle this data, questions arise: How secure is this information? Who has access to it? Could it be misused, say, to profile patients for commercial purposes? For example, could someone’s health data be used to target them with specific health-related products or services without their consent?

In 2022, the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Finance in India raised an alarm, the report in Scroll.in points out. They noted that these Big Tech companies, with their extensive databases of consumer and health data, might engage in practices that aren’t entirely transparent. They could use this data to strengthen their market position, making it difficult for newer, smaller companies to enter the health tech space. This is where the risk of monopolistic practices comes in. It’s like a scenario where a few big players hold the keys to the kingdom of health data, potentially controlling not just the market but also influencing healthcare decisions and policies.

This monopolistic tendency can stifle innovation and competition. New players might find it challenging to compete with these established giants, who have more data, more resources, and more influence. It’s like trying to enter a race where the leading runners have already completed several laps.

There has to be a balance between technological advancement in healthcare and the safeguarding of our personal health data.

The reluctance of government agencies to disclose details about their collaborations with tech companies raises important questions about transparency and the public’s right to understand government operations. After all, it involve taxpayer money.

The RTI Act, designed to foster transparency and empower citizens, seems to be hitting a wall of resistance in these cases.

Public authorities frequently invoke Sections 8 and 9 of the RTI Act to withhold information, Scroll.in says. Section 8 specifies conditions for exemption, including scenarios that might compromise Indian sovereignty or endanger someone’s life or safety. Section 9 permits denying access to information in certain cases. And government agencies often don’t provide justification for the exemption.

The recent amendment to the RTI Act, which exempts all personal information, further complicates this landscape. This change could potentially make it even more challenging to obtain information about public-private partnerships in the future.

The level of transparency in government actions is a critical measure of a country’s democratic health. The current scenario in India, where information is hard to come by, poses significant challenges to understanding and evaluating the implications of government actions.