Issue 49 Apr 2018 Dear Readers, Greetings from Swan Solutions! Facebook, as we know it, has been making headlines lately. Revelations that millions of Facebook users' data was leaked to a voter-profiling firm came not just as a shock, but as a wake-up call to many of us. It reminded us that lax data policies and failure to protect your customer data can cost you dearly. Facebook lost more than $50 billion in market cap right after the data leak incident. Though its stock was soaring in the subsequent days, the reputational damage is still significant. Data protection and privacy has never been the best-loved topic for us in India too. Nevertheless, the Facebook fiasco has triggered new discussions around the need for a legal framework for data protection and privacy in the country. The tech industry has a critical role in channelizing these efforts into a definitive direction. And for those of us who collect and thrive on customer data, it's a reminder: Trust takes years to build, seconds to break and forever to repair! Regards, C.E.O Tech Trend Data Protection in India: What's the Need of the Hour? While the Facebook data controversy surely was a bolt from the blue for everyone who has a digital presence, it triggered a number of positive discussions. For one, it led to questioning the monopoly of the GAFA companies-Google, Amazon, Facebook, Apple-and why these giants need to be heavily regulated or broken up. Besides, it brought the spotlight back to data privacy- a topic that many companies have been conveniently tweaking to fit their interests. The biggest realization has been that we must not be blase about poor policies maintained by companies that collect and store people's personal and sensitive data. Experts argue that the government should introduce firmer and transparent laws to ensure regulation, liability and penalization. That said, companies that are in the business of collecting, storing, analysing and thus controlling customer data will now be made to take privacy a lot more seriously. Here are a few suggestions that privacy experts in India are advocating. Informed consent: Much like the EU GDPR, customers should be given greater control over their personal data. The Facebook incident emphasizes the need to define 'consent' more clearly and explicitly by companies, app providers and anyone who collects data. Need for stringent Laws: Experts argue that the Indian government needs to firm up and formulate specific data protection law, cyber security law and privacy law in the country. The committee formed to deliberate on a data protection framework for India, must focus on pertinent data classification, rights & remedies for users, and enforcement capabilities. Keeping data within India: The government, on a war footing, should insist on keeping its citizens' data within the boundaries of the country. Many countries, like the EU and China, are insisting in-country storage of personal data.. Expert Tip Investing on Effective Privacy and Data Protection The Facebook incident is a wakeup call for enterprises that undermine the need for privacy and data protection. Companies that invest sparsely on data protection, thinking it has no direct contribution to the company's bottomline, should now rethink on the impact of privacy violation. The misuse of data cannot however be prevented by simply implementing security technologies. There needs to be a greater focus on regulatory compliance, awareness creation across the board, and formal programs on privacy. For the existing privacy and data protection programs to be effective, companies need to address concerns such as limited understanding about the legal and regulatory aspects of data collection and transmittal, third-party risks, lack of policy monitoring etc. Recognition Swan receives Certificate of Appreciation from HPE for Pointnext Business FY 17-18 At a recently held function in Goa, Hewlett Packard Enterprise recognized Swan Solutions for its significant contribution towards HPE Pointnext Business for FY 17-18. Click here to take a closer look at our Certificate of Appreciation Free Downloads Forest: Put Down Your Phone Forest App offers an engaging and fun way to stay focused on your task. If you want to beat your phone addiction, plant a 'seed' in Forest, set a time and lay down your phone to let the seed grow to a 'tree'. If you can't resist the temptation to check your phone during this time, the tree withers. A bigger 'forest' represents your ability to stay focused. Google Keep: 'Post-it Note' for Your Phone Keep lets you save your thoughts by adding notes, lists, photos and audio to your phone. Some interesting features include ability to texts from images, universal device access, native integration with other Google services, and the option to turn photos into text through optical character recognition. Quiz Would you like to win a Free Movie Ticket ? Answer a few simple questions and send us the reply. In case of more than one correct entry, winner will be chosen by a draw. Swan is a 28+ year old, IT infrastructure and facilities management company providing state-of-the-art IT solutions to large and medium enterprises Swan Solutions & Services (P) Ltd - 404 T-Square, 4th Floor, Saki Vihar Road, Andheri East, Above Kavish Ford Showroom, Mumbai 400 072; Tel. 022-28034088 ; Email : enquiry@swansol.com Website : www.swansol.com