Government Policies

KEY POINTS

VID

·         To reinforce privacy protection, UIDAI has proposed the Virtual Ids (VID).

·         This is a concept of two-layer security system that prevents the possibility of the numbers being stored in many databases.

·         Notably, “Virtual Id Numbers” are envisioned to be substituted in all places that require one to give out their unique ID (Aadhaar number).

·         The VID will be a 16-digit random number, which an Aadhaar-holder can generate and use in place of his UID (Aadhar Number).

Existing problems in Aadhaar

·         Allegations of access to personal information by random entities, without the consent of individual Aadhaar holders were rampant.

·         The widespread fear of misuse of demographic data is also heightened by the fact that India still does not have a data-protection law.

Greater privacy

·         VIDs will ensure that the Aadhaar number is no longer shared, thus obviating any chance of it being leaked.

·         What makes the VID user-friendly is that it is linked to the Aadhaar number and there can only be one VID at any point in time for a particular number.

·         Moreover, only the Aadhaar-holder will be able to generate the VID and it will be a temporary number, unlike Aadhaar, which stays the same forever.

·         Hence, it is pointless to hold on to someone’s VID as it is merely a temporary number like banking “One Time Passwords” (OTPs).

Way forward

·         The VIDs significantly address privacy concerns by protecting the Aadhaar number from being exposed in day-to-day transactions.

·         But a lot more to be done to ensure foolproof security for critical personal information.

·         Notably, Aadhaar seeding with all existing databases should be revoked.

·         Also, the new VID system should ensure that it doesn’t become too difficult for the poor and illiterate masses will to engage with.

In online virtual platforms, Virtual Identity (VID) is the manifestation of one's self in the digital world of e-commerce, e-mail, social networking, and virtual online worlds. These VIDs are may be temporary (like Google Authenticator, One Time Password) or permanent (like Facebook ID, Aadhar Number etc.). However to generate temporary VIDs, some permanent IDs (like Aadhar Number) are used as source reference.

 Aadhar and VIDs:

1. Presently, Aadhar authentication uses aadhar number and bio-metrics for identification, using UIDAI database. These led to rising concerns over privacy and misuse of personal data.
2. UIDAI also introduced a system of “Limited KYC” (Know Your Customer) to reduce the storage of Aadhaar numbers with the Authentication User Agencies (AUAs), while still letting them do paperless authentications.
3. However, the new VID system will hide the Aadhaar number from the authenticating agency, while still confirming the identity of the user.
4. The VID (a 16 digit OTP) will be generated by the user using the Aadhaar resident portal, Aadhaar Enrolment Centres, and the mAadhaar app on Android.
5. VID can only be generated by the user, whenever he/she needs to sumbit Aadhar for identification/verification.
6. The VID will have a certain period of validity, at the end of which it will expire, and the user will have to generate a new one.
7. A VID will automatically expire when a user generates a new one, and there can only be one valid VID number against a particular Aadhaar number at any given point in time.

Privacy and VID:

1. VID is only mapped with the Aadhaar number. So, while the VID will help confirm user identity to the AUA (for example, a bank), it will not necessarily share the Aadhaar number and other data with the AUA. Hence preventing misuse of privacy.
2. The VID, which is temporary ; cannot be used by agencies for duplication, and it cannot be generated by the Authentication User Agency (AUA) either.
3. These steps will ensure greater privacy, security and limit access to UIDAI database.

    In addition to this, UIDAI should think of more easy, hassle free, innovative ways of generating UID tokens, VID (like QR codes) which is easy to under stand by the user, and secure. Most authentication agencies will have to upgrade their entire computer systems in order to accept VID, which is time taking process. There is a need for conducting awareness campaigns all over the country to take these programs into citizens, which is the duty of UIDAI to protect the privacy of users and secure data.