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Every flight you take, every call you make... they’re tracking you

Economic Times · 8m

Data theft has become a thriving industry, with personal information being sold for as little as Rs 150-Rs 300. Call centre employees, telemarketers, and others are buying datasets that include detailed information on individuals' recent activities such as flights, broadband connections, and more. These leads are then used for targeted marketing, cross-selling products, and generating business. The unchecked flow of personal data can be curtailed with the new Digital Personal Data Protection (DPDP) Act, but full compliance may take a few years. Impersonation scams and the use of AI for voice cloning and deepfake content pose additional threats to data privacy.