As the novel coronavirus pandemic led to the world’s largest work-from-home experiment, video conferencing apps like Zoom and Google Meet saw a sudden rise in their user database. Organizations around the world are now moving ahead with their daily tasks via video conferencing through these apps.
But their usage has also drawn severe criticism from experts over privacy concerns. There had been multiple media reports about the invasion of privacy and data theft on the Zoom app. Experts have even stated that about 50,000 Zoom accounts are up for sale on the dark web for about ₹1.
Recently, the Ministry of Home Affairs had also released detailed guidelines, which cautioned that the video conferencing app Zoom was not “for use by government officers or officials for official purposes.”
Considering the privacy issues, the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeiTY) has launched an innovation challenge that aims to find an indigenously built video conferencing software by July-end.
Commenting on the privacy concerns a Meity official said, “Of course the Zoom security scare is a concern. Otherwise also, the Ministry is of the view that work-from-home and social distancing could become the new normal. For now, the lockdown is till May 3, but what if it is extended? We want to find a lasting solution.”
The competition is now open to anybody who wishes to participate but with certain conditions. If any idea makes it to the top 10 in the competition, the winning team has to register themselves in India with its ownership of more than 51% held by an Indian.
The official added that the data must be stored in India. “We had meetings with industry leaders, and Nasscom. They opined that such a software can be developed in India, provided there is a commitment of the software being used, along with some incentives. We have kept all that in mind.”
The government has mandated 12 checkpoints that all such software must pass in order to qualify, including allowing “encrypted network communication.”
“The team which wins will have a central and state government contract of at least four years, in addition to the other monetary benefits,” another ministry official said.
The jury to decide the winner would be formed only after April 30, once the top 10 teams are finalised, as the government wants to avoid a conflict of interest situation, the official added.
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