Bridging the Gap Between Personal and Private Data
It was just two days ago that Ankita and Priyanka registered their new company and purchased a new sim card. They planned to use the phone number for acquiring clients, making cold calls, and for official purposes. However, what they did not expect was to receive a barrage of spam and cold calls themselves! From the moment they added the number on their website and the online registry, their phone did not stop ringing, so much so that keeping the phone on silent seemed like the only option. With the tremendous amount of spam they were receiving, they were worried about actually missing out on important calls. If you faced similar issues when you got a new number and made the simple mistake of sharing it with some e-tailer, you know what we are talking about.
What is the Government Doing?
Now, in a welcome move aimed at easing this worrisome trend, news reports are stating that the Centre is likely to prompt e-commerce companies to seek the consumer’s consent, before going ahead and sharing their personal data with telemarketing companies. This means that, for once, you will know where your details are being sent. And, more importantly, you would have a say in whether or not your contact should be shared further. With this regulation in place, you can choose which telemarketers to provide your number to and, if you do not wish to be disturbed at all, you can strictly inform the e-commerce company about this aspect. Not only will the move protect your privacy, it will also prevent information misuse and unauthorised sharing.
What is Personal Data?
So, is your number the only piece of personal data you should worry about? The term personal data refers to any information that can help identify you as an individual. This includes everything from your phone number and full name, to your home address, email address location data and identification card number. When telemarketers or fraudsters gain different pieces of your personal data, they have the ability to put it together and identify you as the subject. This allows them to track your online history and target you with advertising campaigns or fraudulent activities.
Should You Wait or Take Action?
While the government’s action sounds like a dream come true, it may actually take some time for this dream to materialise as the government follows a meandering path towards creating new mandates. Does it make sense to wait that long when, every day, your personal number could be shared with multiple unsavoury entities? If you want to enjoy the same amount of control, and bridge the insuperable gap between your personal number and actual privacy, you can consider investing in a virtual phone number in India.
How Will Doosra Help?
Doosra, a virtual sim card provider in India, can afford you absolute freedom and privacy by enabling you to share your second mobile number with every e-commerce chain and supermarket out there.