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In a country buzzing with over a billion voices over affordable smartphones and cheap data plans, India’s digital story is nothing short of a revolution. From endless hours of social media scrolling to mobile payments to OTT platforms to unlimited video calling, the proliferation of apps along with the connectivity has left the country unrecognisable as compared to the mid-2010s. The benefactors have been the citizens, app developers, and the true enablers of free content on the internet - digital advertisers and the brands that leverage this network. This growth in reach and business needs to be tied to a serious responsibility, of the user's personal privacy.
Historically, data privacy hasn’t been a top priority for many Indian businesses. Think about it, how often have we received unsolicited emails, texts, or calls from unknown marketers? The rampant sale of customer databases for pocket change and the regular headlines about data breaches have eroded consumer trust. This laissez-faire attitude toward personal data protection has been a roadblock in building a truly ethical and trustworthy digital ecosystem.
Enter the Digital Personal Data Protection (DPDP) Act—India’s answer to global standards like the GDPR. This law isn’t just a regulatory speed bump; it’s a wake-up call. Businesses, especially in advertising, tech and ecommerce, will now be required to prioritize user’s trust and their data security, and the citizens or their users need not solely rely on the goodwill of the organisations for the protection of their personal data.
While global tech giants like Google and Meta have a head start with established frameworks overseas, Indian businesses have an edge of their own. They understand local culture, consumer behaviour, and unique market nuances, which they can leverage to craft advertising that’s both compliant and culturally relevant.
Let’s take an example. Imagine a homegrown brand launching a hyperlocal campaign for Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities. With data localization mandated by the DPDP Act, businesses can now develop Indian-specific solutions for data storage and processing. This ensures that sensitive consumer data isn’t just protected but also used in ways that resonate locally, like delivering personalised ads in regional languages without compromising privacy.
The DPDP Act now sets the stage for innovation in the martech space. Indian startups have a golden opportunity to create privacy-first advertising platforms that leverage local behavioural nuances, such as AI tools that figure out distinct behaviour patterns without storing personal identifiers or ad platforms designed with consent-first principles in the user journey. This nudge could spark disruption in the advertising, martech and ad tech industries, and take on the global digital advertising giants.
However, the road ahead isn’t without its bumps. Compliance will demand all businesses to dive straight into advanced security measures, revamping data governance policies, and conducting employee training on privacy best practices. Because, after all, this is less about technology and more about fostering a cultural evolution in the industry.
This article is penned by Siddharth Devnani, Co-Founder & Director, SoCheers
Disclaimer: The article features the opinion of the author and does not necessarily reflect the stance of the publication.