Technology ("tech") companies have a
recurring tryst with human rights. Each new technology can be a
disruption to the way we live. The impact of these disruptions on
human rights is the question of our times.
Over the last decade, tech companies have been increasingly
battling controversies on issues such as censorship, data
protection, digital security, protection against surveillance
amongst others. Connected to these are vital rights of privacy and
freedom of expression, recognised by seminal human rights
instruments such as the Universal Declaration of Human
Rights1 (UDHR) and the
International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights
(ICCPR).2 Recently, WhatsApp found
itself embroiled in a legal battle in Indian courts over its
privacy policy. This was preceded by a public outcry that caused
many of its users to switch over to its competitors, Signal and
Telegram. A question of privacy resulted in business loss and legal
costs for the tech company.
