Indian social media users more prone to data breach

India’s millions of active Facebook and other social media users could be at a greater risk of user data breach and of giving away more information about themselves on social platforms compared to users in other markets due to weak rules and careless approach.

Lax rules and regulations for app developers and owners, which do not require them to seek explicit permissions from users compared to other markets like Europe before downloading apps, rampant proliferation of the Android platform, which enables apps to seek out a lot more information and the unique social media habits of Indians are all factors that put them at a greater risk, cyber and data security lawyers and industry experts told ET.

“App permissions and the way app developers and owners seek permissions from users before the latter download the apps varies with locations,” said Sivarama Krishnan, cybersecurity leader, India, at PwC.

“Privacy regulations in Europe, Singapore, and other markets compel app owners to seek explicit and more specific approvals from users who can be more discerning while in India they take a blanket approval. Because of this, the risks could be higher in India,” he said.

The unique social media habits of Indians add to the risks. “Companies like Cambridge Analytica will have a field day in India as opposed to other markets as in the western world they need to create a footprint but in India they don’t need to. Over 90% of the messages, status updates, photographs, and wishes posted in India by users are in the public domain,” Krishnan said.

Concerns are mounting globally over how much data Facebook has on users in the aftermath of the Cambridge Analytica data breach controversy with users attempting to download information on how much they have given away to the platform. In a response to ET’s queries, Facebook said its terms of agreements are the same everywhere and that contact uploading is optional.

“In Messenger and Facebook Lite, people are expressly asked if they want to give permission to upload their contacts from their phone — it’s explained right there in the app when they get started,” the company said. “We already show people what apps their accounts are connected to and control what data they’ve permitted those apps to use. Going forward, we’re going to make these choices more prominent and easier to manage.”

Facebook had 217 million monthly users in India as per its Q2 reports last year.

Rampant proliferation of the Android platform in India has also exposed people to greater risks, experts said.

“Because of its inherent open source nature, Android has more vulnerabilities as compared to iOS, which is a closed operating system,” said Tarun Pathak, associate director at Hong Kong-based Counterpoint Research. “And due to its vast size — in terms of the number of users, especially in markets like India — it is also a target for security-related issues,” he said.

India has the highest number of Android users among key global markets, as per data from Counterpoint Research.

Android phones accounted for 98% of smartphones sold in the country in February, with iOS accounting for the rest. Android’s share was about 85% of smartphones sold in China last month, 75% in Europe and 58% in the US, with iPhones accounting for the rest in all these markets.

The share of Android users in India would be on the higher side compared to iOS, even if one were to look at the 380 million smartphone user base in India, Counterpoint Research said.

Nikhil Narendran, a partner at law firm Trilegal, said apps on the Android platform can access a lot more information than iOS.