The Supreme Court of India’s decision in Puttuswamy v. Union of India affirmed the fundamental right to privacy, resolving inconsistencies in previous rulings. While the judgment is celebrated for its nuance, I am concerned that the consent-based framework might hinder the benefits of modern technology.

Individuals generate vast amounts of medical data through various healthcare interactions and personal devices. Machine learning can unlock proactive diagnoses, but current data silos and over-protective attitudes hinder access and sharing. A proposed electronic data request framework in India aims to place control with the data subject, enabling personal analysis and broader applications, such as credit-worthiness assessments.

Historically, false news has influenced major events, from anti-Semitic libels to the Spanish-American War. With the rise of social media, exposure to unregulated, biased news has increased, exploiting human tendencies like implicit and confirmation biases. This creates echo chambers, reinforcing beliefs without exposure to differing views. The evolution of fake news now includes realistic audio and potential video fabrications. Addressing this, technology, not regulation, might offer solutions, such as a “FactRank” algorithm to assess news accuracy, akin to Google’s PageRank for search results.

The Luddite movement, originating in the late 1700s with Ned Ludham’s act of industrial defiance, evolved into a labor movement focused on collective bargaining rather than a blanket opposition to technology. Today, as technological advancements rapidly replace human jobs, society faces the prospect of a post-work future. This shift challenges traditional notions of work’s role in providing income and purpose, potentially leading to a society sustained by systems like Universal Basic Income and a reevaluation of life’s meaning beyond work.

We rely on technology for daily tasks - from timely reminders to personalized entertainment suggestions. While this personalization offers convenience and informed decision-making, it raises privacy concerns. The proposed privacy law shifts responsibility from individual consent to data controllers, ensuring no harm from data processing. This includes financial, reputational, or choice-related harms, especially from biased machine learning algorithms. The law suggests regular data audits by learned intermediaries, moving towards privacy compliance through incentives rather than penalties.

Augmented Reality (AR) is poised to transform our interaction with the world, from aiding emergency services and simplifying navigation to enriching personal experiences with real-time information overlays. However, when combined with facial recognition, AR could profoundly impact social interactions and privacy, offering real-time behavioral insights and emotional transparency, necessitating a reevaluation of privacy norms.

Darwin’s theory of natural selection inspired Francis Galton to propose eugenics, the idea that selective breeding could enhance human traits. This concept gained traction in the early 20th century, leading to sterilization laws in the U.S. and Nazi Germany’s racial hygiene program. These ideas eventually culminated in the Holocaust, where six million Jews were killed. Today, the potential of CRISPR/Cas9 technology to alter genes offers a new frontier in genetics, with the lessons of the past serving as a cautionary reminder.

Dengue, that affects millions annually, may be mitigated by using Wolbachia-infected mosquitoes. This approach, along with fecal microbiota transplants for C-diff infections, underscores a shift towards microbiome-focused therapies. Future medicine may rely on synthetic biology for precise, customized treatments, challenging current regulatory frameworks.

The Supreme Court of India’s ban on liquor sales along highways led to the closure of bars and pubs on Bengaluru’s MG Road and Brigade Road, mistakenly identified as part of NH-4 and NH-7. The excise department’s order, based on outdated map information, ignored the city’s changed highway network, reflecting a broader issue with government map coordination. The Supreme Court later clarified that the ban should not

The shift from private ownership to shared access, particularly in the automobile industry has been remarkable. With the rise of ride-hailing apps and potential for autonomous vehicles, the emphasis on owning a car is diminishing, especially in India, where the culture of vehicle ownership is less ingrained.