The Modi government submitted before the Supreme Court that right to life of millions of poor in the country through food, shelter and welfare measures was far more important than privacy concerns raised by the elite class.

Data is a powerful weapon in the fight against poverty—one that can potentially transform the lives of poor people. But it’s also a double-edged sword. New rules of the road are called for—a social contract for data—to get more value out of data while protecting people against harm and ensuring access and representation.