Should privacy be a tradable right?

Should privacy be a tradable right?

Author: The Hindu April 6, 2026 Duration: 51:27
India is a poor country, but it is ‘data-rich’. The dominant consensus today holds that data – including personal data -- should be exploited for economic growth. Is it possible that this consensus is wrong? One outcome of this consensus is the ‘consent regime’, which paves the way for monetisation of personal data. You tick a box to give your ‘consent’ and that’s it, so far as your privacy is concerned – it’s now a tradable commodity. But is it ok to have markets for privacy? Or, is it similar to having markets for organs, or for blood donation, or for child labour? A new scholarly paper titled, ‘Data and Privacy: Putting markets in (their) place’ uses the economic concept of “noxious markets” to question whether privacy should be a tradeable commodity at all. What if it isn’t something that should be traded? Guest: Reetika Khera, Professor of Economics at IIT, Delhi Host: G Sampath, Social Affairs Editor, The Hindu Shot by Jude Weston & Almas Mohammad Producer and editor: Jude Weston Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Each week, the journalists at In Focus by The Hindu select one pressing story from the news cycle and slow it down. Rather than a rapid headline, you’ll hear a thoughtful conversation that unpacks the layers behind an event-the historical precedents, the economic forces, the political nuances, and the human impact. This podcast relies on conversations with reporters who have been on the ground and specialists who have spent years, sometimes decades, studying a particular issue. The result is a clearer, more substantive understanding of what’s happening in India and around the world. You might explore the roots of a regional conflict one episode, and dive into the complexities of a new environmental policy the next. It’s designed for anyone who feels that the daily news skim leaves too many questions unanswered. Tune in for a consistent, deep-dive format that prioritizes context over instant reaction, making sense of the week’s most significant developments through careful analysis and expert insight.
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