“How Much Money Do You Make?”: Google, Paytm Questioned By MPs
NEW DELHI : How much money does Google make in India and how much Chinese investment does the company and Paytm have, officials from the two tech giants were asked on Thursday by a parliamentary committee looking into the Personal Data Protection Bill, according to sources.
Officials of Google and Paytm had been summoned by the parliamentary panel headed by BJP’s Meenakshi Lekhi. Following issues raised by the Congress over the 2019 invoice, the committee is trying into the matter and involving all stakeholders for an summary.
According to sources, the examination of Google and Paytm officers targeted on the rising “conflict of interest” – these corporations are themselves the principle tech platform, vendor, supplier of economic companies and advertisers as effectively.
“Both Google and Paytm were asked about the Chinese investments in their companies. Google was specifically asked about the links they had with China,” a supply stated.
“Google was asked about the quantum of corporate tax they pay in India and the total revenue generated by Google products like Google Pay, YouTube. They have been asked to submit details in writing before the joint committee,” they stated.
The MPs additionally requested Google how impartial they’re when it comes to managing and promoting their content material on-line since they’d the “control button”. The lawmakers requested about the place the 2 corporations hosted the private knowledge of customers and why.
Before Google and Paytm, officers from Facebook and Twitter have appeared earlier than the parliamentary committee. Facebook officers had appeared earlier than the committee final Friday whereas Twitter reps appeared at 11 am on Tuesday.
Former Facebook government Ankhi Das – whose title cropped up in a current controversy over Facebook’s alleged bias in coping with hate speeches – appeared earlier than the panel and was questioned for 2 hours, sources stated. She resigned from the corporate three days later.
Officials of the web retail large Amazon, additionally appeared earlier than the committee on Tuesday and gave oral proof for nearly three-and-a half-hours. While introducing the draft invoice in parliament final yr, union minister Ravi Shankar Prasad stated it empowers the federal government to ask companies like Facebook, Google and others for nameless private and non-personal knowledge.
But there have been issues concerning the authorities accessing private knowledge of customers. The opposition Congress had issues relating to the usage of such knowledge in some instances, particularly the place nationwide safety is concerned.
(ndtv with Agency Inputs).
