Hundreds of cybercafes in the capital of Karnataka, India, considered one of the country's tech hubs, have begun recording personal details of visitors, according to published reports.
The recording is said to be part of compliance with new rules aimed at keeping tabs on cyber-criminals from fraudsters and malware purveyors to potential terrorists and even porn purveyors.
Karnataka passed the rules in 2004—they require cybercafe customers to show proof of identity and details like names, ages, and addresses before going on the Internet—but police began enforcing the rules in earnest this week, and some cybercafe owners are uneasy about it.
"This is going to drive us out of business," said Internet café Cyberia owner G. Satish to reporters. "People ask why they must part with personal details just to send an e-mail. Many have walked out of my shop after being asked to register themselves. This is not working."
The official fear is that terrorists and cyber crooks could use the Web from the Karnatakan cybercafes to commit online credit fraud or plot crimes through e-mail exchanges, but Internet crime attorney Pavan Duggal told reporters personal details are too easy to misuse or sell to telemarketers.
"National security and individual privacy must be kept in balance," Duggal continued. "Cybercafes are only a medium. Don't punish the pipeline because you are getting dirty water. Cybercafes have been singled out for monitoring, while post offices and public call offices, also frequented by criminals, have been left out."
Not everyone agrees. Another cybercafe operator, B.N. Srikanth, told reporters people swap personal details frequently enough with non-Internet interests. "You should have no fear if you are not a criminal," he said.
