Checks at cyber cafes to become passé with UID numbers
By S Ronendra Singh May 12 2010 , New Delhi
Tags: IT
Cyber cafe customers would soon get a unique identification number (UID) which would be applicable across the country. This would remove the trouble of having to offer an identity proof every time a customer logs in at an internet booth.
Identity proofs are a must given the security safeguards being deployed by cyber cafe owners in the wake of a government mandate to identify each cyber cafe user. There are about 1,80,000 cyber cafes in the country. The UID, an initiative of the cyber cafe association of India (CCAOI), however, is not mandatory and would cost customers a small fee.
“Customers will have to give their contact details and ID proofs such as PAN card, driving licence or voter’s I-card to cafe owners. A picture will also be taken. Then, the customer would get the unique identification, which would enable them to use the systems for browsing the net in future too,” director, CCAOI, Amrita Choudhury told Financial Chronicle.
Every time a user tries to log in with UID details, the details stored in the central server and the log-in credentials would be matched and authenticated, after which the user would be allowed to browse, she said.
“The device for maintaining such details costs around Rs 10,000, but CCOAI with the help of government would give it free to the cyber café owners. Owners pay only a maintenance cost of Rs 100,” Choudhury said. Connect9 and Airlink Wireless are technology partners of the UID solution.
According to Sify Technologies, which has around 1,227 internet cafes across India, the company would ensure all measures for cyber security.
“Sify e-Port is committed to providing internet access across the country and have more than two lakh unique visitors sessions a day. Any measures to increase security by the government are welcome. We’ll do everything to put in place the requisite infrastructure,” a senior Sify official said.
Reliance, which runs cyber cafes on franchisee model under the brand name Reliance Web World, however, declined to comment.
“This shall help café owners to adhere to the government norms for tracking the details of every user. All cyber cafes in India are under the IT Act 2000, which was amended in 2008, and there are guidelines that they have to follow under this Act,” director, department of IT (DIT), Abhishek Singh told Financial Chronicle.
According to CCOAI, of the 1,80,000 cyber cafes in India, each has on an average has about six terminals open seven days a week, 10 hours a day, with around 40 walk-ins per day.