Internet leaves citizens vulnerable to profiling and surveillance, says former Orissa HC Chief Justice S. Muralidhar

The unchecked expansion of digital technology is posing an increasingly serious threat to privacy, autonomy and civil liberties, former Chief Justice of Orissa High Court S. Muralidhar cautioned on Friday (September 4, 2026).

He called for urgent intervention by human rights institutions to address the risks posed by the internet and artificial intelligence.

Inaugurating a colloquium on ‘Law, Technology and Human Rights’, organised by the Kerala State Human Rights Commission (KSHRC) in Thiruvananthapuram, Mr. Muralidhar said technological advances had brought enormous benefits, but had also made individuals increasingly transparent to governments and corporations.

“The internet secures the past, makes the present vulnerable and the future unsafe for all of us,” he said.

He said the internet “remembers, it never forgets”, making it virtually impossible for individuals to erase mistakes, opinions, photographs or other personal information once they enter the digital ecosystem.