Poonam Dhillon, Padmini Kolhapure question Upasana Singh over CINTAA member data leak, raise privacy concerns

Mumbai, Sep 12 (IANS) Actors and CINTAA (Cine & TV Artistes’ Association) office-bearers Poonam Dhillon and Padmini Kolhapure have raised concerns over an alleged breach of members’ privacy, questioning alleged Upasana Singh over access to the association’s data amid the ongoing dispute within CINTAA.

Speaking to IANS, about messages being circulated among CINTAA members, Poonam questioned how the Federation of Western India Cine Employees (FWICE) obtained members’ personal details.

“First of all, how is FWICE sending out SMSs and messages to all our members? Where did they get our data from? It’s very private data,” Poonam said.

She pointed out that CINTAA maintains KYC details of its members, including Aadhaar cards, PAN cards, phone numbers and private email addresses.

“We cannot let any association take all our data and send messages to all of them because they have access to it. How did they get access to it? I want to know. That’s a big question,” she added.

Poonam stressed that privacy is particularly important for members of the film fraternity, citing personalities such as Smriti Irani, Amitabh Bachchan, Shah Rukh Khan and Hrithik Roshan as examples of people who are protective of their personal information.

Poonam also recalled an incident involving CINTAA’s digital accounts, saying the association’s staff follows a security system under which passwords are periodically changed.

According to her, none of the erstwhile president or general secretary had access to CINTAA’s passwords, and it was the staff who managed the association’s email, social media and other digital systems.

She said that alleged Upasana Singh sent a message to the executive committee group at around 11.30 pm.

“I said 11:30? Why is she asking this at 11:30 in the night?” Poonam recalled.

She said access to the password could potentially mean access to much more than just email, including CINTAA’s Google Drive, hard drives and other data.

The actors also responded to allegations that documents had been removed from CINTAA’s office.

She said that after new people began working, meetings were being conducted because the association’s members continued to require services.

According to Poonam and Padmini, access to the office subsequently became an issue.

They alleged that a person had put a chain and lock on their office. They said CCTV footage was available and had helped them identify the person, though they did not reveal the name, saying they were considering whether to take action.

They further alleged that CINTAA’s CEO’s office had been sealed with masking tape bearing numbers, dates and handwritten signatures.

“We can’t open it. Who has given them the right? They have unlawfully done it,” Poonam said.

The remarks come amid the ongoing dispute within CINTAA, with questions being raised over elections, resignations, access to the association’s premises, records and members’ personal data.

Poonam also recalled the discussion that followed alleged Upasana Singh’s call for elections. She said there was confusion over whether the existing office-bearers were expected to resign for the election process to take place, clarifying that they had not agreed to resign.

–IANS

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