The individual controlling your data chooses to use it for, say, gaining entry into a space that requires an ID card. In security parlance, the use or processing of data in a manner that is not intended to be used is what constitutes harm.

“Harm occurs when someone else is in control of your data and uses it on your behalf without your consent. It doesn’t have to be a financial loss for it to count as harm,” said Anand V, a security researcher, who has written extensively on Aadhaar.

Your Aadhaar number, thus far, has been used to send money to you without your consent, to access your PAN number, to open accounts on Facebook and Amazon cloud services, and also to obtain your Air India frequent flier number. In all these cases, the data has been used in ways you did not intend it to be used.

You, sir, have been ‘harmed’. Let us now go through some concrete examples of this.