All Posts | Apr 12,2019
All Posts | Apr 12,2019
We organised a Conference on 'Future of Tech Policy in India' on 15 March 2019 in Delhi. Over 150 people participated in the conference. Our report on Intermediary Liability 2.0 - A shifting Paradigm was launched during this conference.
A Blue Paper containing inputs received during this conference is available below. This document does not reflect the views of SFLC.in.
Brief agenda:
09:30 AM to 10:00 AM: Registration
10:00 AM to 11:30 AM: Session 1 - Misinformation and Intermediary Liability
11:30 AM to 11:40 AM: Overview of the Report on ‘Intermediary Liability 2.0: A Shifting Paradigm’
11:40 AM to 11:50 AM: Tea Break
11:50 AM to 01:15 PM: Session 2 - The Role of Social Media in Elections
01:15 PM to 02:00 PM: Lunch
02:00 PM to 03:20 PM: Session 3 - Online Harassment
03:20 PM to 03:30 PM: Tea Break
03:30 PM to 03:50 PM: Lightning Talk on FreedomBox
03:50 PM to 05:00 PM: Session 4 - The Future of Tech Policy
All Posts | Mar 25,2019
On 23rd February, 2019, the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (“DPIIT”) released the Draft National e-Commerce Policy (“the Draft Policy”), requesting interested stakeholders to give their comments on the policy document. The deadline for the submission of comments is 29 March 2019.
The policy includes recommendations on a wide range of subjects such as data sovereignty, data protection, intermediary liability and intellectual property, among others.
SFLC.in is organizing a round table discussion in Delhi on March 27, 2019 to analyze the policy and how it will affect the multi-stakeholder community at large.
Date: March 28, 2019
Venue: Autumn Hall, Royal Orchid 1, Golf Avenue, Adjoining KGA Golf Course, Airport Road, Bangalore – 560008
Agenda:
02:00 PM to 02:15 PM - Registration
02:15 PM to 03:30 PM - Session 1: Who Does Your Data Belong To?
03:30 PM to 03:45 PM - Tea Break
03:45 PM to 05:00 PM - Session 2: Intermediary Liability, Fair Competition and Other Issues
Tickets:
Please RSVP at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/round-table-discussion-on-draft-national-e-commerce-policy-bangalore-tickets-59316200352 OR email us at events@sflc.in to reserve your seat.
All Posts | Mar 25,2019
On 23rd February, 2019, the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (“DPIIT”) released the Draft National e-Commerce Policy (“the Draft Policy”), requesting interested stakeholders to give their comments on the policy document. The deadline for the submission of comments is 29 March 2019.
The policy includes recommendations on a wide range of subjects such as data sovereignty, data protection, intermediary liability and intellectual property, among others.
SFLC.in is organizing a round table discussion in Delhi on March 27, 2019 to analyze the policy and how it will affect the multi-stakeholder community at large.
Date: March 27, 2019
Venue: Seminar Hall 1, India International Centre, Delhi
Agenda:
02:00 PM to 02:15 PM - Registration
02:15 PM to 03:30 PM - Session 1: Who Does Your Data Belong To?
03:30 PM to 03:45 PM - Tea Break
03:45 PM to 05:00 PM - Session 2: Intermediary Liability, Fair Competition and Other Issues.
Tickets:
Please RSVP at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/round-table-discussion-on-draft-national-e-commerce-policy-tickets-59309518366 OR email us at events@sflc.in to reserve your seat.
All Posts | Dec 03,2016
The Internet Governance Forum (IGF), a multi-stakeholder public policy dialogue initiated by the United Nations Secretary-General, has been an annual affair for more than a decade. The 11th IGF is set to take place from 6th to 9th December at Guadalajara, Mexico with the theme of ‘Enabling Inclusive and Sustainable Growth’. This 4 day conference is an opportunity to discuss current as well as emerging issues in the field of digital freedoms, cyber security, Internet governance, and others, that require brainstorming, expert views, and co-operation amongst all stakeholders. At the IGF 2016, SFLC.in will be represented by our Executive Director, Mishi Choudhary and Jr. Policy Director, Arjun Jayakumar. We will be organizing two sessions on the topics of Internet shutdowns, and online harassment, and are excited for the opportunity to discuss our work, gain insights from across the globe and expand it further!
The details of our sessions are as follows:
Blanket shutdowns of Internet services, usually as a means to forestall violence and civic unrest, have been gaining traction in recent times, especially in developing countries. Restricting Internet access to large sections of the population has several wide-ranging consequences, including compromising the right to free speech and freedom of information and knowledge, in addition to making for an inhospitable environment for businesses and other entities that rely on the Internet for functioning. For details, please refer here.
If you wish to participate remotely, please register yourself here.
While the Internet has proved over the years to be a critical enabler of free speech and expression, the very attributes of the Internet that make it so have also brought forth numerous complex challenges without precedents for effective resolution. Online harassment is one such challenge, the prevalence of which threatens to compromise the Internet’s role as an enabler of free speech. As the Internet also serves as a platform for harassing speech, users are expected grow weary of what they choose to express online and how, which takes away from the Internet’s most cherished attributes. For details, please refer here.
This 20 minute talk will be given by Arjun Jayakumar where among other things, he will discuss recommendations and suggestions from our recently published report on Online Harassment: A form of Censorship. A copy of this report can be accessed here.
Apart from the above two sessions being organized by us, Mishi Choudhary will be speaking at the following events:
Arjun Jayakumar will be representing SFLC.in on the panel on Surveillance and International Human Rights Law [December 8, Workshop room 4, 15:00-16:00 hrs (CT)]. For details, please refer here.
All Posts | Nov 30,2015
Implementing Core Principles in the Digital Age
Mishi Choudhary on the panel talking about privacy, surveillance and its role in a free democracy. She also discusses self assigned innovation by technologists which the example of the FreedomBox project supported by the Freedom Box Foundation.
Zero rating and neutrality policies in developing countries Can Internet rights and access goals be reconciled? A multistakeholder and human rights approach to Cyber Security FOSS & a Free, Open Internet: Synergies for Development A Dialogue on Zero Rating and Network Neutrality
All Posts | Nov 24,2015
The draft outcome document of the "United Nations General Assembly's High-Level Meeting on the overall review of the implementation of the outcomes of the World Summit on the Information Society" scheduled for 15-16 December 2015 was published and opened for comments on 4th November. The document, containing 10-year reviews of the implementation of WSIS mandates across areas such as ICT for development, human rights, cyber-security and Internet governance, was drafted through a multi-stakeholder consultative process, starting with a non-paper published in September, followed by a zero-draft in October, culminating in the draft outcome document. This process will feed into the final outcome document to be released following the conclusion of the High-Level Event on December 16, 2015. SFLC.in's comments on the draft outcome document may be accessed here.
All Posts | Apr 23,2015
With just about a day left before the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) closes comments on its "Consultation Paper on Regulatory Framework for Over-the-Top (OTT) Services", the public campaign seeking to preserve the Internet and its underlying principle of net-neutrality has already proved to be one of the most extensive and participatory that India has witnessed in recent times. The #SaveTheInternet campaign alone has registered around a million responses to the Consultation Paper, and the numbers keep growing as the responses keep flowing in.
Reflective of the truly diverse nature of the Internet's stake-holder community, responses to the Consultation Paper have been sent in by everyone from casual users of the Internet to start up businesses and many more. The nation-wide campaign in favor of net-neutrality also prompted corporations such as Flipkart and Cleartrip to dissociate from non-neutral zero-rated service platforms. This unprecedented level of public engagement is evidence not only of the effectiveness of democratic process, but also of the power of the very Internet that is at risk of being fundamentally altered.
It is redeeming to know that despite what some revenue-driven parties in the net-neutrality debate or their confusing campaigns in favor of fragmenting the Internet might say, the people of India have recognized the significance of preserving core ideologies that made the Internet what it is. Now one can only hope that TRAI heeds the overwhelming calls for an open Internet from actual, every-day users of the Internet, and envisions a regulatory response that helps preserve the Internet in all its openness.
All Posts | Aug 23,2014
The ninth annual meeting of the Internet Governance Forum (IGF) will be held from 2nd to 5th September, 2014 in Istanbul, Turkey. The overarching theme for the 2014 meeting is: "Connecting Continents for Enhanced Multistakeholder Internet Governance".
Formally established in 2006 as mandated by the World Summit on the IGF is a multi-stakeholder forum for international policy-dialogue on contemporary and emergent issues associated with Internet governance. It aims to bring together all stakeholders - be it Government, industry, civil society or academia - through an open and inclusive process so as to highlight and address relevant issues in global Internet governance.
Mishi Choudhary (Executive Director) and Prasanth Sugathan (Counsel) will represent SFLC.in at IGF 2014. Follow us on Twitter for live updates from the meeting.
Read more: http://www.intgovforum.org/cms/
