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Internet Governance

by kaeru — last modified Sep 07, 2012 05:43 PM
The Tunis Agenda of the second World Summit on the Information Society has defined internet governance as the development and application by governments, the private sector and civil society, in their respective roles of shared principles, norms, rules, decision making procedures and programmes that shape the evolution and use of the Internet. As part of Internet governance work, we promote freedom of expression on the Internet, while ensuring that the right to privacy is safeguarded as well. This work has sometimes required us to go beyond the confines of the Internet to investigate and promote these rights more generally as well. CIS's free speech advocacy is focussed primarily around the Information Technology Act, and issues of liability of intermediaries for unlawful speech. We have worked with the UN Special Rapporteur on the Promotion and Protection of the Right to Freedom of Opinion and Expression, and helped him in the preparation of his 2011 report on freedom of speech on the Internet by organizing South Asia-wide consultations. CIS, in partnership with Privacy International and Society in Action Group, has produced outputs around privacy in banking, telecommunications, consumer rights, media law and sexual minorities. We also submitted seven open letters to the Parliamentary Finance Committee on the UID and gave feedback on NIA Bill and IT Rules.

Key Research

  1. Our partnership with Privacy International, UK and Society in Action Group, Gurgaon for a two-year research project on Privacy in Asia has produced outputs in these areas: 
    Banking, Telecommunications, Consumer Protection, IT Act, Limitations, Copyright, Internet Protocol, Media, Sexual Minorities, UID
  2. Submitted seven open letters to the Parliamentary Finance Committee on the UID covering the following aspects:
    SCOSTA standardCentralized Database, Biometrics, BudgetOperational DesignTransactionsDeduplication
  3. Government of India through its various departments sought feedback on the policies listed below. We sent our feedback:
    Privacy Approach Paper (22 November 2010), NIA Bill, (13 July 2010), IT Act (28 July 2009), National Policy on Electronics (1 November 2011),  Cyber Café Rules (25 February 2011), Security Practices Rules (25 February 2011), Intermediary Due Diligence Rules (25 February 2011).
  4. Peer reviewed essays by Nishant Shah:
    Material Cyborgs; Asserted Boundaries  (European Journal of English Studies, Volume 12, Issue 2, 2008), Internet and Society in Asia: Challenges and Next Steps (Inter-Asia Cultural Studies, Volume 11, Number 1, March 2010)

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Blogs
Comparative Analysis of DNA Profiling Legislations from Across the World

With the growing importance of forensic data in law enforcement and research, many countries have recognized the need to regulate the collection and use of forensic data and maintain DNA databases. Across the world around 60 countries maintain DNA databases which are generally regulated by specific legislations. Srinivas Atreya provides a broad overview of the important provisions of four different legislations which can be compared and contrasted with the Indian draft bill.

Report on the 3rd Privacy Round Table meeting
Google Policy Fellowship Programme: Call for Applications
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IT (Amendment) Act, 2008, 69B Rules: Draft and Final Version Comparison
IT (Amendment) Act, 2008, 69 Rules: Draft and Final Version Comparison
Indian Telegraph Act, 1885, 419A Rules and IT (Amendment) Act, 2008, 69 Rules
IT (Amendment) Act, 2008, 69A Rules: Draft and Final Version Comparison
Report on the 2nd Privacy Round Table meeting
Report on the 1st Privacy Round Table meeting
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Off the Record
Comments on the Information Technology (Electronic Service Delivery) Rules, 2011
WGIG+8: Stock-Taking, Mapping, and Going Forward
Comments on the Information Technology (Reasonable Security Practices and Procedures and Sensitive Personal Data or Information) Rules, 2011
Comments on the Information Technology (Guidelines for Cyber Cafe) Rules, 2011
The Criminal Law Amendment Bill 2013 — Penalising 'Peeping Toms' and Other Privacy Issues
India's Biometric Identification Programs and Privacy Concerns
What’s In a Name? — DNS Singularity of ICANN and The Gold Rush
Microsoft releases its first report on data requests by law enforcement agencies around the world
CIS Welcomes Standing Committee Report on IT Rules
Driving in the Surveillance Society: Cameras, RFID tags and Black Boxes...
The Privacy (Protection) Bill 2013: A Citizen's Draft
Human DNA Profiling Bill 2012 Analysis
Workshop on the Unique Identity Number (UID), the National Population Register (NPR) and Governance: What will happen to our data?
Hacking without borders: The future of artificial intelligence and surveillance
A Comparison of the Draft DNA Profiling Bill 2007 and the Draft Human DNA Profiling Bill 2012
Summary of the CIS workshop on the Draft Human DNA Profiling Bill 2012
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News & Media
CIS highlights changes ushered in by the Internet

As part of its fifth anniversary celebrations, the Centre for Internet and Society (CIS) has organised an exhibition showcasing its accomplishments, besides a series of talks by experts on the changes ushered in by the Internet. The exhibition will remain open till Thursday.

NGO invites public to peruse its accounts
A lifetime of five years on the internet
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Events
Consilience – 2013
May 25, 2013 09:30 AM to May 26, 2013 05:30 PM, at National Law School of India University, Bangalore

The Law and Technology Committee of National Law School of India University, Bangalore is organising ‘Consilience – 2013′, an annual conference on law and technology, to be held on May 25 and 26, 2013. The Centre for Internet and Society is a co-partner for this event.

Celebrating 5 Years of CIS
May 20, 2013 10:00 AM to May 23, 2013 08:00 PM, at The Centre for Internet & Society, Bangalore, No. 194, 2nd 'C' Cross, Domlur, IInd Stage - 560071 (Near Domlur Club and TERI Complex)

The Centre for Internet & Society (CIS) is celebrating 5 years of its existence with an exhibition showcasing its activities and accomplishments. The exhibition will be held at its offices in Bangalore and Delhi from May 20 to 23, 2013.

A Privacy Round Table in Chennai
May 18, 2013 10:30 AM to May 18, 2013 04:00 PM, at No. 115, Sir Thyagaraja Road, T Nagar, Chennai - 600017

The Centre for Internet and Society, Data Security Council of India and the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry cordially invite you to a "Privacy Round Table" at the Residency Towers in Chennai on Saturday, May 18, 2013, 10.30 a.m. to 4.00 p.m.

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