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A Critique of Consent in Information Privacy
The idea of informed consent in privacy law is supposed to ensure the autonomy of an individual in any exercise which involves sharing of the individual's personal information. Consent is usually taken through a document, a privacy notice, signed or otherwise agreed to by the participant.
Human Rights in the Age of Digital Technology: A Conference to Discuss the Evolution of Privacy and Surveillance
The Centre for Internet and Society organised a conference in roundtable format called ‘Human Rights in the Age of Digital Technology: A Conference to discuss the evolution of Privacy and Surveillance. The conference was held at Indian Habitat Centre on October 30, 2015. The conference was designed to be a forum for discussion, knowledge exchange and agenda building to draw a shared road map for the coming months.
Facebook Free Basics: Gatekeeping Powers Extend to Manipulating Public Discourse
15 million people have come online through Free Basics, Facebook's zero rated walled garden, in the past year. "If we accept that everyone deserves access to the internet, then we must surely support free basic internet services. Who could possibly be against this?" asks Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg, in a recent op-ed defending Free Basics.
କେତେ ମାଗଣା "ଫ୍ରି ବେସିକ୍ସ
This op-ed was published in Odia newspaper "The Samaja" on January 4, 2016. Sunil Abraham and Pranesh Prakash were quoted.
Reply to RTI Application under RTI Act of 2005 from Vanya Rakesh
Unique Identification Authority of India replied to the RTI application filed by Vanya Rakesh.
National Compendium of Laws, Policies, Programmes for Persons with Disabilities
This compendium was compiled by the Centre for Internet & Society in collaboration with the Office of the Chief Commissioner for Persons with Disabilities, Department of Disability Affairs, Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment, Government of India. Prasanna Kumar Pincha, Chief Commissioner for Persons with Disabilities, has written the Foreword.
Free Basics: Negating net parity
Researchers funded by Facebook were apparently told by 92 per cent of Indians they surveyed from large cities, with Internet connection and college degree, that the Internet “is a human right and that Free Basics can help bring Internet to all of India.” What a strange way to frame the question given that the Internet is not a human right in most jurisdictions.
Report of Konkani Wikipedia's progress (July-December 2015)
Konkani language is one of the 22 languages recognized by Indian union in 8th schedule. As per the 2007 census there are about 7.4 million Konkani speakers.[1] Konkani language has its own Wikipedia created on 15th June 2015. This blog post will try to put out Konkani Wikipedia's growth from a perspective based on Wikimedia stats.
Odia Wikipedia progress from July to December, 2015
Odia Wikipedia, one of the very active Wikipedias in Indian languages has been showing a negative rate of growth for the last 6 months. We will try to analyse, what has been happening and how can that be improved.
Eight Key Privacy Events in India in the Year 2015
As the year draws to a close, we are enumerating some of the key privacy related events in India that transpired in 2015. Much like the last few years, this year, too, was an eventful one in the context of privacy.
Odia Wikipedia workshop in Puri, Odisha sparks creation of informal Wikipedia group WikiTungi
The first ever Odia Wikipedia workshop in Odisha's historic town of Puri finally shaped in on this December 20. With 25 participants contributing to Odia Wikipedia this day, more Wikipedia outreach in the city were planned.
ଓଡ଼ିଆ ଉଇକିପାଠାଗାର
Odia newspaper Sambad carried this featured column of mine yesterday in their Sunday supplement "Sambada Rabibara" on December 6, 2015.
Millions of Indians Slam Facebook's ‘Free Basics’ App
It has been less than two months since the nationwide launch of the Free Basics app in India. The smart phone application (formerly known as Internet.org) offers free access to Facebook, Facebook-owned products like WhatsApp, and a select suite of other websites for users who do not pay for mobile data plans.
Benefits and Harms of "Big Data"
Today the quantity of data being generated is expanding at an exponential rate. From smartphones and televisions, trains and airplanes, sensor-equipped buildings and even the infrastructures of our cities, data now streams constantly from almost every sector and function of daily life.
The Free Basics debate: Trai has a point in imposing temporary ban on net neutrality
The argument against net neutrality in India is simple. Regulation cannot be based on dogma – evidence of harm must be provided before you can advocate for rules for ISPs and telecom operators.
Facebook Shares 10 Key Facts about Free Basics. Here's What's Wrong with All 10 of Them.
Shweta Sengar of Catch News spoke to Sunil Abraham about the recent advertisement by Facebook titled "What Net Neutrality Activists won't Tell You or, the Top 10 Facts about Free Basics". Sunil argued against the validity of all the 'top 10 facts'.
4th Global Congress on IP and the Public Interest: Statement of Conclusion for the IP and Development track
The 4th Global Congress on Intellectual Property and the Public Interest was held from December 15 to 17, 2015 in New Delhi. This post provides a summary of the event.
Ground Zero Summit
The Ground Zero Summit which claims to be the largest collaborative platform in Asia for cyber-security was held in New Delhi from 5th to 8th November. The conference was organised by the Indian Infosec Consortium (IIC), a not for profit organisation backed by the Government of India. Cyber security experts, hackers, senior officials from the government and defence establishments, senior professionals from the industry and policymakers attended the event.
Guidelines for Examination of Computer Related Inventions in abeyance
The CRI Guidelines were heavily criticised for their failure to address the ambiguities created by Section 3(k) and for expanding the scope of software patent eligibile subject-matter, inter alia. Following several representations and submissions by interested stakeholders, the Controller General has moved the Guidelines into abeyance, until discussions with stakeholders are complete and contentious issues are resolved, and is a welcome step.
