News & Media
UIDAI admits 210 government websites made Aadhaar details public
The Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) has admitted that Aadhaar details were leaked on over 200 central and state government websites.
#NAMAprivacy: Data standards for IoT and home automation systems
On 5th October, MediaNama held a #NAMAprivacy conference in Bangalore focused on Privacy in the context of Artificial Intelligence, Internet of Things (IoT) and the issue of consent, supported by Google, Amazon, Mozilla, ISOC, E2E Networks and Info Edge, with community partners HasGeek and Takshashila Institution. Part 1 of the notes from the discussion on IoT:
#NAMAprivacy: The economics and business models of IoT and other issues
On 5th October, MediaNama held a #NAMAprivacy conference in Bangalore focused on Privacy in the context of Artificial Intelligence, Internet of Things (IoT) and the issue of consent, supported by Google, Amazon, Mozilla, ISOC, E2E Networks and Info Edge, with community partners HasGeek and Takshashila Institution.
Big Data for governance
Recent times have witnessed an explosion of data as users started leaving a huge data footprint everywhere they go. Interestingly, this period has seen a phenomenal increase in computing power couple by a drop in costs of storage.
Nibbling away into your bank account, salami attackers cart away a fortune
A ‘salami’ might sound an innocuous term in the culinary sense. When it comes to cybercrime, a ‘salami’ is a dreaded attack which even the victims are hardly aware of. Like a salami slice, a hacker slices away small sums of money from multiple accounts on a daily basis. By the time the victims realise that they are being ‘sliced’, too little can be done or it’s already too late.
Majority of top politicians' Twitter followers fake: audit
A majority of Twitter users following top Indian politicians, including prime minister Narendra Modi, are fake, according to an audit site.
Ahead of data protection law roll out, experts caution that it shouldn't limit collection and use of data
With India planning to roll out a new data protection regime following the landmark Supreme Court judgment upholding right to privacy as fundamental right, experts have cautioned that the new law should not limit collection and use of data.
Securing The Digital Payments Ecosystem
Udbhav Tiwari attended a consultation organized by NITI Aayog and Observer Research Foundation on October 9, 2017 in NITI Aayog office in New Delhi.
Sex, drugs and the dark web
Blend anonymity and bitcoins for a ‘guaranteed safe’ cocktail of terrifying potential.
CyFy 2017
CyFy is a conference on internet governance and cyber security organised by the Observer Research Foundation (ORF) in New Delhi between 2 and 4 October 2017. Sunil Abraham was a speaker.
Attempted data breach of UIDAI, RBI, ISRO and Flipkart is worrisome
Perhaps, we got lucky this time, but the ongoing problem of massive cyber-security breaches wouldn't stop at one thwarted attempt to steal sensitive information from the biggest and most important databases.
Should you worry about identity theft?
Laws in India regarding data protection may be weak, but following basic cyber hygiene rules can make your own defences stronger.
Point of View wins Laadli Media Award: “An encouragement to keep fighting for gender equality”
The first season of Deep Dives - Sexing the Interwebs won the South Asian Laadli Media Award for Gender Sensitivity 2017 in the “Best web series" /"Special edition” category. Rohini Lakshané was one of ten contributors to the series of long form essays on the intersection of gender, sexuality and the Internet.
Russian social network VKontakte temporarily blocked in India for Blue Whale threat
Russian social network Vkontakte, where the suicidal online "game" Blue Whale+ is believed to have originated, was blocked on certain internet service provider networks on Tuesday.
In our anxiety about the Blue Whale Challenge, are we missing the elephant in the room?
In the beginning, the Blue Whale Challenge seemed like it had all the hallmarks of an urban legend: an online self-harm game that instructed victims to commit increasing degrees of violence upon themselves, finally convincing them to commit suicide. While it was whispered about in schools, college corridors and Reddit forums, reporters found it difficult to trace.
Twitter tweaks user policy a day after SC clampdown
This, when India is looking to crack down on global firms exporting customer data to servers.
Why the lack of understanding about the Blue Whale Challenge poses a bigger threat?
On 30 August, Vignesh A, a 19-year-old college student from Madurai committed suicide. Indications of self-harm on his body swaying investigating agencies to suspect that the suicide was related to the Blue Whale challenge-an online game which involves completing 50 tasks or challenges dictated by a remote 'handler' which ultimately leads to ending their own life.
Privacy is now a right in India. Here's what that means for the tech industry
India's top court has put tech companies on notice.
UNESCO Internet Universality Indicators consulted at the 8th Asia Pacific Regional Internet Governance Forum
“Internet Universality indicators should measure broad social implications of the Internet and serve as a powerful tool to foster sustainable development,” was a strong message delivered by Asia-Pacific stakeholders at UNESCO consultation to develop Internet Universality indicators during the 8th Asia Pacific Regional Internet Governance Forum (APrIGF) in Bangkok (Thailand), 29 July 2017.
Aadhaar may be made must for market investments: Good to curb laundering but what about data security?
Aadhaar seems to be the master-key to get accesses into doors which once were never shut. Take for instance, your financial investments. Aadhaar may soon become mandatory for buying shares and mutual funds, according to a report in The Economic Times.
