Centre for Internet & Society

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The Data Revolution and education post-2015: Considering the promise and the risks

by Prasad Krishna last modified May 07, 2015 06:41 AM

In August 2014, the secretary-general of the United Nations established the Independent Expert Advisory Group on a Data Revolution for Sustainable Development.

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‘Smack’ the Trolls!

by Prasad Krishna last modified Apr 04, 2015 06:38 AM

A car was put up for sale on a Facebook (FB) page by a woman. The first few comments were genuine questions asking about the price and the woman was asked to check her inbox, where price negotiations were carried out.

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You can still get into trouble for online posts: Digital law experts

by Prasad Krishna last modified Apr 02, 2015 01:44 AM

The internet in India is freer now, but individuals could still to get into trouble for online posts, say digital media and law experts. Hailing the Supreme Court judgment on Tuesday as a landmark verdict for free speech in India, experts who have closely read the judgment say there is much to be careful about too.

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SECTION 66A: DELETE

SECTION 66A: DELETE

by Prasad Krishna last modified Mar 30, 2015 01:32 AM

The Supreme Court has killed a law that allowed the Government to control social media. What’s the Net worth of freedom hereafter?

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Bangla Wiki turns 10

by Prasad Krishna last modified Apr 04, 2015 04:10 PM

The 10th anniversary of Bengali Wikipedia was marked with a a gathering of Wikipedians of vernacular languages from across the country and beyond at Jadavpur University. Bengali is one of 20 Indian languages to have a Wikipedia presence. The event also celebrated 14 years of the mother edition in English of the open-access, crowd-sourced online encyclopaedia.

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India backs open source software for e-governance projects

by Prasad Krishna last modified Apr 04, 2015 04:00 PM

India has said it will use open source software in all e-governance projects, though it did not rule out the use of proprietary software to meet specialized requirements.

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4th IPR Researchers Confluence

by Prasad Krishna last modified Apr 04, 2015 06:15 AM

Maggie Huang attended the event organized by Shailesh J. Mehta School of Management, Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, Mumbai and National Institute of Industrial Engineering, Mumbai with support from Ministry of Human Resource Development, New Delhi on March 27 and 28, 2015.

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India's landmark online speech ruling is step toward greater press freedom

India's landmark online speech ruling is step toward greater press freedom

by Prasad Krishna last modified Mar 29, 2015 12:55 AM

In an historic decision, India's Supreme Court on Tuesday struck down part of a law used to silence criticism and free expression. While this marks a pivotal victory that has been welcomed in many quarters, many challenges remain for press freedom in the country.

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66A DEAD. LONG LIVE 66A!

by Prasad Krishna last modified Apr 01, 2015 02:11 AM

Last Tuesday, Twitter CEO Dick Costolo walked into Prime Minister Narendra Modi's office. India's most compulsive and most-followed tweeter, Modi, as Gujarat chief minister, had protested when the Manmohan Singh government blocked the micro-blogging site of a few journalists. Modi had blacked out his own Twitter profile and tweeted: “May God give good sense to everyone.”

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SC has set a high threshold for tolerance: Lawrence Liang

SC has set a high threshold for tolerance: Lawrence Liang

by Prasad Krishna last modified Mar 28, 2015 04:18 PM

Lawyer-activist Lawrence Liang on why SC upheld section 69A and the implications of striking down section 66A.

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India's Online Freedom Advocates Hail Court Ruling on Free Speech

India's Online Freedom Advocates Hail Court Ruling on Free Speech

by Prasad Krishna last modified Mar 27, 2015 01:43 AM

Online freedom advocates in India are hailing a court ruling that struck down a controversial law seen as infringing free speech on the Internet. But in a country expected to have the world’s largest number of web users by 2018, some concerns about net censorship remain.

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The noose tightens on freedom of speech on the Internet

The noose tightens on freedom of speech on the Internet

by Prasad Krishna last modified Mar 27, 2015 01:06 AM

A WORRYING trend has emerged in the last few years, where intermediaries around the world are being used as chokepoints to restrict freedom of expression online, and to hold users accountable for content.

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Noose tightens on freedom of speech on the Internet

Noose tightens on freedom of speech on the Internet

by Prasad Krishna last modified Mar 27, 2015 01:01 AM

A worrying trend has emerged in the last few years, where intermediaries around the world are being used as chokepoints to restrict freedom of expression online, and to hold users accountable for content.

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Ruling in India shields Web posts

Ruling in India shields Web posts

by Prasad Krishna last modified Mar 27, 2015 12:38 AM

The Supreme Court in India struck down a section of its country’s information technology act Tuesday that had made it illegal for anyone to spread ‘‘offensive messages’’ on electronic devices and resulted in arrests over posts on Facebook and other social media.

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India’s Supreme Court strikes down law that led to Facebook arrests

India’s Supreme Court strikes down law that led to Facebook arrests

by Prasad Krishna last modified Mar 27, 2015 12:29 AM

India’s Supreme Court on Tuesday struck down a provision of a law that made it illegal to spread “offensive messages” on electronic devices and resulted in arrests over posts on Facebook and other social media.

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I dare you, I double dare you: Social media celebrates Sec 66A verdict

by Prasad Krishna last modified Mar 26, 2015 04:33 PM

Users across social media platforms on Tuesday welcomed the Supreme Court's scrapping of the controversial Section 66A of the Information Technology Act, hailing it as a measure that will strengthen freedom of expression online.

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India's section 66A scrapped: Win for free speech

India's section 66A scrapped: Win for free speech

by Prasad Krishna last modified Mar 26, 2015 04:19 PM

India's Supreme Court court has struck down a law that made posting "offensive" comments on the internet a crime punishable by a jail term of up to three years. But, for the free speech campaigners, there is more work to do, writes technology writer Prasanto K Roy.

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Live Chat: Win for Free Speech

Live Chat: Win for Free Speech

by Prasad Krishna last modified Mar 26, 2015 04:07 PM

Join us for a live chat at 5.30 pm on SC striking down the Section 66A of the IT Act which had permitted the arrest of people for posting "offensive content" on the internet.

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IT Leaders, Lawyers Welcome SC Ruling on 66A of the IT Act

IT Leaders, Lawyers Welcome SC Ruling on 66A of the IT Act

by Prasad Krishna last modified Mar 26, 2015 03:58 PM

The Supreme Court of India has delivered a landmark judgment in scrapping section 66A of the Information Technology Act, which prescribed 'punishment for sending offensive messages through communication service, etc.' and had been branded as grossly 'unconstitutional' by various lawyers and legal advisors.

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Indian Court Strikes Down Section of Law Punishing Offensive Posts

by Prasad Krishna last modified Mar 26, 2015 03:40 PM

The Indian Supreme Court on Tuesday struck down a section of a law that allowed the authorities to jail people for offensive online posts, in a judgment that was regarded as a landmark ruling on free speech in India.

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