The Centre for Internet and Society
https://cis-india.org
These are the search results for the query, showing results 21 to 35.
Disabled demand rollback of GST on aids
https://cis-india.org/accessibility/news/economic-times-july-7-2017-sandhya-soman-disabled-demand-rollback-of-gst-on-aids
<b>It has been eight years since Mansoor Ahmed changed his caliper. The one he owns was bought for Rs 20,000. Now, they cost more than double. “It is a challenge to buy a caliper when the cost of living has gone up so much. I know really poor people who haven't changed calipers in 15-20 years. After a point, it could cause the disability to worsen,“ says Ahmed, a senior manager with a Bengaluru-based non-profit.</b>
<p>The article by Sandhya Soman was published in the <b><a class="external-link" href="http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/politics-and-nation/disabled-demand-rollback-of-gst-on-aids/articleshow/59485539.cms">Economic Times</a> </b>on July 7, 2017.</p>
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<p style="text-align: justify; ">For disabled people like Ahmed, the 5% GST on basic aids and appliances like calipers, Braille writers and cochlear implants is an additional load. “We are already burdened by other costs -illnesses and medicines. It's quite unfair if I must pay more if I have to walk,“ says Ahmed.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify; ">The decision to tax aids and appliances for the disabled continues to draw flak despite a hastily put together statement last week reducing GST and capping it at 5% for 22 categories of products. Cars will continue to have 18% GST even if they are retrofitted for a disabled driver. The disabled find it hard to reconcile that they will have to shell out more while items such as sindoor and bangles got a waiver. This is the government that launched the Ac cessible India campaign and Inclusive India campaign. I don't understand why they should charge people to walk with a cane,“ says Nirmita Narasimhan, policy director, The Centre for Internet and Society.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify; ">The economic burden is accentuated by a lack of institutional support, whether in terms of accessibility to public transport or provision of affordable aids. “There is close correlation between poverty and disability . Most of us can't step out of our houses as roads, pavements and public transport are inaccessible,“ asks Javed Abidi, director, National Centre for Promotion of Employment for Disabled People.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify; ">Narasimhan notes in her submission to the government that the 21 million disabled record low literacy level (59%, below national average of 74.4%) and low work participation (36.3%).</p>
<p style="text-align: justify; ">To reduce the financial burden, Abidi and others fought to do away with taxes on aids since 2000. “We could bring down tax rates, sometimes as high as 20%, on various items to 5%. In 2006, it became zero and the last decade was the most important one for disability rights. Instead of making aids more affordable, we are now going back 10 years and charging 5% again,“ says Abidi, a wheelchair user.</p>
<p>
For more details visit <a href='https://cis-india.org/accessibility/news/economic-times-july-7-2017-sandhya-soman-disabled-demand-rollback-of-gst-on-aids'>https://cis-india.org/accessibility/news/economic-times-july-7-2017-sandhya-soman-disabled-demand-rollback-of-gst-on-aids</a>
</p>
No publisherpraskrishnaAccessibility2017-07-09T02:21:46ZNews ItemWhy GST Is A Step Backward For The Disabled
https://cis-india.org/accessibility/blog/why-gst-is-a-step-backward-for-the-disabled
<b>Imposing taxes on assistive devices is unfair. The countdown has begun to the implementation of the GST in India. Over the past month, discussions about the GST have dominated the scene with several groups protesting in strong measure about the impact on their business.</b>
<p>The article by Nirmita Narasimhan was published by <b><a class="external-link" href="http://www.huffingtonpost.in/nirmita-narasimhan/why-gst-is-a-step-backward-for-the-disabled_a_23009350/">Huffington Post</a></b> on July 1, 2017.</p>
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<p style="text-align: justify; ">This post is concerned with the impact of an underrepresented group—that of persons with disabilities, who are facing severe impediments to their rights to independent living, mobility and participation if the GST is implemented as proposed in the present notification.</p>
<p class="callout" style="text-align: justify; ">It is unconscionable that disability aids and assistive technology are considered a luxury and taxed at a higher rate than rough semi-precious stones or cashew nuts.</p>
<p>The new GST rules seek to impose tax on assistive technologies and goods and services which are essential for the advancement of persons with disabilities and will consequently, hamper their mobility as well as ability to participate in education and employment.</p>
<p>Some noteworthy points are:</p>
<ul>
<li style="text-align: justify; ">5% GST on Braille typewriters, Braille paper, Braille watches and Braillers (originally set to 18% for typewriters and 12% for Braille paper and watches and reduced after protests from organisations like the National Centre for Promotion of Employment of Disabled People (NCPEDP), the Disability Rights Organisations Forum (DROF), and various regional groups. Only Braille books are exempt from the tax.</li>
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<li style="text-align: justify; "> 12% GST on orthopaedic appliances, including crutches, surgical belts and trusses; splints and other fracture appliances; artificial parts of the body; hearing aids and other appliances which are worn or carried, or implanted in the body, to compensate for a defect or disability. Hearing aids have also been listed under the list of goods with nil taxes, which is contradictory.</li>
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<li> 18% GST on motor vehicles for persons with disabilities.</li>
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<li style="text-align: justify; "> IT software, consulting and support services, online text, audio and video, software downloads etc. have all been classified but no GST rate has been quoted, which implies that they are taxed at 18%. This means software like screen readers, assistive software for persons with cognitive disabilities, online text etc. which are essential aspects of communications and information access for persons with disabilities will also be taxed at 18%, which will severely hamper their ability to communicate and even carry out daily tasks.</li>
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<p style="text-align: justify; ">It is incomprehensible that the government should choose to impose a tax on the ability to walk, talk and deliberate using crutches, prosthetic limbs, hearing aids and communicating using assistive reading software for persons who have disabilities. It is unconscionable that disability aids and assistive technology are considered a luxury and taxed at a higher rate than rough semi-precious stones or cashew nuts. On the other hand, items such as kajal and glass bangles are not being taxed at all. Is ornamentation more important than the ability of persons with disabilities to lead their lives with dignity and independence? The current GST structure is discriminatory, making it even more difficult for persons with disabilities to participate in society, and contradicts the vision of an <a href="http://accessibleindia.gov.in/content/" rel="nofollow">Accessible India.</a></p>
<p style="text-align: justify; ">Until we are able to assure the level of independence, accessibility and resources to the disabled to live a life of dignity like other countries do, we should not levy tax like them.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify; ">India is measuring herself against other developed countries where a reduced percentage of tax is levied on goods and services for persons with disabilities. Unfortunately however, the comparison ends there and does not extend to providing world-class services and facilities for the disabled, such as accessible roads, transportation, information. It would be wiser to follow our own lead from the past decade when we had not levied any tax on such items. The progress of this group has been painfully slow thus far anyway, so what will happen if GST rates up to 18% are levied?</p>
<p style="text-align: justify; ">As a country, we are not yet ready for this. We are still in a state where thousands of children with disabilities drop out of school even at the pre-primary level because they do not have the resources—technology, books, training and help—to pursue education. We still have a long way to go in terms of achieving basic rights for persons with disabilities, which is no longer the case in the developed countries that we seek to follow. The argument is hence not a blanket opposition to tax for persons with disabilities, just because they are disabled, but on the basis that until and unless we are able to assure the level of independence, accessibility and resources to the disabled to live a life of dignity and inclusion like other countries do, we should not consider levying tax like them. A person using a wheelchair in Germany can travel using public transport, but the same is impossible in India.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify; ">Once we are able to achieve the level of inclusion and accessibility of developed countries, we may consider taxing for certain items, although perhaps still not for all on the list. However, that time is not now. To build an inclusive society, we need to support persons with disabilities in all possible ways and imposing taxes on assistive devices will take us many steps backward.</p>
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For more details visit <a href='https://cis-india.org/accessibility/blog/why-gst-is-a-step-backward-for-the-disabled'>https://cis-india.org/accessibility/blog/why-gst-is-a-step-backward-for-the-disabled</a>
</p>
No publishernirmitaAccessibility2017-07-03T02:39:18ZBlog EntryGST - A Barrier to Human Rights for Persons with Disabilities
https://cis-india.org/accessibility/blog/gst-a-barrier-to-human-rights-for-persons-with-disabilities
<b>The Centre of Internet & Society made a submission on the Goods and Services Tax (GST) which will be coming into play from July 2017 onwards. In this blog post Nirmita Narasimhan assesses the impact of GST on persons with disabilities. </b>
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<th><img src="https://cis-india.org/home-images/ShuttleworthFoundation.jpg" alt="null" class="image-inline" title="Shuttleworth Foundation" /></th>
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<td>Logo of Shuttleworth Foundation above</td>
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<p style="text-align: justify;">The GST Acts - Central Goods and Services Tax Act, Integrated Goods and Services Tax Act and the Union Territory Goods and Services Tax Act passed on 12 April 2017 and the subsequent notification of the Revised GST Rate for Certain Goods on 11th June 2017 have serious and severe implications on basic rights and freedoms for persons with disabilities, hindering them from living independently and pursuing education, and employment. This note outlines the impact of the GST measures as well as recommendations to ensure that the rights of persons with disabilities are not compromised.</p>
<h3 style="text-align: justify;">Problem Statement</h3>
<p style="text-align: justify;">As per the 2011 census, India has over 21 million people with disabilities which is around 2.17% of the population. Persons with disabilities face many hurdles in education and employment which is reflected in the low effective literacy rate of 59%, far below the national level of 74.04% as well as a low work participation rate at 36.3%.<a name="fr1" href="#fn1">[1]</a></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">Lower levels of literacy and employment in turn imply lower income levels for this group. Thus, additional support through policy, financial and operational measures is required to help persons with disabilities participate fully in the economy. The new GST rules however, seek to impose tax on assistive technologies and goods and services which are essential for the advancement of persons with disabilities, hampering their mobility and ability to participate in education and employment thus further compounding the disadvantages already faced by this group.</p>
<h3 style="text-align: justify;">Main Concerns</h3>
<p>The specific GST provisions that negatively impact persons with disabilities include:</p>
<ul>
<li style="text-align: justify;">5% GST on Braille typewriters, Braille paper, Braille watches and Braillers (originally set to 18% for typewriters and 12% for Braille paper and watches and reduced after protests from organizations like the National Centre for Promotion of Employment of Disabled People (NCPEDP), the Disability Rights Organisations Forum (DROF), and various regional groups)<a name="fr2" href="#fn2">[2]</a></li>
<li style="text-align: justify;">12% GST on Orthopaedic appliances, including crutches, surgical belts and trusses; splints and other fracture appliances; artificial parts of the body; hearing aids and other appliances which are worn or carried, or implanted in the body, to compensate for a defect or disability. Hearing aids have also been listed under the list of goods with nil taxes, which is contradictory.</li>
<li style="text-align: justify;">18% GST on motor vehicles for persons with disabilities.</li>
<li style="text-align: justify;">Braille books are exempt from the tax while other Braille implements are not.</li>
<li style="text-align: justify;">IT software, consulting and support services, online text, audio and video, software downloads etc. have all been classified but no GST rate has been quoted, which implies that they are taxed at 18%. This means software like screen readers, assistive software for persons with cognitive disabilities, online text etc. which are essential aspects of communications and information access for persons with disabilities will also be taxed at 18%, which will severely hamper their ability to communicate and even carry out daily tasks.</li></ul>
<h3>GST – Hampering Accessibility and Inclusion</h3>
<p style="text-align: justify;">Under the existing tax regime, many of these goods have traditionally been exempt from indirect taxes such as VAT, excise and customs. Even with the exemptions, assistive technologies have not been affordable. However, with the addition of GST, the situation becomes even more dire. For instance, according to India Today, the current market price for a Braille typewriter is about INR 34,000<a name="fr3" href="#fn3">[3]</a>, or over 20 times higher than the monthly income of an impoverished urban Indian. Even with the new 5 percent GST (a reduction from the previous 18 percent), this would work out to INR 35,700. Given that 29.5 percent of the total population of India remained below the poverty line in 2011-12 and had a monthly per capita consumption of less than INR 972 in rural areas and INR 1407 in urban areas, <a name="fr4" href="#fn4">[4]</a> assistive technology would be prohibitively expensive even for the average Indian, let alone persons with disabilities.</p>
<h3 style="text-align: justify;">GST – Discriminatory against Persons with Disabilities</h3>
<p style="text-align: justify;">The proposed GST on assistive technology is not only detrimental to the use of assistive technology, it discriminates against the right to equality of persons with disabilities.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">Tools necessary for people pursuing their livelihood, such as agricultural implements and hand tools such as spades, shovels, mattocks, etc. used in agriculture, horticulture and forestry are exempt from any tax. However, assistive technologies which are just as vital for the education and livelihood of persons with disabilities, have been included in the list of items taxed under GST. While the Government of India’s move to protect the livelihood of agricultural workers is commendable, it needs to equally protect the right to livelihood of persons with disabilities who are working - 31% of whom are in the agricultural sector and will suffer from the imposition of GST.</p>
<h3 style="text-align: justify;">GST – Impacting Mobility</h3>
<p style="text-align: justify;">The proposed GST on motor vehicles for persons with disabilities also impacts their right to mobility as per Article 41(2) of the Persons with Disabilities Act which calls for the government of India to “promote the personal mobility of persons with disabilities at affordable cost” through measures including incentives and concessions. The imposition of such a high tax on car purchases by persons with disabilities is in direct contravention of this.</p>
<h3 style="text-align: justify;">Legal Framework</h3>
<p style="text-align: justify;">The proposed GST implementation and tax on products and services that are critical for persons with disabilities to pursue independence, literacy and employment with dignity runs counter to both national and international law to which India is a signatory.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">Article 38 of the Constitution of India also requires the government to minimize inequalities in income, status, facilities and opportunities among individuals and groups of people.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">The Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act 2016, enjoin the government to utilise the capacity of persons with disabilities by providing appropriate environment (Art 3(2) ) and take necessary steps to ensure reasonable accommodation for persons with disabilities (Art 3(5)).</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">The UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, which India has signed and ratified, calls on nations to promote the development and adoption of assistive technologies and devices for persons with disabilities, again “giving priority to technologies at an affordable cost.” (Article 4 (g)). Additional provisions include:</p>
<ul>
<li style="text-align: justify;">Art 4 – General Obligations asks states parties to take into account the protection and promotion of the human rights of persons with disabilities in all policies and programmes; </li>
<li style="text-align: justify;">Art 5 (3) - asks States Parties to take all appropriate steps to ensure that reasonable accommodation is provided </li>
<li style="text-align: justify;">Article 20 also requires nations to facilitate access to mobility aids, assistive technologies and other intermediaries, and requires that they be made available at affordable cost. </li>
<li style="text-align: justify;">Art 24 on Education enjoins States parties to ensure persons with disabilities have access to inclusive education, that reasonable accommodation is provided and use of Braille, alternative modes and formats is facilitated </li>
<li style="text-align: justify;">Art 27 on Work and employment required nations to protect the rights of persons with disabilities, on an equal basis with others, to just and favourable conditions of work </li>
<li style="text-align: justify;">Art 29 on participation in political and public life advocates the creation of an environment that enables persons with disabilities to participate fully and effectively in the conduct of public affairs </li></ul>
<h3 style="text-align: justify;">International Practices</h3>
<p style="text-align: justify;">While developed countries do levy some tax on assistive technology and devices used by persons with disabilities, these are typically lower than the general rates. Countries in the EU levy lower VAT rates on medical equipment for persons with disabilities <a name="fr5" href="#fn5">[5]</a> for instance 6% in Belgium and 3% in Luxembourg. However, a point to be noted here is that the literacy and employment rates for persons with disabilities in these countries are much higher than in India, where the low literacy and work participation mean that even low levels of taxation on assistive technology make items prohibitively expensive.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">An alternative approach more suitable in the Indian context, is that followed by developing countries such as Brazil and the Philippines. In Brazil, which has around 16 million <a name="fr6" href="#fn6">[6] </a>persons with disabilities, the import and sale of assistive technologies such as wheelchairs, Braille machines, calculators with voice synthesizers and hearing aids are exempt from major federal taxes. In addition, persons with disabilities wishing to buy a car also enjoy exemptions from several federal and municipal taxes. <a name="fr7" href="#fn7">[7] </a>In the Philippines, where 1.57 % of the population <a name="fr8" href="#fn8">[8] </a>have some form of disability, the Republic Act 9442<a name="fr9" href="#fn9">[9]</a> guarantees a 20 per cent discount for persons with disabilities and also provides assistance for education. Discounted goods and services include:</p>
<ul>
<li>Restaurants, hotels and other recreation centers </li>
<li>Theaters, concert halls, carnivals, and other cultural and leisure centers </li>
<li>The purchase of medicines from drugstores </li>
<li>Medical, diagnostic and laboratory fees </li>
<li>Medical and dental service, including doctors’ fees </li>
<li>Domestic air and sea travel </li>
<li>Public railways, skyways, and bus fare </li></ul>
<p style="text-align: justify;">In addition to this, Republic Act 10754 <a name="fr10" href="#fn10">[10]</a> adds an exemption from the 12 percent VAT for persons with disabilities as well. Both of these represent a significant discount.</p>
<h3>Conclusion</h3>
<ol>
<li style="text-align: justify;">We fully concur with the representations made by different organisations working for persons with disabilities in India seeking a complete roll back of GST for persons with disabilities. India has in the past, refrained from taxing the disabled deliberately, keeping in mind their particular needs and circumstances and nothing has changed in the past few years to warrant this move. Persons with disabilities remain below the poverty line, without access to information, resources and the ability to enjoy even their basic human rights to live a life of freedom, independence, dignity, inclusion and participation. It is unconscionable to place such articles of basic need such as crutches and wheel chairs without which a person cannot even move on the same level as other goods. Certainly these are more basic than other items such as glass bangles or kajal which are not subject to GST or semi-precious stones which are taxed at a very minimum.</li>
<li style="text-align: justify;">Rolling back GST would be in accordance with national and international legal commitment. India cannot place itself on the same level as countries in the EU for taxing the disabled; we do not have the same infrastructure and resources which these countries have made available for their disabled citizens, nor the social security measures which they offer. They are better placed in terms of development and progress of the disabled, with regard to education, employment and daily living. We cannot impose 18% tax on vehicles for the disabled while we are not providing them with a completely functional accessible transport network, accessible roads and a barrier-free environment. A very small percentage of persons with disabilities in India is actually living a full and complete life with access to resources and aids, an imposition of tax will further minimise chances of progress in the years to come of empowerment and emancipation of persons with disabilities. India has been a thought leader in the field of disability internationally in terms of its policies and served as an inspiration to countries around us. We were one of the earliest countries to sign and ratify the UNCRPD, as well as the first country to ratify the Marrakesh Treaty more recently in 2014. We do not lack in spirit, however do not always follow up with action. The roll back on GST would be an appropriate move in line with our commitment to enable human rights for persons with disabilities and empower them with the use of technology and other tools and resources. </li>
<li style="text-align: justify;">Specified exemptions for use of assistive technologies- Technology has proven a source of tremendous empowerment to persons with disabilities. Given that most ICTs are to be taxed at 18%, we strongly urge the government to specifically exclude all ICTs and downloaded software and content which are intended for persons with disabilities from tax. By imposing tax on an enabling technology, it would be tantamount to imposing tax on a sensory organ, i.e., by imposing tax on a hearing aid or screen reader, which would enable a deaf person to hear/ a blind person to read, it would be like imposing tax on ears or eyes. We hence strongly urge the government to reconsider the present move and set right the error which has been committed by subjecting goods and services for persons with disabilities to tax. We recommend review, complete roll back and explicit exemption on all goods and services for persons with disabilities from the purview of GST. </li></ol>
<p>23 June, 2017</p>
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<p>[<a name="fn1" href="#fr1">1</a>]. <a class="external-link" href="http://www.censusindia.gov.in/2011census/population_enumeration.html">http://www.censusindia.gov.in/2011census/population_enumeration.html</a></p>
<p>[<a name="fn2" href="#fr2">2</a>]. <a class="external-link" href="http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/tp-otherstates/drag-seeks-rollback-of-gst-ondisability-aids/article19123085.ece">http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/tp-otherstates/drag-seeks-rollback-of-gst-ondisability-aids/article19123085.ece</a></p>
<p>[<a name="fn3" href="#fr3">3</a>]. <a class="external-link" href="http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/gst-goods-and-services-tax-arun-jaitley-narendra-modi-disabledbraille/1/967920.html">http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/gst-goods-and-services-tax-arun-jaitley-narendra-modi-disabledbraille/1/967920.html</a></p>
<p>[<a name="fn4" href="#fr4">4</a>]. <a class="external-link" href="http://planningcommission.nic.in/reports/genrep/pov_rep0707.pdf">http://planningcommission.nic.in/reports/genrep/pov_rep0707.pdf</a></p>
<p>[<a name="fn5" href="#fr5">5</a>]. <a class="external-link" href="http://ec.europa.eu/taxation_customs/sites/taxation/files/resources/documents/taxation/vat/how_vat_ works/rates/vat_rates_en.pdf">http://ec.europa.eu/taxation_customs/sites/taxation/files/resources/documents/taxation/vat/how_vat_ works/rates/vat_rates_en.pdf</a></p>
<p>[<a name="fn6" href="#fr6">6</a>]. <a class="external-link" href="https://www.disabled-world.com/news/south-america/">https://www.disabled-world.com/news/south-america/</a></p>
<p>[<a name="fn7" href="#fr7">7</a>]. <a class="external-link" href="http://thebrazilbusiness.com/article/tax-reduction-for-people-with-disabilities">http://thebrazilbusiness.com/article/tax-reduction-for-people-with-disabilities</a></p>
<p>[<a name="fn8" href="#fr8">8</a>]. <a class="external-link" href="https://psa.gov.ph/content/persons-disability-philippines-results-2010-census">https://psa.gov.ph/content/persons-disability-philippines-results-2010-census</a></p>
<p>[<a name="fn9" href="#fr9">9</a>]. <a class="external-link" href="http://www.ncda.gov.ph/disability-laws/republic-acts/republic-act-9442/">http://www.ncda.gov.ph/disability-laws/republic-acts/republic-act-9442/</a></p>
<p>[<a name="fn10" href="#fr10">10</a>]. <a class="external-link" href="http://www.ncda.gov.ph/disability-laws/implementing-rules-and-regulations-irr/irr-of-ra-10754-anact-expanding-the-benefits-and-privileges-of-persons-with-disability-pwd/">http://www.ncda.gov.ph/disability-laws/implementing-rules-and-regulations-irr/irr-of-ra-10754-anact-expanding-the-benefits-and-privileges-of-persons-with-disability-pwd/</a></p>
<p>
For more details visit <a href='https://cis-india.org/accessibility/blog/gst-a-barrier-to-human-rights-for-persons-with-disabilities'>https://cis-india.org/accessibility/blog/gst-a-barrier-to-human-rights-for-persons-with-disabilities</a>
</p>
No publishernirmitaAccessibility2017-06-25T14:15:05ZBlog EntryDigital Accessibility
https://cis-india.org/accessibility/news/digital-accessibility
<b>On June 17, 2017, Rakesh Paladugula, a web accessibility trainer and Nirmita Narasimhan made a presentation to scientists of the National Informatics Centre in their office in Bengaluru.</b>
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<p style="text-align: center; "><img src="https://cis-india.org/home-images/PresentationatNIC1.png" alt="Presentation at NIC" class="image-inline" title="Presentation at NIC" /></p>
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<td><i>Pictured above: Nirmita Narasimhan explaining concepts of digital accessibility to a group of scientists at National Informatics Centre office in Bengaluru</i></td>
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<p style="text-align: justify; ">The presentation described what is digital accessibility, who it benefits, how to implement it in terms of policy and technology, standards for different domains of accessibility and focused specifically on making web sites accessible as per GIGW. The presentation was attended by around 40 scientists in person and approx. 40 from the districts of Karnataka via video conferencing. The discussion also revolved on key issues with Government web sites, available resources and tools to check for accessibility and tips on how to make them accessible. Some thought was also given to what could be the plan going forward to implement GIGW and any capacity building requirements in this regard.</p>
<p>
For more details visit <a href='https://cis-india.org/accessibility/news/digital-accessibility'>https://cis-india.org/accessibility/news/digital-accessibility</a>
</p>
No publisherpraskrishnaAccessibility2017-07-09T01:44:08ZNews ItemWSIS Forum 2017
https://cis-india.org/accessibility/news/wsis-forum-2017
<b>WSIS Forum 2017 was held 12-16 June in Geneva, and included the participation of more than 85 high-level government and civil society representatives, as well as 500 remote interventions and thousands following the webcast. The forum was chaired by Mr Jean Philbert Nsengimana, Minister of Youth and ICT, Government of Rwanda, and co-organized by ITU, UNESCO, UNCTAD and UNDP, in close collaboration with all UN agencies. Nirmita Narasimhan participated in the forum.</b>
<p style="text-align: justify; ">The moderator, <b>Ms Andrea Saks</b> (Chair, Telecommunication Standardisation Sector (ITU-T) Joint Coordination Activity on Accessibility and Human Factors (JCA-AHF)), welcomed the audience and introduced the five panellists, two of whom were remote participants.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify; ">The first speaker, participating remotely from India, was <b>Ms Nirmita Narasimhan</b>, Policy Director, Centre of Internet and Society (CIS). Narasimhan heads the CIS accessibility inclusion programme and specialises in policy research and advocacy related to technology access for persons with disabilities. Narasimhan focused on a <a class="ext" href="https://www.itu.int/en/ITU-D/Digital-Inclusion/Persons-with-Disabilities/Documents/Making%20Mobile-English.pdf">report<span class="ext"><span class="element-invisible"> (link is external)</span></span></a> jointly prepared by ITU and CIS, on how to leverage ICTs in an accessible manner to ensure that persons with disabilities and other vulnerable groups are included in planning and responding to disasters and situations involving emergency situations. She raised four stages of <a class="ext" href="http://cis-india.org/accessibility/blog/emergency-services-report.pdf">preparedness<span class="ext"><span class="element-invisible"> (link is external)</span></span></a> for disaster management: (1) early warning planning including creating awareness, education, and training material as well as setting up technological infrastructure; (2) alerts as to when a disaster is happening and where to go for help; (3) recovery, what happens after the disaster; and (4) mitigation which leads back to planning and preparedness. Full report <a class="external-link" href="https://dig.watch/sessions/inclusive-icts-disaster-and-emergency-preparedness-persons-disabilities-and-those-specific">here</a>. More information on the event <a class="external-link" href="https://www.itu.int/net4/wsis/forum/2017/">here</a>.</p>
<p>
For more details visit <a href='https://cis-india.org/accessibility/news/wsis-forum-2017'>https://cis-india.org/accessibility/news/wsis-forum-2017</a>
</p>
No publisherpraskrishnaAccessibility2017-07-18T02:00:44ZNews ItemMay 2017 Newsletter
https://cis-india.org/about/newsletters/may-2017-newsletter
<b>Welcome to the Centre for Internet & Society (CIS) newsletter for May 2017. </b>
<p style="text-align: justify; ">Dear readers,</p>
<p style="text-align: justify; ">Previous issues of the newsletters can be <a class="external-link" href="http://cis-india.org/about/newsletters">accessed here</a>.</p>
<hr style="text-align: justify; " />
<table class="grid listing" style="text-align: justify; ">
<tbody>
<tr>
<th>Highlights</th>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>
<ul>
<li style="text-align: justify; ">CIS <a class="external-link" href="http://cis-india.org/internet-governance/information-security-practices-of-aadhaar-or-lack-thereof-a-documentation-of-public-availability-of-aadhaar-numbers-with-sensitive-personal-financial-information-1">compiled a report that highlighted four government projects run by various government departments</a> that have made sensitive personal financial information and Aadhaar numbers public on the project websites.</li>
<li style="text-align: justify; ">Article 19 had put out a call for applications for its Internet of Rights Fellowship in February 2017. Vidushi Marda was <a class="external-link" href="http://cis-india.org/internet-governance/news/vidushi-marda-selected-for-internet-of-rights-fellowship">selected for Internet of Rights Fellowship</a>. </li>
<li style="text-align: justify; ">CIS <a class="external-link" href="http://cis-india.org/accessibility/blog/comments-on-the-draft-policy-on-it-accessibility-for-people-with-disabilities">gave inputs on a document on implementing digital accessibility</a> to Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology on May 2, 2017. </li>
<li style="text-align: justify; ">The 34th session of the Standing Committee on Copyright and Related Rights (SCCR) was held in Geneva from May 1 to 5, 2017. Anubha Sinha participated in the event and a summary report is available <a href="http://cis-india.org/a2k/blogs/34th-sccr-a-summary-report">here</a>. She made statements on behalf of CIS on the <a class="external-link" href="http://cis-india.org/a2k/blogs/34th-sccr-cis-statement-on-the-discussion-on-limitations-and-exceptions-for-libraries-and-archives">Discussion on Limitations and Exceptions for Libraries and Archives</a> and on the <a class="external-link" href="http://cis-india.org/a2k/blogs/34th-sccr-cis-statement-on-the-proposal-for-analysis-of-copyright-related-to-the-digital-environment">Proposal for Analysis of Copyright Related to the Digital Environment</a>.</li>
<li style="text-align: justify; ">CIS-A2K’s widely well-regarded flagship skill building program, Train The Trainer and MediaWiki Training was conducted in Kolkata earlier this year. Tito Dutta <a class="external-link" href="http://cis-india.org/a2k/blogs/mini-ttt-and-mwt-held-in-kolkata">captured the developments in a blog post</a>.</li>
<li style="text-align: justify; ">Although it has made the topographic maps or the Open Series Maps available to general public, Survey of India’s (SoI) Nakshe portal will have to go through a variety of litmus test, as the initiative fails to implement the mandates of public sharing of government data using open standards and open license as put forward by the NMP 2005 and NDSAP 2012, said Sumandro Chattapadhyay <a class="external-link" href="http://cis-india.org/openness/survey-of-india-open-series-maps-fails-to-implement-public-sharing-of-govt-data">in an interview with Geospatial World</a> on May 02, 2017.</li>
<li style="text-align: justify; ">In an interview with <a class="external-link" href="https://nettime.org/Lists-Archives/nettime-l-1705/msg00001.html">nettime.org</a>, Geert Lovink discussed with Ramesh Srinivasan Tech Anthropology Today and "<a class="external-link" href="http://cis-india.org/raw/tech-anthropology-today-collaborate-rather-than-fetishize-from-afar">how can we embrace the realities of communities too-often relegated to the margins"</a>.</li>
<li style="text-align: justify; ">In an article <a class="external-link" href="http://cis-india.org/telecom/blog/business-standard-may-3-2017-shyam-ponappa-policies-to-sustain-indias-market">published in the Business Standard</a> on May 3, 2017, Shyam Ponappa examined whether policies can be better framed to harness the market potential. Why is so much investment flowing into India's securities markets?</li>
</ul>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<p style="text-align: justify; "><b>CIS in the news:</b></p>
<ul>
<li><a class="external-link" href="http://cis-india.org/internet-governance/news/the-wire-may-1-2015-130-million-aadhaar-numbers-were-made-public-says-new-report">130 Million Aadhaar Numbers Were Made Public, Says New Report</a> (The Wire; May 1, 2017 and MensXP.com; May 5, 2017).</li>
<li><a class="external-link" href="http://cis-india.org/internet-governance/news/bloomberg-quint-may-2-2017-mahima-kapoor-aadhaar-details-of-people-available-on-govt-sites">Aadhaar Details Of 13.5 Crore People Available On Government Sites</a> (Mahima Kapoor; Bloomberg Quint; May 2, 2017).</li>
<li><a class="external-link" href="http://cis-india.org/internet-governance/news/pti-news-may-2-2017-aadhaar-numbers-of-135mn-may-have-leaked-claims-cis-report">Aadhaar numbers of 135 mn may have leaked, claims CIS report</a> (Press Trust of India; May 2, 2017).</li>
<li><a class="external-link" href="http://cis-india.org/internet-governance/news/hindustan-times-may-2-2017-details-of-135-million-aadhaar-card-holders-may-have-leaked-claims-cis-report">Details of 135 million Aadhaar card holders may have leaked, claims CIS report</a> (Hindustan Times; May 2, 2017).</li>
<li><a class="external-link" href="http://cis-india.org/internet-governance/news/newslaundry-shruti-menon-may-2-2017-uidai-remains-silent-on-aadhaar-leaks-of-users-through-govt-portals">UIDAI remains silent on #Aadhaarleaks of 13 crore users through government portals</a> (Shruti Menon; Newslaundry; May 2, 2017).</li>
<li><a class="external-link" href="http://cis-india.org/internet-governance/news/amar-bazar-patrika-may-2-2017-13-crore-aadhaar-leaked-due-to-poor-security-in-4-govt-websites">১৩ কোটি আধার তথ্য ফাঁস চার সরকারি পোর্টাল থেকে! বিস্ফোরক দাবি রিপোর্টে</a> (Amar Bazar Patrika; May 2, 2017).</li>
<li><a class="external-link" href="http://cis-india.org/internet-governance/news/new-indian-express-may-2-2017-akram-mohammed-13-crore-aadhaar-numbers-on-four-government-websites-compromised">13 crore Aadhaar numbers on four government websites compromised: Report</a> (Akram Mohammed; New Indian Express; May 2, 2017).</li>
<li><a class="external-link" href="http://cis-india.org/internet-governance/news/dna-may-2-2017-report-aadhaar-numbers-of-135-mn-may-have-leaked-claims-cis-report">Aadhaar numbers of 135 mn may have leaked, claims CIS report</a> (DNA; May 2, 2017).</li>
<li><a class="external-link" href="http://cis-india.org/internet-governance/news/manorama-may-2-2017-jikku-varghese-jacob-biggest-blast-on-aadhaar-leak-so-far-govt-sites-leaked-data-of-13-crore-people">Biggest blast on Aadhaar leak so far: govt sites leaked data of 13 crore people</a> (Jikku Varghese Jacob; Manorama; May 2, 2017).</li>
<li><a class="external-link" href="http://cis-india.org/internet-governance/news/scroll-may-2-2017-around-13-crore-aadhaar-numbers-easily-available-on-government-portals-says-report">Around 13 crore Aadhaar numbers easily available on government portals, says report</a> (Scroll.in; May 2, 2017).</li>
<li><a class="external-link" href="http://cis-india.org/internet-governance/news/one-india-may-2-2017-anusha-ravi-what-privacy-13-crore-aadhaar-numbers-accessible-on-governmental-portals">What privacy? 13 crore Aadhaar numbers accessible on government portals</a> (Anusha Ravi; Oneindia; May 2, 2017).</li>
<li><a class="external-link" href="http://cis-india.org/internet-governance/news/livemint-may-2-2017-komal-gupta-govt-may-have-made-135-million-aadhaar-numbers-public-cis-report">Govt may have made 135 million Aadhaar numbers public: CIS report</a> (Komal Gupta; Livemint; May 2, 2017).</li>
<li><a class="external-link" href="http://cis-india.org/internet-governance/news/times-of-india-may-5-2017-aadhaar-numbers-of-135-mn-may-have-leaked-claims-cis-report">Aadhaar numbers of 135 mn may have leaked, claims CIS report</a> (The Times of India; May 2, 2017)</li>
<li><a class="external-link" href="http://cis-india.org/internet-governance/news/hindu-krishnadas-rajagopal-may-3-2017-aadhaar-data-leaks-not-from-uidai">Aadhaar data leaks not from UIDAI: Centre</a> (Krishnadas Rajagopal; Hindu; May 3, 2017).</li>
<li><a class="external-link" href="http://cis-india.org/internet-governance/news/the-register-richard-chirgwin-may-3-2017-135-million-indian-government-payment-card-details-leaked">135 MEELLION Indian government payment card details leaked</a> (Richard Chirgwin; The Register; May 3, 2017).</li>
<li><a class="external-link" href="http://cis-india.org/internet-governance/news/indian-express-may-3-2017-aadhaar-data-of-over-13-crore-people-exposed-new-report">Aadhaar data of over 13 crore people exposed: New report</a> (Indian Express; May 3, 2017).</li>
<li><a class="external-link" href="http://cis-india.org/internet-governance/news/india-times-bobin-abraham-may-3-2017-in-the-biggest-data-leak-info-of-13-crore-aadhaar-card-holders-has-been-compromised-and-is-available-online">In The Biggest Data Leak, Info Of 13 Crore Aadhaar Card Holders Has Been Compromised And Is Available Online</a> (Bobins Abraham; The Times of India; May 3, 2017).</li>
<li><a class="external-link" href="http://cis-india.org/internet-governance/news/medianama-nikhil-pahwa-may-4-2017-around-130-135-m-aadhaar-numbers-published-on-four-sites-alone">Around 130-135M Aadhaar Numbers published on 4 sites alone</a> (Nikhil Pahwa; Medianama; May 4, 2017).</li>
<li><a class="external-link" href="http://cis-india.org/internet-governance/news/business-standard-rohith-jyothish-may-5-2017-aadhaar-the-largest-biometric-database-globally-but-it-is-leaky-by-design">Aadhaar's the largest biometric database globally but it is leaky by design</a> (Rohith Jyotish; Global Voices; May 2, 2017 and Business Standard; May 5, 2017).</li>
<li><a class="external-link" href="http://cis-india.org/internet-governance/news/the-news-minute-rakesh-mehar-may-4-2017-why-aadhaar-leaks-should-worry-you-and-is-biometrics-really-safe">Why Aadhaar leaks should worry you, and is biometrics really safe?</a> (Rakesh Mehar; Newsminute; May 4, 2017).</li>
<li><a class="external-link" href="http://cis-india.org/internet-governance/news/medianama-vivek-pai-may-4-2017-indian-govt-says-it-is-still-drafting-privacy-law">Indian Government says it is still drafting privacy law, but doesn’t give timelines</a> (Vivek Pai; Medianama; May 4, 2017).</li>
<li><a class="external-link" href="http://cis-india.org/internet-governance/news/aaj-tak-may-4-2017-135-million-aadhaar-number-leaked-by-govt-website-cis-report">आधार नंबर, नाम, पता, बैंक अकाउंट और दूसरी संवेदनशील जानकारियां लीक: CIS रिपोर्ट</a> (Aaj Tak; May 4, 2017).</li>
<li><a class="external-link" href="http://cis-india.org/internet-governance/news/ndtv-may-4-2017-manas-pratap-singh-government-knew-of-mega-aadhaar-leak-ministries-were-warned">With digitisation at the forefront, government departments need to be cautious about digital security</a> (Manas Pratap Singh; NDTV; May 4, 2017).</li>
<li><a class="external-link" href="http://cis-india.org/internet-governance/news/livemint-may-4-2017-aijaz-hussain-kashmir-telecom-firms-struggle-to-block-22-banned-social-media-sites">Kashmir: Telecom firms struggle to block 22 banned social media sites </a>(Aijaz Hussain; Livemint; May 4, 2017).</li>
<li><a class="external-link" href="http://cis-india.org/internet-governance/news/india-today-may-4-2017-aadhaar-data-of-130-millions-bank-account-details-leaked-from-govt-websites-report">Aadhaar data of 130 millions, bank account details leaked from govt websites: Report</a> (India Today; May 4, 2017).</li>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a class="external-link" href="http://cis-india.org/internet-governance/news/bbc-news-soutik-biswas-may-4-2017-aadhaar-are-a-billion-identities-at-risk-on-indias-biometric-database">Aadhaar: Are a billion identities at risk on India's biometric database</a> (Soutik Biswas; BBC News; May 4, 2017 and Rawlson King; Biometric Update.com; May 5, 2017).</li>
<li><a class="external-link" href="http://cis-india.org/internet-governance/news/counterview-may-5-2017-135-million-aadhaar-details-100-million">135 million aadhaar details, 100 million bank accounts "leaked" from government websites: Researchers</a> (Counterview; May 5, 2017).</li>
<li><a class="external-link" href="http://cis-india.org/internet-governance/news/the-times-of-india-kim-arora-may-5-2017-suicide-videos-facebook-beefs-up-team-to-monitor-content">Suicide videos: Facebook beefs up team to monitor content</a> (Kim Arora; The Times of India; May 5, 2017).</li>
<li><a class="external-link" href="http://cis-india.org/internet-governance/news/livemint-may-5-2017-anirban-sen-aadhaar-assurances-fail-to-assuage-privacy-concerns">Aadhaar assurances fail to assuage privacy concerns</a> (Anirban Sen; Livemint; May 5, 2017).</li>
<li><a class="external-link" href="http://cis-india.org/internet-governance/news/newsminute-may-6-2017-a-13-year-olds-rape-in-tn-highlights-the-major-threat-online-sexual-grooming-poses-to-children">A 13-year-old's rape in TN highlights the major threat online sexual grooming poses to children</a> (Priyanka Thirumurthy; May 6, 2017).</li>
<li><a class="external-link" href="http://cis-india.org/internet-governance/news/new-indian-express-may-6-2017-experts-stress-on-need-for-enhanced-security">Experts stress on need for enhanced security</a> (New Indian Express; May 6, 2017).</li>
<li><a class="external-link" href="http://cis-india.org/internet-governance/news/the-wire-may-10-2017-shreyashi-roy-taking-cognisance-of-the-deeply-flawed-system-that-is-aadhaar">Taking Cognisance of the Deeply Flawed System That Is Aadhaar</a> (Shreyashi Roy; Wire; May 10, 2017).</li>
<li><a class="external-link" href="http://cis-india.org/internet-governance/news/deccan-herald-may-11-2017-plug-data-leak-before-imposing-aadhaar">Plug data leak before imposing Aadhaar</a> (Deccan Herald; May 11, 2017).</li>
<li><a class="external-link" href="http://cis-india.org/internet-governance/news/the-indian-express-may-11-2017-aadhaar-data-leak-take-precautions-while-sharing-info-on-websites-meity-tells-all-depts">Aadhaar data leak: Take precautions while sharing info on websites, MEITy tells all depts</a> (Indian Express; May 11, 2017).</li>
<li><a class="external-link" href="http://cis-india.org/internet-governance/news/business-standard-sanjay-kumar-singh-aadhaar-security-here-is-how-your-private-information-can-be-protected">Aadhaar security: Here's how your private information can be protected</a> (Sanjay Kumar Singh; Business Standard; May 11, 2017).</li>
<li> <a class="external-link" href="http://cis-india.org/internet-governance/news/global-voices-rohith-jyothish-may-31-2017-online-troll-attack-critics-of-indias-aadhaar-state-id-system">Online Trolls Attack Critics of India's Aadhaar State ID System</a> (Rohith Jyothish; Global Voices; May 31, 2017).</li>
<li><a class="external-link" href="http://cis-india.org/internet-governance/news/los-angeles-times-shashank-bengali-may-12-2017-india-is-building-a-biometric-database-for-1.3-billion-people-and-enrollment-is-mandatory">India is building a biometric database for 1.3 billion people — and enrollment is mandatory</a> (Shashank Bengali; Los Angeles Times; May 12, 2017).</li>
<li><a class="external-link" href="http://cis-india.org/internet-governance/news/business-standard-may-13-2017-alnoor-peermohamed-and-raghu-krishnan-aadhaar-has-become-a-whipping-boy-nandan-nilekani">Watch: Aadhaar has become a whipping boy: Nandan Nilekani</a> (Alnoor Peermohamed and Raghu Krishnan; Business Standard; May 13, 2017).</li>
<li><a class="external-link" href="http://cis-india.org/internet-governance/news/x-conomy-benjamin-romano-may-16-2017-partnership-on-ai-adds-corporate-ngo-members-charts-initial-course">Partnership on AI Adds Corporate, NGO Members, Charts Initial Course</a> (Benjamin Romano; Xconomy; May 16, 2017).</li>
<li><a class="external-link" href="http://cis-india.org/internet-governance/news/newsminute-may-16-2017-soumya-chatterjee-wannacry-atms-not-to-shut-down-clarifies-rbi">WannaCry: ATMs not to shut down, clarifies RBI, but how safe are our machines?</a> (Soumya Chatterjee; May 16, 2017).</li>
<li><a class="external-link" href="http://cis-india.org/internet-governance/news/axios-may-16-2017-google-and-facebook-artificial-intelligence-group-adds-new-members">Google, Facebook's AI group adds new members</a> (Jens Meyer; Axios; May 16, 2017).</li>
<li><a class="external-link" href="http://cis-india.org/internet-governance/news/tech-republic-may-17-2017-22-companies-join-partnership-on-ai">22 companies join Partnership on AI, begin to study AI's impact on work and society</a> (Alison DeNisco; TechRepublic; May 17, 2017).</li>
<li><a class="external-link" href="http://cis-india.org/internet-governance/news/ciol-may-17-2017-intel-salesforce-ebay-sony-and-others-join-the-grand-ai-partnership-club">Intel, Salesforce, eBay, Sony and others join the grand AI partnership club</a> (CIOL; May 17, 2017).</li>
<li><a class="external-link" href="http://cis-india.org/internet-governance/news/new-indian-express-kiran-parashar-km-and-shruthi-hm-it-companies-in-bengaluru-on-high-alert-over-wannacry-ransomware">IT companies in Bengaluru on high alert over WannaCry ransomware</a> (Kiran Parashar K M & Shruthi H M; New Indian Express; May 17, 2017).</li>
<li><a class="external-link" href="http://cis-india.org/internet-governance/news/sd-times-may-17-partnership-on-ai-adds-new-organizations-to-its-network">Partnership on AI adds new organizations to its network</a> (Madison Moore; Software Development Times; May 17, 2017).</li>
<li><a class="external-link" href="http://cis-india.org/internet-governance/news/silicon-monica-tilves-may-17-2017-intel-ebay-sap-salesforce-sony-collaboration-aritificial-intelligence">Intel, eBay, SAP, Salesforce y Sony colaborarán en inteligencia artificial</a> (Monica Tilves; Silicon; May 17, 2017).</li>
<li><a class="external-link" href="http://cis-india.org/internet-governance/news/telecom-paper-may-17-2017-22-nieuwe-leden-voor-partnership-on-ai">22 nieuwe leden voor Partnership on AI </a>(Telecom Paper; May 17, 2017).</li>
<li><a class="external-link" href="http://cis-india.org/internet-governance/news/the-times-of-india-mahendra-singh-may-18-2017-provide-hacker-details-outfit-that-claimed-data-leak-told">Provide hacker details, outfit that claimed data leak told</a> (Mahendra Singh; The Times of India; May 18, 2017).</li>
<li><a class="external-link" href="http://cis-india.org/internet-governance/news/economic-times-may-18-2017-mahendra-singh-uidai-asks-centre-for-internet-and-society-to-provide-hacker-details">UIDAI asks Centre for Internet & Society to provide hacker details</a> (Mahendra Singh; Economic Times; May 18, 2017).</li>
<li><a class="external-link" href="http://cis-india.org/internet-governance/news/business-standard-alnoor-peermohamed-may-19-2017-hack-exposes-zomatos-weak-protection-of-customer-data-say-cyber-experts">Hack exposes Zomato's weak protection of customer data, say Cyber experts</a> (Alnoor Peermohamed; Business Standard; May 19, 2017).</li>
<li><a class="external-link" href="http://cis-india.org/internet-governance/news/bloomber-quint-may-19-2017-aayush-ailawadi-whats-hard-to-digest-about-the-zomato-hacking">What’s Hard To Digest About The Zomato Hacking</a> (Aayush Ailawadi; Bloomberg Quint; May 19, 2017).</li>
<li><a class="external-link" href="http://cis-india.org/internet-governance/news/financial-express-may-19-2017-pti-uidai-puts-posers-to-cis-over-aadhaar-data-leak-claim">UIDAI puts posers to CIS over Aadhaar data leak claim</a> (Press Trust of India and Financial Express; May 19, 2017).</li>
<li><a class="external-link" href="http://cis-india.org/internet-governance/news/hindustan-times-samarth-bansal-faking-it-on-whatsapp-how-india-s-favourite-messaging-app-turned-into-a-rumour-mill">Faking it on WhatsApp: How India's favourite messaging app is turning into a rumour mill</a> (Samarth Bansal; Hindustan Times; May 19, 2017).</li>
<li><a class="external-link" href="http://cis-india.org/internet-governance/news/the-wire-may-19-2017-ajoy-ashirwad-mahaprahasta-debate-over-aadhaar-turns-nasty-as-critics-accuse-supporters-of-online-trolling">Debate over #Aadhaar Turns Nasty as Critics Accuse Supporters of Online Trolling</a> (Ajoy Ashirwad Mahaprahasta; The Wire; May 19, 2017).</li>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a class="external-link" href="http://cis-india.org/internet-governance/news/the-times-of-india-may-19-2017-kim-arora-and-digbijay-mishra-hacker-steals-17-million-zomato-users-data-briefly-puts-it-on-dark-web">Hacker steals 17 million Zomato users’ data, briefly puts it on dark web</a> (Kim Arora and Digbijay Mishra with inputs from Ranjani Ayyar; The Times of India; May 19, 2017).</li>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a class="external-link" href="http://cis-india.org/internet-governance/news/medianama-nikhil-pahwa-may-19-2017-uidai-cis-india-aadhaar">UIDAI goes after org that disclosed government departments were releasing Aadhaar data</a> (Nikhil Pahwa; May 19, 2017).</li>
<li><a class="external-link" href="http://cis-india.org/internet-governance/news/hoyen-tv-may-20-2017-cirilo-laguardia-developer-releases-wanna-cry-key-recovery-tool-for-windows-xp">Developer releases WannaCry key-recovery tool for Windows XP</a> (Cirilo Laguardia; Hoyen TV; May 20, 2017).</li>
<li><a class="external-link" href="http://cis-india.org/internet-governance/news/scroll-may-20-2017-anumeha-yadav-will-aadhaar-leaks-be-used-as-an-excuse-to-shut-out-scrutiny-of-welfare-schemes">Will Aadhaar leaks be used as an excuse to shut out scrutiny of welfare schemes?</a> (Anumeha Yadav; Scroll.in; May 20, 2017).</li>
<li><a class="external-link" href="http://cis-india.org/internet-governance/news/journaldu-maghreb-may-20-2017-microsoft-says-wannacry-ransomware-must-be-a-wake-up-call">Microsoft says WannaCry ransomware must be a wake-up call for governments</a> (Journaldu Maghreb; May 20, 2017).</li>
<li><a class="external-link" href="http://cis-india.org/internet-governance/news/world-news-journal-juana-mckenzie-may-20-2017-noida-cyber-cell-gives-tips-on-preventing-wannacry-attack">Noida cyber cell gives tips on preventing WannaCry attack</a> (Juana McKenzie; World News Journal; May 20, 2017).</li>
<li><a class="external-link" href="http://cis-india.org/internet-governance/news/villages-suntimes-may-21-2017-ellis-neal-chinese-state-media-says-us-should-take-some-blame-for-cyber-attack">Chinese state media says U.S. should take some blame for cyber attack</a> (Ellis Neal; Villages Suntimes; May 21, 2017).</li>
<li><a class="external-link" href="http://cis-india.org/internet-governance/news/business-standard-sanjay-kumar-singh-may-23-2017-zomato-hack-you-need-to-enhance-online-security-with-a-password-manager">Zomato hack: You need to enhance online security with a password manager</a> (Sanjay Kumar Singh; Business Standard; May 23, 2017).</li>
<li><a class="external-link" href="http://cis-india.org/internet-governance/news/inc42-may-23-2017-shweta-modgil-sharad-sharma-aplogises-for-trolling-aadhaar-critics">Sharad Sharma Apologises for Trolling Aadhaar Critics; Unmasking Ispirit's Controversial Trolling Program</a> (Shweta Modgil; Inc 42; May 23, 2017).</li>
<li><a class="external-link" href="http://cis-india.org/internet-governance/news/the-times-of-india-may-24-2017-shalina-pillai-anand-j-ispirts-sharad-sharma-sorry-i-trolled-aadhaar-critics">iSpirt's Sharad Sharma: Sorry, I trolled Aadhaar critics</a> (Shalina Pillai and Anand J; The Times of India; May 24, 2017).</li>
<li><a class="external-link" href="http://cis-india.org/internet-governance/news/catch-news-may-25-2017-sharad-sharma-apos-case-shows-how-rampant-troll-culture-has-become-under-modi">Sharad Sharma's case shows how rampant troll culture has become under Modi</a> (Catch News; May 25, 2017).</li>
<li><a class="external-link" href="http://cis-india.org/internet-governance/news/the-indiasaga-may-25-2017-aadhaar-card-one-identity-multiple-disorders">Aadhaar Card: One Identity, Multiple Disorders</a> (Gaurav Raj; India Saga; May 25, 2017).</li>
<li><a class="external-link" href="http://cis-india.org/internet-governance/news/dna-may-28-2017-heena-khandelwal-tweets-from-the-afterlife">Tweets from the afterlife</a> (Heena Khandelwal; DNA; May 28, 2017).</li>
<li><a class="external-link" href="http://cis-india.org/internet-governance/news/economic-times-may-29-2017-bharat-joshi-bbmp-faces-ire-for-publishing-pourakarmikas-aadhaar-details-on-website">BBMP faces ire for publishing pourakarmikas' Aadhaar details on website</a> (Bharat Joshi; Economic Times; May 29, 2017).</li>
</ul>
<ul>
</ul>
<ul>
</ul>
<p><b>CIS members wrote the following articles</b></p>
<ul style="text-align: justify; ">
<li><a class="external-link" href="http://cis-india.org/internet-governance/blog/the-quint-amber-sinha-and-aradhya-sethia-may-1-2017-aadhaar-case-beyond-privacy-an-issue-of-bodily-integrity">Aadhaar Case: Beyond Privacy, An Issue of Bodily Integrity</a> (Amber Sinha and Aradhya Sethia; Quint; May 1, 2017).</li>
<li><a class="external-link" href="http://cis-india.org/raw/indian-express-nishant-shah-may-14-2017-digital-native-free-speech-you-must-be-joking">Digital native: Free speech? You must be joking!</a> (Nishant Shah; Indian Express; May 14, 2017).</li>
<li><a class="external-link" href="http://cis-india.org/raw/indian-express-nishant-shah-may-28-2017-digital-native-look-before-you-digitally-leap">Digital native: Look before you (digitally) leap</a> (Nishant Shah; Indian Express; May 28, 2017).</li>
</ul>
<p style="text-align: justify; ">-------------------------------------<br /><a href="http://cis-india.org/accessibility">Accessibility & Inclusion</a> <br /> ------------------------------------- <br /> India has an estimated 70 million persons with disabilities who don't have access to read printed materials due to some form of physical, sensory, cognitive or other disability. As part of our endeavour to make available accessible content for persons with disabilities, we are developing a text-to-speech software in 15 languages with support from the Hans Foundation. The progress made so far in the project can be accessed <a href="http://cis-india.org/accessibility/resources/nvda-text-to-speech-synthesizer">here</a>.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify; "><b>Submission</b></p>
<ul>
<li><a class="external-link" href="http://cis-india.org/accessibility/blog/comments-on-the-draft-policy-on-it-accessibility-for-people-with-disabilities">Comments on the draft Policy on IT Accessibility for People with Disabilities</a> (Nirmita Narasimhan; May 19, 2017).</li>
</ul>
<p style="text-align: justify; "><b>-----------------------------------</b><br /><a href="http://cis-india.org/a2k">Access to Knowledge</a> <br /><b> ----------------------------------- </b><br />Our Access to Knowledge programme currently consists of two projects. The Pervasive Technologies project, conducted under a grant from the International Development Research Centre (IDRC), aims to conduct research on the complex interplay between low-cost pervasive technologies and intellectual property, in order to encourage the proliferation and development of such technologies as a social good. The Wikipedia project, which is under a grant from the Wikimedia Foundation, is for the growth of Indic language communities and projects by designing community collaborations and partnerships that recruit and cultivate new editors and explore innovative approaches to building projects.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify; ">►Copyright</p>
<p><b>Blog Entries</b></p>
<ul>
<li><a class="external-link" href="http://cis-india.org/a2k/blogs/34th-sccr-a-summary-report">34th SCCR: A Summary Report</a> (Anubha Sinha; May 15, 2017).</li>
<li><a class="external-link" href="http://cis-india.org/a2k/blogs/34th-sccr-cis-statement-on-the-proposal-for-analysis-of-copyright-related-to-the-digital-environment">34th SCCR: CIS Statement on the Proposal for Analysis of Copyright Related to the Digital Environment</a> (Anubha Sinha; May 15, 2017).</li>
<li><a class="external-link" href="http://cis-india.org/a2k/blogs/34th-sccr-cis-statement-on-the-discussion-on-limitations-and-exceptions-for-libraries-and-archives">34th SCCR: CIS Statement on the Discussion on Limitations and Exceptions for Libraries and Archives</a> (Anubha Sinha; May 15, 2017).</li>
<li><a class="external-link" href="http://cis-india.org/a2k/blogs/34th-sccr-observer-statements-on-proposal-for-analysis-of-copyright-related-to-the-digital-environment">34th SCCR: Observer Statements on Proposal for Analysis of Copyright related to the Digital Environment</a> (Anubha Sinha; May 30, 2017).</li>
<li><a class="external-link" href="http://cis-india.org/a2k/blogs/34th-sccr-observer-statements-on-limitations-and-exceptions-for-educational-and-research-institutions-and-persons-with-other-disabilities">34th SCCR: Observer Statements on Limitations and Exceptions for Educational and Research Institutions</a> (Anubha Sinha; May 30, 2017).</li>
<li><a class="external-link" href="http://cis-india.org/a2k/blogs/34th-sccr-observer-statements-on-limitations-and-exceptions-for-libraries-and-archives">34th SCCR: Observer Statements on Limitations and Exceptions for Libraries and Archives</a> (Anubha Sinha; May 30, 2017).</li>
</ul>
<ul>
</ul>
<p><b>Participation in Event</b></p>
<ul>
<li><a class="external-link" href="http://cis-india.org/a2k/news/fixing-copyright-for-education-sccr34-side-event">Fixing Copyright for Education</a> (SCCR34 Side Event) (Hosted by Communia, EIFL, Creative Commons, and PIJIP; May 5, 2017). Anubha Sinha was a speaker. </li>
</ul>
<ul>
</ul>
<ul>
</ul>
<p style="text-align: justify; ">►Wikipedia</p>
<p style="text-align: justify; ">As part of the <a href="http://cis-india.org/a2k/access-to-knowledge-program-plan">project grant from the Wikimedia Foundation</a> we have reached out to more than 3500 people across India by organizing more than 100 outreach events and catalysed the release of encyclopaedic and other content under the Creative Commons (CC-BY-3.0) license in four Indian languages (21 books in Telugu, 13 in Odia, 4 volumes of encyclopaedia in Konkani and 6 volumes in Kannada, and 1 book on Odia language history in English).</p>
<p style="text-align: justify; "><b>Blog Entries</b></p>
<ul>
<li><a class="external-link" href="http://cis-india.org/a2k/blogs/wiki-loves-mayabazaar">Wiki Loves Mayabazaar</a> (Pavan Santhosh; May 1, 2017).</li>
<li><a class="external-link" href="http://cis-india.org/a2k/marathi-wikipedia-symposium-at-gokhale-institute-of-politics-economics">Marathi Wikipedia Symposium at Gokhale Institute Of Politics & Economics</a> (Subodh Kulkarni; May 1, 2017).</li>
<li><a class="external-link" href="http://cis-india.org/a2k/blogs/digitisation-wikimedia-commons-and-wikisource-orientation-workshop-at-vigyan-ashram-pabal-pune-district">Digitisation, Wikimedia Commons and Wikisource Orientation Workshop at Vigyan Ashram, Pabal, Pune District</a> (Subodh Kulkarni; May 4, 2017).</li>
<li><a class="external-link" href="http://cis-india.org/a2k/blogs/thematic-edit-a-thon-at-j-p-naik-centre-for-education-development-pune">Thematic Edit-a-thon at J.P.Naik Centre for Education & Development, Pune</a> (Subodh Kulkarni; May 10, 2017).</li>
<li><a class="external-link" href="http://cis-india.org/a2k/blogs/train-the-trainer-2017">Train The Trainer 2017</a> (Manasa Rao; May 10, 2017).</li>
<li><a class="external-link" href="http://cis-india.org/a2k/blogs/continuing-community-engagement-communities-of-interest-and-quarrying">Continuing community engagement: Communities of interest and Quarrying</a> (Manasa Rao; May 19, 2017).</li>
<li><a class="external-link" href="http://cis-india.org/a2k/blogs/preliminary-research-result-on-wikipedia-gender-gap-in-india">Preliminary research result on Wikipedia gender gap in India</a> (Ting-Yi Chang; May 22, 2017).</li>
<li><a class="external-link" href="http://cis-india.org/a2k/blogs/mediawiki-training-2017">MediaWiki Training 2017</a> (Tito Dutta and Ananth Subray; May 23, 2017).</li>
<li><a class="external-link" href="http://cis-india.org/a2k/blogs/mini-ttt-and-mwt-held-in-kolkata">Mini TTT and MWT held in Kolkata</a> (Tito Dutta; May 23, 2017).</li>
</ul>
<p><i>Note: The workshops for the above blog posts were held earlier but the reports were published during the month of May</i>.</p>
<p>►Openness</p>
<div style="text-align: justify; ">Our work in the Openness programme focuses on open data, especially open government data, open access, open education resources, open knowledge in Indic languages, open media, and open technologies and standards - hardware and software. We approach openness as a cross-cutting principle for knowledge production and distribution, and not as a thing-in-itself.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify; "></div>
<div style="text-align: justify; "><b>Blog Entry<br /></b></div>
<div style="text-align: justify; ">
<ul>
<li><a class="external-link" href="http://cis-india.org/openness/survey-of-india-open-series-maps-fails-to-implement-public-sharing-of-govt-data">SoI’s Open Series Maps Fails to Implement Public Sharing of Govt Data</a> (Geospatial World; May 4, 2017). Sumandro Chattapadhyay was interviewed.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify; ">
<ul>
</ul>
<b>----------------------------------- </b>
<p style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://cis-india.org/internet-governance">Internet Governance</a> <br /><b> -----------------------------------</b></p>
<p style="text-align: justify; ">As part of its research on privacy and free speech, CIS is engaged with two different projects. The first one (under a grant from Privacy International and IDRC) is on surveillance and freedom of expression (SAFEGUARDS). The second one (under a grant from MacArthur Foundation) is on restrictions that the Indian government has placed on freedom of expression online.</p>
<p>►Freedom of Speech and Expression</p>
<p><b>Submission</b></p>
<ul>
<li><a class="external-link" href="http://cis-india.org/internet-governance/blog/comments-from-the-centre-for-internet-and-society-on-renewal-of-net-registry-agreement">Comments from the Centre for Internet and Society on Renewal of .NET Registry Agreement</a> (Vidushi Marda with inputs from Pranesh Prakash and Sunil Abraham; May 31, 2017). </li>
</ul>
<p><b>Event Organized</b></p>
<ul>
<li><a class="external-link" href="http://cis-india.org/internet-governance/events/communication-design-and-visualising-information">Communication Design and Visualising Information</a> (CIS, Bengaluru; May 5, 2017). Saumyaa conducted a session on the broad principles of communication design and visualising information. </li>
</ul>
<br />
<p><b>Participation in Events</b></p>
<ul>
<li><a class="external-link" href="http://cis-india.org/internet-governance/news/world-press-freedom-day-2017">World Press Freedom Day 2017</a> (UNESCO and the Digital Empowerment Foundation; New Delhi; May 3, 2017). Udbhav Tiwari participated in the event.</li>
<li><a class="external-link" href="http://cis-india.org/internet-governance/news/consilience-2017-a-conference-on-artificial-intelligence-law">Consilience 2017 - A Conference on Artificial Intelligence & Law</a> (Organized by National Law School of India University; May 20, 2017). Vidushi Marda was a panelist.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
</ul>
<p>►Privacy</p>
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify; ">
<p><b>Submission</b></p>
<ul>
<li> <a class="external-link" href="http://cis-india.org/internet-governance/comments-on-the-statistical-disclosure-control-report">Comments on the Statistical Disclosure Control Report</a> (Srinivs Kodali and Amber Sinha; May 2, 2017).</li>
</ul>
<br />
<ul>
</ul>
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify; "></div>
<div style="text-align: justify; "><b>Blog Entry<br /></b></div>
<div style="text-align: justify; ">
<ul>
<li><a class="external-link" href="http://cis-india.org/internet-governance/information-security-practices-of-aadhaar-or-lack-thereof-a-documentation-of-public-availability-of-aadhaar-numbers-with-sensitive-personal-financial-information-1">(Updated) Information Security Practices of Aadhaar (or lack thereof): A documentation of public availability of Aadhaar Numbers with sensitive personal financial information</a> (Amber Sinha and Srinivas Kodali; May 1, 2017).</li>
</ul>
<br />
<div style="text-align: justify; "><b>Events Organized</b></div>
<div style="text-align: justify; ">
<ul>
<li><a class="external-link" href="http://cis-india.org/internet-governance/events/firstfridayatcis-amutha-arunachalam-stand-shielded-of-digital-rights-may-05">Stand Shielded of Digital Rights</a> (CIS; New Delhi; May 5, 2017). Amutha Arunachalam gave a talk.</li>
<li><a class="external-link" href="http://cis-india.org/internet-governance/events/meeting-on-proactive-disclosure-and-personal-data-delhi-may-13">Meeting on Proactive Disclosure and Personal Data</a> (CIS; New Delhi; May 13, 2017).</li>
</ul>
</div>
<ul>
</ul>
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify; "><b>Participation in Events</b></div>
<div style="text-align: justify; ">
<ul>
<li><a class="external-link" href="http://cis-india.org/internet-governance/news/4th-national-standards-conclave-evolving-a-comprehensive-national-strategy-for-standards-sectoral-and-regional-inclusiveness">4th National Standards Conclave Evolving a Comprehensive National Strategy for Standards Sectoral and Regional Inclusiveness</a> (Organized by Ministry of Commerce and Industry and the Confederation of Indian Industry; May 1 - 2, 2017).</li>
<li><a class="external-link" href="http://cis-india.org/internet-governance/news/stockholm-internet-forum-2017">Stockholm Internet Forum 2017</a> (Organized by Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency; Stockholm; May 15 to 18, 2017). Elonnai Hickok was a panelist in the session, "Private sector and civil society collaboration to advance freedom online".</li>
<li><a class="external-link" href="http://cis-india.org/internet-governance/news/open-house-on-information-breaches">Open house on information breaches</a> (Organized by Has Geek; Bengaluru; May 26, 2017). Udbhav Tiwari was a speaker.</li>
<li><a class="external-link" href="http://cis-india.org/internet-governance/news/t20-germany-and-beyond-digital-economy">T20 Germany and Beyond: Digital Economy</a> (Organized by GIZ and EPF; May 29 - 30, 2017). Elonnai Hickok participated in a round-table discussion.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify; ">-----------------------------------</div>
<div style="text-align: justify; ">
<p><a href="http://cis-india.org/telecom">Telecom</a> <br /> -----------------------------------<b><b> </b><br /> </b>CIS is involved in promoting access and accessibility to telecommunications services and resources, and has provided inputs to ongoing policy discussions and consultation papers published by TRAI. It has prepared reports on unlicensed spectrum and accessibility of mobile phones for persons with disabilities and also works with the USOF to include funding projects for persons with disabilities in its mandate:</p>
<p><b>Newspaper Column</b></p>
<ul>
<li><a class="external-link" href="http://cis-india.org/telecom/blog/business-standard-may-3-2017-shyam-ponappa-policies-to-sustain-indias-market">Policies to Sustain India's Market</a> (Shyam Ponappa; Business Standard; May 3, 2017 and Organizing India Blogspot; May 4, 2017).</li>
</ul>
<p><b>-----------------------------------</b><br /><a href="http://cis-india.org/raw">Researchers at Work</a> <br /><b> ----------------------------------- </b><br /> The Researchers at Work (RAW) programme is an interdisciplinary research initiative driven by an emerging need to understand the reconfigurations of social practices and structures through the Internet and digital media technologies, and vice versa. It aims to produce local and contextual accounts of interactions, negotiations, and resolutions between the Internet, and socio-material and geo-political processes:</p>
<p><b>Blog Entry</b></p>
<ul>
<li><a class="external-link" href="http://cis-india.org/raw/tech-anthropology-today-collaborate-rather-than-fetishize-from-afar">Tech Anthropology Today: Collaborate, Rather than Fetishize from Afar</a> (Geert Lovink and Ramesh Srinivasan; nettime.org; May 16, 2017).</li>
</ul>
<br />
<ul>
</ul>
<div style="text-align: justify; "><b>Participation in Event</b></div>
<div style="text-align: justify; ">
<ul>
<li><a class="external-link" href="http://cis-india.org/raw/consultative-meeting-for-a-digital-archive-lab">Consultative Meeting for a Digital Archive Lab</a> (Organized by Ambedkar University, New Delhi; May 20, 2017). P.P. Sneha participated in the meeting.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify; "><b>----------------------------------- </b></div>
<p style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://cis-india.org/">About CIS</a> <br /><b> ----------------------------------- </b><br /> The Centre for Internet and Society (CIS) is a non-profit organisation that undertakes interdisciplinary research on internet and digital technologies from policy and academic perspectives. The areas of focus include digital accessibility for persons with disabilities, access to knowledge, intellectual property rights, openness (including open data, free and open source software, open standards, open access, open educational resources, and open video), internet governance, telecommunication reform, digital privacy, and cyber-security. The academic research at CIS seeks to understand the reconfigurations of social and cultural processes and structures as mediated through the internet and digital media technologies.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify; ">► Follow us elsewhere</p>
<div style="text-align: justify; ">
<ul style="text-align: justify; ">
<li> Twitter:<a href="http://twitter.com/cis_india"> http://twitter.com/cis_india</a> </li>
<li> Twitter - Access to Knowledge: <a href="https://twitter.com/CISA2K">https://twitter.com/CISA2K</a> </li>
<li> Twitter - Information Policy: <a href="https://twitter.com/CIS_InfoPolicy">https://twitter.com/CIS_InfoPolicy</a></li>
<li> Facebook - Access to Knowledge:<a href="https://www.facebook.com/cisa2k"> https://www.facebook.com/cisa2k</a> </li>
<li> E-Mail - Access to Knowledge: <a>a2k@cis-india.org</a> </li>
<li> E-Mail - Researchers at Work: <a>raw@cis-india.org</a> </li>
<li> List - Researchers at Work: <a href="https://lists.ghserv.net/mailman/listinfo/researchers">https://lists.ghserv.net/mailman/listinfo/researchers</a></li>
</ul>
</div>
<p style="text-align: justify; ">► Support Us</p>
<div style="text-align: justify; ">
<div style="text-align: justify; ">Please help us defend consumer and citizen rights on the Internet! Write a cheque in favour of 'The Centre for Internet and Society' and mail it to us at No. 194, 2nd 'C' Cross, Domlur, 2nd Stage, Bengaluru - 5600 71.</div>
</div>
<p style="text-align: justify; ">► Request for Collaboration</p>
<div style="text-align: justify; ">
<p style="text-align: justify; ">We invite researchers, practitioners, artists, and theoreticians, both organisationally and as individuals, to engage with us on topics related internet and society, and improve our collective understanding of this field. To discuss such possibilities, please write to Sunil Abraham, Executive Director, at sunil@cis-india.org (for policy research), or Sumandro Chattapadhyay, Research Director, at sumandro@cis-india.org (for academic research), with an indication of the form and the content of the collaboration you might be interested in. To discuss collaborations on Indic language Wikipedia projects, write to Tanveer Hasan, Programme Officer, at <a>tanveer@cis-india.org</a>.</p>
<div style="text-align: justify; "><i>CIS is grateful to its primary donor the Kusuma Trust founded by Anurag Dikshit and Soma Pujari, philanthropists of Indian origin for its core funding and support for most of its projects. CIS is also grateful to its other donors, Wikimedia Foundation, Ford Foundation, Privacy International, UK, Hans Foundation, MacArthur Foundation, and IDRC for funding its various projects</i>.</div>
</div>
</div>
<ul style="text-align: justify; ">
</ul>
<p>
For more details visit <a href='https://cis-india.org/about/newsletters/may-2017-newsletter'>https://cis-india.org/about/newsletters/may-2017-newsletter</a>
</p>
No publisherpraskrishnaAccess to KnowledgeTelecomAccessibilityInternet GovernanceResearchers at Work2017-06-17T02:46:03ZPageApril 2017 Newsletter
https://cis-india.org/about/newsletters/april-2017-newsletter
<b>Welcome to the CIS newsletter for April 2017. </b>
<p style="text-align: justify; ">Dear readers,</p>
<p style="text-align: justify; ">Previous issues of the newsletters can be <a class="external-link" href="http://cis-india.org/about/newsletters">accessed here</a>.</p>
<hr style="text-align: justify; " />
<table class="grid listing" style="text-align: justify; ">
<tbody>
<tr>
<th>Highlights</th>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>
<ul>
<li style="text-align: justify; ">In a <a class="external-link" href="http://cis-india.org/internet-governance/information-security-practices-of-aadhaar-or-lack-thereof-a-documentation-of-public-availability-of-aadhaar-numbers-with-sensitive-personal-financial-information-1">report on the information security practices of Aadhaar</a>, Amber Sinha and Srinivas Kodali documented numerous instances of publicly available Aadhaar numbers along with other personally identifiable information of individuals on government websites. </li>
<li style="text-align: justify; ">CIS along with like minded organizations <a class="external-link" href="http://cis-india.org/accessibility/blog/mobile-accessibility-practices">made a submission to the Government of India</a> to frame a feasible accessibility guidelines for mobile apps since there is no single standard in existence at the moment.</li>
<li style="text-align: justify; ">A <a class="external-link" href="http://cis-india.org/a2k/blogs/sambad-100-women-edit-a-thon">two-day 100 Women Edit-a-thon</a> was held in March 2017 by CIS-A2K team along with Odisha's biggest newspaper Sambad. The event was inspired by BBC’s 100 Women series and edit-a-thons with the same name in December 2016. More than 20 female journalists participated and registered as new Odia Wikipedians.</li>
<li style="text-align: justify; ">On March 31, 2017, the Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions, Department of Personnel and Training released a Circular framing rules under the Right to Information Act, 2005 (“RTI Rules”). The Ministry invited comments on on the RTI Rules. <a class="external-link" href="http://cis-india.org/openness/blog-old/comments-on-the-right-to-information-rules-2017">CIS submitted its comments</a>.</li>
<li style="text-align: justify; ">In an article originally published in <a class="external-link" href="http://cis-india.org/internet-governance/blog/the-hindu-businessline-march-31-2017-sunil-abraham-its-the-technology-stupid">Hindu Businessline</a> on March 31, Sunil Abraham lists out 11 reasons why Aadhaar is not just non-smart but also insecure.</li>
<li style="text-align: justify; ">Shuttleworth Foundation has announced <a class="external-link" href="http://cis-india.org/internet-governance/news/shuttleworth-foundation-april-19-2017-sunil-abraham-honorary-steward-september-2017">Sunil Abraham as Honorary Steward</a> for its September 2017 fellowship round. </li>
<li style="text-align: justify; ">CIS worked on a three part case study. The first case study on digital protection of traditional knowledge was published by GIS Watch in December 2016. The other two case studies along with the synthesis overview <a class="external-link" href="http://cis-india.org/openness/apc-april-23-2017-sunil-abraham-and-vidushi-marda-economic-social-and-cultural-rights-in-india">has also been published</a>. </li>
</ul>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<p style="text-align: justify; "><b>CIS in the news:</b></p>
<ul style="text-align: justify; ">
<li><a class="external-link" href="http://cis-india.org/internet-governance/news/times-of-india-april-4-2017-ngos-individuals-urge-state-cms-to-curb-internet-shutdown">NGOs, individuals urge state CMs to curb Internet shutdown</a> (The Times of India; April 4, 2017).</li>
<li><a class="external-link" href="http://cis-india.org/internet-governance/news/buzzfeednews-pranav-dixit-april-4-2017-indias-national-id-program-may-be-turning-the-country-into-a-surveillance-state">India’s National ID Program May Be Turning The Country Into A Surveillance State</a> (Pranav Dixit; BuzzFeed News; April 4, 2017).</li>
<li><a class="external-link" href="http://cis-india.org/internet-governance/news/india-today-neha-vashishth-april-6-2017-privacy-what-bengaluru-police-leaks-phone-numbers-on-twitter">Privacy, what? Bengaluru police leaks 46,000 phone numbers on Twitter</a> (Neha Vashishth; India Today; April 6, 2017).</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li><a class="external-link" href="http://cis-india.org/internet-governance/news/the-times-of-india-april-6-2017-umesh-yadav-bengaluru-cops-twitter-handle-in-ethical-storm">Bengaluru cops' twitter handle in ethical storm</a> (Umesh Yadav; The Times of India; April 6, 2017).</li>
</ul>
<ul style="text-align: justify; ">
<li><a class="external-link" href="http://cis-india.org/internet-governance/news/livemint-april-12-2017-komal-gupta-opposition-questions-govt-move-to-make-aadhaar-must">Opposition questions govt move to make Aadhaar must</a> (Komal Gupta; Livemint; April 12, 2017).</li>
<li><a class="external-link" href="http://cis-india.org/internet-governance/news/livemint-april-21-2017-komal-gupta-apurva-vishwanath-suranjana-roy-aadhaar-a-widening-net">Aadhaar: A widening net</a> (Komal Gupta, Apurva Vishwanath and Suranjana Roy; Livemint; April 21, 2017).</li>
<li><a class="external-link" href="http://cis-india.org/openness/news/ians-april-24-2017-chemistry-research-in-india-still-not-in-big-league">Chemistry research in India 'still not in big league'</a> (IANS and India Online News Portal; April 24, 2017).</li>
<li><a class="external-link" href="http://cis-india.org/internet-governance/news/business-world-regina-mihindukulasuriya-april-26-2017-stop-the-haphazard-internet-shutdown-says-mp-jay-panda">Stop the Haphazard Internet Shutdown Says MP Jay Panda</a> (Regina Mihindukulasuriya; Businessworld; April 26, 2017).</li>
<li><a class="external-link" href="http://cis-india.org/internet-governance/news/national-herald-sebastian-pt-april-26-2017-now-aadhaar-details-displayed-in-mizoram-too">Now, Aadhaar details displayed in Mizoram too</a> (Sebastian P.T.; National Herald; April 26, 2017).</li>
<li><a class="external-link" href="http://cis-india.org/a2k/news/the-news-minute-priyanka-thirumurthy-april-26-2017-after-spb-ilaiyaraaja-sony-music-and-sun-network-lock-horns-over-copyrights">After SPB-Ilaiyaraaja, Sony Music and Sun Network lock horns over copyrights</a> (Priyanka Thirumurthy; Newsminute; April 26, 2017).</li>
<li><a class="external-link" href="http://cis-india.org/internet-governance/news/inforisk-today-april-26-2017-suparna-goswami-varun-haran-analysis-data-protection-in-india-getting-it-right">Analysis: Data Protection in India - Getting It Right</a> (Suparna Goswami and Varun Haran; Info Risk Today; April 26, 2017).</li>
<li><a class="external-link" href="http://cis-india.org/internet-governance/news/the-telegraph-april-27-2017-india-bans-social-media-in-kashmir-for-one-month">India bans social media in Kashmir for one month</a> (Telegraph; April 27, 2017).</li>
<li><a class="external-link" href="http://cis-india.org/internet-governance/news/indian-express-april-28-2017-shruti-dhapola-j-k-social-media-ban">J&K social media ban: Use of 132-year-old Act can’t stand judicial scrutiny, say experts</a> (Shruti Dhapola; Indian Express; April 28, 2017).</li>
</ul>
<p><b><br />CIS members wrote the following articles:</b></p>
<ul style="text-align: justify; ">
<li><a class="external-link" href="http://cis-india.org/internet-governance/blog/hindu-op-ed-sunil-abraham-march-31-2017-how-aadhaar-compromises-privacy-and-how-to-fix-it">How Aadhaar compromises privacy? And how to fix it?</a> (Sunil Abraham; Hindu; April 1, 2017).</li>
<li><a class="external-link" href="http://cis-india.org/raw/indian-express-nishant-shah-april-2-2017-digital-native-you-can-check-out-you-can-never-leave">Digital native: You can check out, you can never leave</a> (Nishant Shah; Indian Express; April 2, 2017).</li>
<li><a class="external-link" href="http://cis-india.org/internet-governance/blog/hindustan-times-pranesh-prakash-april-3-2017-aadhaar-marks-a-fundamental-shift-in-citizen-state-relations">Aadhaar marks a fundamental shift in citizen-state relations: From ‘We the People’ to ‘We the Government’</a> (Pranesh Prakash; Hindustan Times; April 3, 2017).</li>
<li><a class="external-link" href="http://cis-india.org/internet-governance/blog/the-hindu-businessline-march-31-2017-sunil-abraham-its-the-technology-stupid">It’s the technology, stupid</a> (Sunil Abraham; Hindu Businessline; April 7, 2017). </li>
<li><a class="external-link" href="http://cis-india.org/internet-governance/blog/asian-age-amber-sinha-april-10-2017-privacy-in-the-age-of-big-data">Privacy in the Age of Big Data</a> (Amber Sinha; Asian Age; April 10, 2017).</li>
<li><a class="external-link" href="http://cis-india.org/raw/indian-express-nishant-shah-april-17-2017-digital-native-are-you-still-having-fun">Digital native: Are You Still Having Fun?</a> (Nishant Shah; Indian Express; April 17, 2017).</li>
<li><a class="external-link" href="http://cis-india.org/raw/indian-express-nishant-shah-april-30-2017-digital-native-snap-out-of-outrage-mode">Digital native: Snap out of outrage mode</a> (Nishant Shah; Indian Express; April 30, 2017).</li>
</ul>
<p style="text-align: justify; ">-------------------------------------<br /><a href="http://cis-india.org/accessibility">Accessibility & Inclusion</a> <br /> ------------------------------------- <br /> India has an estimated 70 million persons with disabilities who don't have access to read printed materials due to some form of physical, sensory, cognitive or other disability. As part of our endeavour to make available accessible content for persons with disabilities, we are developing a text-to-speech software in 15 languages with support from the Hans Foundation. The progress made so far in the project can be accessed <a href="http://cis-india.org/accessibility/resources/nvda-text-to-speech-synthesizer">here</a>.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify; "><b>Submission</b></p>
<ul>
<li><a class="external-link" href="http://cis-india.org/accessibility/blog/mobile-accessibility-practices">Mobile Accessibility Practices</a> (Nirmita Narasimhan; April 12, 2017).</li>
</ul>
<p><b>Event</b></p>
<ul>
<li><a class="external-link" href="http://cis-india.org/accessibility/events/global-accessibility-awareness-day-2017">Global Accessibility Awareness Day 2017</a> (Organized by Prakat Solutions, Mithra Jyothi and CIS; Bengaluru; May 18, 2017).</li>
</ul>
<p><b>----------------------------------- </b></p>
<p style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://cis-india.org/a2k">Access to Knowledge</a> <br /><b> ----------------------------------- </b><br />Our Access to Knowledge programme currently consists of two projects. The Pervasive Technologies project, conducted under a grant from the International Development Research Centre (IDRC), aims to conduct research on the complex interplay between low-cost pervasive technologies and intellectual property, in order to encourage the proliferation and development of such technologies as a social good. The Wikipedia project, which is under a grant from the Wikimedia Foundation, is for the growth of Indic language communities and projects by designing community collaborations and partnerships that recruit and cultivate new editors and explore innovative approaches to building projects.</p>
<p>►Wikipedia</p>
<p style="text-align: justify; ">As part of the <a href="http://cis-india.org/a2k/access-to-knowledge-program-plan">project grant from the Wikimedia Foundation</a> we have reached out to more than 3500 people across India by organizing more than 100 outreach events and catalysed the release of encyclopaedic and other content under the Creative Commons (CC-BY-3.0) license in four Indian languages (21 books in Telugu, 13 in Odia, 4 volumes of encyclopaedia in Konkani and 6 volumes in Kannada, and 1 book on Odia language history in English).</p>
<p style="text-align: justify; "><b>Blog Entries</b></p>
<p style="text-align: justify; ">Note: All the following events were held earlier but the reports were published in the month of April:</p>
<ul>
<li><a class="external-link" href="http://cis-india.org/a2k/blogs/womens-day-edit-a-thon-in-pune">Women's Day Edit-a-thon at Jeewan Jyoti Women's Empowerment Centre, Pune</a> (Subodh Kulkarni; April 10, 2017).</li>
<li><a class="external-link" href="http://cis-india.org/a2k/blogs/marathi-wikipedia-edit-a-thon-at-savitribai-phule-mahila-ekatma-samaj-mandal-aurangabad">Marathi Wikipedia Edit-a-thon at Savitribai Phule Mahila Ekatma Samaj Mandal, Aurangabad</a> (Subodh Kulkarni; April 13, 2017).</li>
<li><a class="external-link" href="http://cis-india.org/a2k/blogs/google-translated-telugu-articles-prioritisation-exercise-january-iteration">Google-translated Telugu articles prioritisation exercise: January iteration</a> (Pavan Santhosh; April 15, 2017).</li>
<li><a class="external-link" href="http://cis-india.org/a2k/blogs/telugu-wikipedia-stall-at-vijayawada-book-festival">Telugu Wikipedia stall at Vijayawada Book Festival</a> (Pavan Santhosh; April 15, 2017).</li>
<li><a class="external-link" href="http://cis-india.org/a2k/blogs/womens-day-edit-a-thon-at-jnana-prabodhini">Women's Day Edit-a-thon at Jnana Prabodhini</a> (Subodh Kulkarni; April 15, 2017).</li>
<li><a class="external-link" href="http://cis-india.org/a2k/blogs/bargarh-manuscript-digitisation-project">Bargarh Manuscript Digitisation Project</a> (Sailesh Patnaik; April 16, 2017).</li>
<li><a class="external-link" href="http://cis-india.org/a2k/blogs/imperial-college-orientation-program-bargarh">Imperial College Orientation Program, Bargarh</a> (Sailesh Patnaik; April 16, 2017).</li>
<li><a class="external-link" href="http://cis-india.org/a2k/blogs/orientation-training-session-for-environmental-activists-in-satara-on-13th-february-2017">Orientation & Training session for Environmental Activists in Satara</a> (Subodh Kulkarni; April 16, 2017).</li>
<li><a class="external-link" href="http://cis-india.org/a2k/blogs/marathi-wikipedia-edit-a-thon-at-rajarshi-chhatrapati-shahu-college-kolhapur">Marathi Wikipedia Edit-a-thon at Rajarshi Chhatrapati Shahu College, Kolhapur</a> (Subodh Kulkarni; April 16, 2017).</li>
<li><a class="external-link" href="http://cis-india.org/a2k/blogs/marathi-wikipedia-edit-a-thon-at-shivaji-university-kolhapur">Marathi Wikipedia Edit-a-thon at Shivaji University, Kolhapur</a> (Subodh Kulkarni; April 16, 2017).</li>
<li><a class="external-link" href="http://cis-india.org/a2k/blogs/marathi-wikipedia-edit-a-thon-at-sangli-maharashtra">Marathi Wikipedia Edit-a-thon at Sangli, Maharashtra</a> (Subodh Kulkarni; April 16, 2017).</li>
<li><a class="external-link" href="http://cis-india.org/a2k/blogs/orientation-training-session-of-jalbiradari-activists">Orientation & Training session of Jalbiradari Activists</a> (Subodh Kulkarni; April 16, 2017).</li>
<li><a class="external-link" href="http://cis-india.org/a2k/blogs/free-license-wings-to-your-books-in-guntur">"Free-license Wings To Your Books" in Guntur</a> (Pavan Santhosh; April 16, 2017).</li>
<li><a class="external-link" href="http://cis-india.org/a2k/blogs/free-license-wings-to-your-books-in-vijayawada">"Free-license Wings To Your Books" in Vijayawada</a> (Pavan Santhosh; April 16, 2017).</li>
<li><a class="external-link" href="http://cis-india.org/a2k/blogs/adikavi-nannaya-university-telugu-wikipedia-workshop-1">Adikavi Nannaya University Telugu Wikipedia Workshop</a> (Pavan Santhosh; April 16, 2017).</li>
<li><a class="external-link" href="http://cis-india.org/a2k/blogs/odia-wikipedia-workshop-in-iimc-dhenkanal">Odia Wikipedia Workshop in IIMC, Dhenkanal</a> (Sailesh Patnaik; April 17, 2017).</li>
<li><a class="external-link" href="http://cis-india.org/a2k/blogs/sambad-100-women-edit-a-thon">Sambad 100 Women Edit-a-thon</a> (Ting Yi Chang and Sailesh Patnaik; April 18, 2017).</li>
<li><a class="external-link" href="http://cis-india.org/a2k/blogs/google-translated-telugu-articles-prioritisation-exercise-february-iteration">Google-translated Telugu articles prioritisation exercise: February iteration</a> (Pavan Santhosh; April 18, 2017).</li>
</ul>
<p> </p>
<ul>
</ul>
<ul>
</ul>
<ul>
</ul>
<p style="text-align: justify; ">►Copyright and Patent</p>
<ul>
<li><a class="external-link" href="http://cis-india.org/a2k/news/national-conference-on-intellectual-property-rights-and-public-interest">National Conference on Intellectual Property Rights and Public Interest</a> (Organized by Indian Law Institute; New Delhi; April 7 - 8, 2017). Maggie Huang took part in the event.</li>
</ul>
<p style="text-align: justify; "><br />►Openness</p>
<div style="text-align: justify; ">Our work in the Openness programme focuses on open data, especially open government data, open access, open education resources, open knowledge in Indic languages, open media, and open technologies and standards - hardware and software. We approach openness as a cross-cutting principle for knowledge production and distribution, and not as a thing-in-itself.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify; "></div>
<div style="text-align: justify; "><b>Publication<br /></b></div>
<div style="text-align: justify; ">
<ul>
<li><a class="external-link" href="http://cis-india.org/openness/apc-april-23-2017-sunil-abraham-and-vidushi-marda-economic-social-and-cultural-rights-in-india">Economic, Social and Cultural Rights in India: Opportunities for Advocacy in Intellectual Property</a> (Sunil Abraham and Vidushi Marda; GIS Watch and Association for Progressive Communications; April 23, 2017). Total 4 reports: <a class="external-link" href="http://cis-india.org/openness/files/economic-social-and-cultural-rights-in-india">Synthesis Overview</a>, <a class="external-link" href="http://cis-india.org/openness/files/economic-social-and-cultural-rights-in-india-opportunities-for-advocacy-in-intellectual-property-rights-access-to-mobile-technology">Access to Mobile Technology</a>, <a class="external-link" href="http://cis-india.org/openness/files/economic-social-and-cultural-rights-in-india-opportunities-for-advocacy-in-intellectual-property-rights-the-traditional-knowledge-digital-library">Traditional Knowledge Digital Library</a>, and <a class="external-link" href="http://cis-india.org/openness/files/economic-social-and-cultural-rights-in-india-foss/">FOSS and Open Standards</a>. </li>
</ul>
<br />
<ul>
</ul>
<p><b>Submission</b></p>
<ul>
<li><a class="external-link" href="http://cis-india.org/openness/blog-old/comments-on-the-right-to-information-rules-2017">Comments on the Right to Information Rules, 2017</a> (Amber Sinha; April 27, 2017).</li>
</ul>
<br />
<ul>
</ul>
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify; "><b>Event Organized <br /></b></div>
<div style="text-align: justify; ">
<ul>
<li><a class="external-link" href="http://cis-india.org/openness/events/nasa-space-apps-challenge-2017">NASA Space Apps Challenge 2017</a> (CIS, Bengaluru, April 22, 2017).</li>
</ul>
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify; "><b>----------------------------------- </b>
<p style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://cis-india.org/internet-governance">Internet Governance</a> <br /><b> -----------------------------------</b></p>
<p style="text-align: justify; ">As part of its research on privacy and free speech, CIS is engaged with two different projects. The first one (under a grant from Privacy International and IDRC) is on surveillance and freedom of expression (SAFEGUARDS). The second one (under a grant from MacArthur Foundation) is on restrictions that the Indian government has placed on freedom of expression online.</p>
<p>►Privacy</p>
<div style="text-align: justify; "><b>Blog Entries</b></div>
<div style="text-align: justify; "><b><br /></b></div>
<ul>
<li><a class="external-link" href="http://cis-india.org/internet-governance/blog/analysis-of-key-provisions-of-aadhaar-act-regulations">Analysis of Key Provisions of the Aadhaar Act Regulations</a> (Amber Sinha; April 3, 2017).</li>
<li><a class="external-link" href="http://cis-india.org/internet-governance/blog/right-to-be-forgotten-a-tale-of-two-judgments">Right to be Forgotten: A Tale of Two Judgements</a> (Amber Sinha; April 7, 2017).</li>
</ul>
<br />
<ul>
</ul>
►Free Speech and Expression</div>
<div style="text-align: justify; ">
<p><b>Blog Entries</b></p>
<ul>
<li><a class="external-link" href="http://cis-india.org/internet-governance/blog/yameen-rasheed-human-rights-maldives">Killing of Yameen Rasheed Reveals Worsening Human Rights Situation in the Maldives</a> (Pranesh Prakash; April 25, 2017).</li>
<li><a class="external-link" href="http://cis-india.org/internet-governance/blog/internet-shutdowns-in-2016">Internet Shutdowns in 2016</a> (Japreet Grewal; April 27, 2016).<br /><br /></li>
</ul>
<p>►Miscellaneous</p>
<p><b>Blog Entry</b></p>
<ul>
<li><a class="external-link" href="http://cis-india.org/internet-governance/blog/regulating-bitcoin-in-india">Regulating Bitcoin in India</a> (Vipul Kharbanda; April 20, 2017).</li>
</ul>
<br />
<ul>
</ul>
<p><b>Event</b></p>
<ul>
<li><a class="external-link" href="http://cis-india.org/internet-governance/events/firstfridayatcis-amutha-arunachalam-stand-shielded-of-digital-rights-may-05">Amutha Arunachalam - Stand Shielded of Digital Rights</a> (CIS; New Delhi; May 5, 2017).</li>
</ul>
<p><br />Participation in Event</p>
<ul>
<li><a class="external-link" href="http://cis-india.org/internet-governance/news/iso-iec-jtc1-sc-27-meetings">ISO/IEC JTC1/SC 27 Meetings</a> (Organized by Bureau of Indian Standards; University of Waikato and Novotel; New Zealand; April 18 - 25, 2017). Udbhav Tiwari attended the meetings.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
</ul>
<br />
<p>►Cyber Security</p>
<p><b>Event Organized</b></p>
<ul>
<li><a class="external-link" href="http://cis-india.org/internet-governance/events/firstfridayatcisindia-dr-madan-oberoi-digital-forensics-april-07">Dr. Madan M. Oberoi - Digital Forensics and Cyber Investigations</a> (CIS; New Delhi; April 7, 2017).</li>
</ul>
<br />
<p><b>Participation in Event</b></p>
<ul>
<li><a class="external-link" href="http://cis-india.org/internet-governance/blog/brainstorming-session-on-the-global-conference-on-cyberspace-gccs-2017">Brainstorming Session on the Global Conference on Cyberspace</a> (GCCS 2017) (Organized by the Ministry of Electronics & Information Technology; New Delhi; April 12, 2017). Japreet Grewal attended the session.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
</ul>
<b>----------------------------------- </b>
<p style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://cis-india.org/">About CIS</a> <br /><b> ----------------------------------- </b><br /> The Centre for Internet and Society (CIS) is a non-profit organisation that undertakes interdisciplinary research on internet and digital technologies from policy and academic perspectives. The areas of focus include digital accessibility for persons with disabilities, access to knowledge, intellectual property rights, openness (including open data, free and open source software, open standards, open access, open educational resources, and open video), internet governance, telecommunication reform, digital privacy, and cyber-security. The academic research at CIS seeks to understand the reconfigurations of social and cultural processes and structures as mediated through the internet and digital media technologies.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify; ">► Follow us elsewhere</p>
<div style="text-align: justify; ">
<ul style="text-align: justify; ">
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<li> Twitter - Information Policy: <a href="https://twitter.com/CIS_InfoPolicy">https://twitter.com/CIS_InfoPolicy</a></li>
<li> Facebook - Access to Knowledge:<a href="https://www.facebook.com/cisa2k"> https://www.facebook.com/cisa2k</a> </li>
<li> E-Mail - Access to Knowledge: <a>a2k@cis-india.org</a> </li>
<li> E-Mail - Researchers at Work: <a>raw@cis-india.org</a> </li>
<li> List - Researchers at Work: <a href="https://lists.ghserv.net/mailman/listinfo/researchers">https://lists.ghserv.net/mailman/listinfo/researchers</a></li>
</ul>
</div>
<p style="text-align: justify; ">► Support Us</p>
<div style="text-align: justify; ">
<div style="text-align: justify; ">Please help us defend consumer and citizen rights on the Internet! Write a cheque in favour of 'The Centre for Internet and Society' and mail it to us at No. 194, 2nd 'C' Cross, Domlur, 2nd Stage, Bengaluru - 5600 71.</div>
</div>
<p style="text-align: justify; ">► Request for Collaboration</p>
<div style="text-align: justify; ">
<p style="text-align: justify; ">We invite researchers, practitioners, artists, and theoreticians, both organisationally and as individuals, to engage with us on topics related internet and society, and improve our collective understanding of this field. To discuss such possibilities, please write to Sunil Abraham, Executive Director, at sunil@cis-india.org (for policy research), or Sumandro Chattapadhyay, Research Director, at sumandro@cis-india.org (for academic research), with an indication of the form and the content of the collaboration you might be interested in. To discuss collaborations on Indic language Wikipedia projects, write to Tanveer Hasan, Programme Officer, at <a>tanveer@cis-india.org</a>.</p>
<div style="text-align: justify; "><i>CIS is grateful to its primary donor the Kusuma Trust founded by Anurag Dikshit and Soma Pujari, philanthropists of Indian origin for its core funding and support for most of its projects. CIS is also grateful to its other donors, Wikimedia Foundation, Ford Foundation, Privacy International, UK, Hans Foundation, MacArthur Foundation, and IDRC for funding its various projects</i>.</div>
</div>
</div>
<ul style="text-align: justify; ">
</ul>
<p>
For more details visit <a href='https://cis-india.org/about/newsletters/april-2017-newsletter'>https://cis-india.org/about/newsletters/april-2017-newsletter</a>
</p>
No publisherpraskrishnaAccess to KnowledgeTelecomAccessibilityInternet GovernanceResearchers at Work2017-05-20T12:59:17ZPageFebruary 2017 Newsletter
https://cis-india.org/about/newsletters/february-2017-newsletter
<b>Welcome to the February 2017 newsletter of the Centre for Internet & Society (CIS).</b>
<p style="text-align: justify; ">Dear readers,</p>
<p>We are pleased to bring you the Centre for Internet & Society's February newsletter. Previous issues of the newsletters can be <a class="external-link" href="http://cis-india.org/about/newsletters">accessed here</a>.</p>
<hr style="text-align: justify; " />
<table class="listing grid" style="text-align: justify; ">
<tbody>
<tr>
<th>Highlights</th>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>
<ul>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a class="external-link" href="http://cis-india.org/accessibility/blog/comments-on-depds-vision-document-2030">Submitted comments on the Vision Document 2030 published by the Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities</a> in February 2017. Our submission recommended that the vision articulate more clearly in terms of quantifiable targets what it seeks to achieve at different points of time and that these targets are not so minimally set as to undermine the aims of the Act and the national commitments outlined therein.</li>
<li style="text-align: justify; ">Ting-Yi Chang wrote an article on the state of women editors in Wikipedia. In a <a class="external-link" href="http://cis-india.org/a2k/blogs/your-story-ting-yi-chang-february-7-2017-only-8.5-percent-of-wikipedia-editors-are-women-how-do-we-fix-the-gender-gap-on-the-internet">write-up published by Your Story</a> on February 7, Ting-Yi explored the reasons for the low percentage of women centric articles on the social media platform and how could the gender gap be bridged. </li>
<li style="text-align: justify; ">In a <a class="external-link" href="http://cis-india.org/internet-governance/files/digital-india-report.pdf">research paper</a> Anisha Gupta has assessed the privacy protections under 15 e-governance schemes. The paper analysed the schemes rolled out by the government, starting from 2010. </li>
<li style="text-align: justify; ">Amber Sinha, Vanya Rakesh and Vidushi Marda authored <a class="external-link" href="http://cis-india.org/internet-governance/files/big-data-compilation.pdf">a research paper</a> that has sought to understand the most effective way of researching Big Data in the Global South.</li>
<li style="text-align: justify; ">The <a class="external-link" href="http://cis-india.org/raw/irc17">second edition of the Internet Researchers' Conference</a>, an annual conference initiated by CIS to bring researchers, academicians and others on a common platform to share insights and chart the way foreword was held in Bengaluru. </li>
<li style="text-align: justify; ">Divij Joshi and Aditya Chawla in a report studied five Indian telecommunication companies and three Indian online service providers. <a class="external-link" href="http://cis-india.org/internet-governance/blog/ranking-digital-rights-in-india">The report has evaluated</a> the practices and policies of companies which provide internet infrastructure or internet services, and are integral intermediaries to the everyday experience of the internet in India.</li>
<li style="text-align: justify; ">General Data Protection Regulation (EU) 2016/679 was passed, which shall replace the present Data Protection Directive DPD 95/46/EC. This step is likely to impact the way of working for many organisations. In this light <a class="external-link" href="http://cis-india.org/internet-governance/blog/survey-on-data-protection-regime">CIS requests you to take part in a survey</a> aimed at understanding how various organisations view the changes in the Data Protection Regime in the European Union.</li>
</ul>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<p><b>CIS in the news:</b></p>
<ul>
<li><a class="external-link" href="http://cis-india.org/internet-governance/news/bloomberg-bna-february-1-2017-nayanima-basu-india-whatsapp-privacy-fight-may-affect-multinationals">India WhatsApp Privacy Fight May Affect Multinationals</a> (Nayanima Basu; Bloomberg BNA; February 1, 2017).</li>
<li><a class="external-link" href="http://cis-india.org/internet-governance/news/the-times-of-india-february-3-2017-kunal-talegri-crowdsourced-innovation-for-government-projects-and-services-is-easier-said-than-done">Crowdsourced innovation for government projects and services is easier said than done</a> (Kunal Talgeri; The Times of India; February 3, 2017).</li>
<li><a class="external-link" href="http://cis-india.org/internet-governance/news/first-post-february-3-2017-nimish-sawant-giving-out-your-fingerprint-for-aadhar-payments-is-as-bad-as-telling-the-seller-your-banking-password">Giving out your fingerprint for Aadhar payments is as bad as telling the seller your banking password</a> (Nimish Sawant; First Post Tech 2; February 3, 2017).</li>
<li><a class="external-link" href="http://cis-india.org/internet-governance/news/business-standard-sanjay-kumar-singh-february-7-2017-dont-dive-headlong-into-money-making-schemes-on-the-internet">Don't dive headlong into money-making schemes on the internet</a> (Sanjay Kumar Singh; Business Standard; February 7, 2017).</li>
<li><a class="external-link" href="http://cis-india.org/internet-governance/news/biometric-update-february-9-2017-rawlson-king-indian-public-concerned-about-fingerprint-payment-scheme">Indian public concerned about fingerprint payment scheme</a> (Rawlson King; Biometricupdate.com; February 9, 2017).</li>
<li><a class="external-link" href="http://cis-india.org/internet-governance/news/mashable-india-february-14-2017-india-aadhaar-uidai-privacy-security-debate">India's Aadhaar with biometric details of its billion citizens is making experts uncomfortable</a> (Mashable India; February 14, 2017).</li>
<li><a class="external-link" href="http://cis-india.org/internet-governance/news/outlook-arindam-mukherjee-february-20-2017-no-genie-at-your-fingertips">No Genie At Your Fingertips</a> (Arindam Mukherjee; Outlook; February 20, 2017).</li>
<li><a class="external-link" href="http://cis-india.org/internet-governance/news/idg-cio-february-21-2017-john-ribeiro-linkedin-will-help-people-in-india-train-for-semi-skilled-jobs">LinkedIn will help people in India train for semi-skilled jobs</a> (John Riberio; IDG News Service and mirrored on CIO Blog; February 21, 2017).</li>
<li><a class="external-link" href="http://cis-india.org/internet-governance/news/vocativ-joshua-kopstein-india-private-companies-citizens-biometric-data">India To Let Private Companies Access Citizens’ Biometric Data</a> (Joshua Kopstein; Vocativ; February 21, 2017).</li>
<li><a class="external-link" href="http://cis-india.org/internet-governance/news/outlook-february-24-2017-is-your-aadhar-biometrics-safe-firms-accused-of-storing-biometrics-and-using-them-illegally">Is Your Aadhar Biometrics Safe? Firms Accused Of Storing Biometrics And Using Them Illegally</a> (Outlook; February 24, 2017).<br /><br /></li>
</ul>
<p><b>CIS members wrote the following articles:</b></p>
<ul>
<li><a class="external-link" href="http://cis-india.org/raw/indian-express-nishant-shah-february-9-2017-digital-native-do-not-go-gently-into-the-good-night">Digital Native: Do not go Gently into the Good Night</a> (Nishant Shah; Indian Express; February 9, 2017).</li>
<li><a class="external-link" href="http://cis-india.org/raw/indian-express-nishant-shah-february-19-2017-digital-native-who-will-watch-the-watchman">Digital Native: Who will Watch the Watchman?</a> (Nishant Shah; Indian Express; February 19, 2017).</li>
<li><a class="external-link" href="http://cis-india.org/internet-governance/blog/the-wire-amber-sinha-february-21-2017-can-the-judiciary-upturn-the-lok-sabha-speakers-decision-on-aadhaar">Can the Judiciary Upturn the Lok Sabha Speaker’s Decision on Aadhaar?</a> (Amber Sinha; Wire; February 21, 2017).<br /><br /></li>
</ul>
<p><b>Jobs</b></p>
<div class="keyResearch">
<div id="parent-fieldname-text-79790f6fc21648dba6d4ca3a23773ac5">
<ul>
<li><a href="http://cis-india.org/jobs/policy-officer-cyber-security">Policy Officer (Cyber Security)</a> </li>
<li><a href="http://cis-india.org/jobs/senior-policy-officer-cyber-security">Senior Policy Officer (Cyber Security)</a> </li>
<li><a class="external-link" href="http://cis-india.org/jobs/internship">Internship</a> - Application accepted throughout the year</li>
<li><a class="internal-link" href="http://cis-india.org/jobs/seeking-survey-participants-for-research-on-musician-livelihood">Survey Participants for Research on Musician Livelihood</a><a class="internal-link" href="http://cis-india.org/jobs/community-advocate-on-consultancy-basis-access-to-knowledge-language-anchor"><span class="internal-link"> </span></a></li>
</ul>
</div>
</div>
<p style="text-align: justify; ">-------------------------------------<br /><a href="http://cis-india.org/accessibility">Accessibility & Inclusion</a> <br /> ------------------------------------- <br /> India has an estimated 70 million persons with disabilities who don't have access to read printed materials due to some form of physical, sensory, cognitive or other disability. As part of our endeavour to make available accessible content for persons with disabilities, we are developing a text-to-speech software in 15 languages with support from the Hans Foundation. The progress made so far in the project can be accessed <a href="http://cis-india.org/accessibility/resources/nvda-text-to-speech-synthesizer">here</a>.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify; "><b>Submission</b></p>
<ul>
<li><a class="external-link" href="http://cis-india.org/accessibility/blog/comments-on-depds-vision-document-2030">Comments on Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities 'Vision Document 2030'</a> (Nirmita Narasimhan; February 28, 2017).</li>
</ul>
<p style="text-align: justify; "><b>----------------------------------- </b><br /><a href="http://cis-india.org/a2k">Access to Knowledge</a> <br /><b> ----------------------------------- </b><br />Our Access to Knowledge programme currently consists of two projects. The Pervasive Technologies project, conducted under a grant from the International Development Research Centre (IDRC), aims to conduct research on the complex interplay between low-cost pervasive technologies and intellectual property, in order to encourage the proliferation and development of such technologies as a social good. The Wikipedia project, which is under a grant from the Wikimedia Foundation, is for the growth of Indic language communities and projects by designing community collaborations and partnerships that recruit and cultivate new editors and explore innovative approaches to building projects.</p>
<p>►Wikipedia</p>
<p style="text-align: justify; ">As part of the <a href="http://cis-india.org/a2k/access-to-knowledge-program-plan">project grant from the Wikimedia Foundation</a> we have reached out to more than 3500 people across India by organizing more than 100 outreach events and catalysed the release of encyclopaedic and other content under the Creative Commons (CC-BY-3.0) license in four Indian languages (21 books in Telugu, 13 in Odia, 4 volumes of encyclopaedia in Konkani and 6 volumes in Kannada, and 1 book on Odia language history in English).</p>
<p style="text-align: justify; "><b>Blog Entries</b></p>
<ul>
<li><a class="external-link" href="http://cis-india.org/a2k/blogs/marathi-wikipedia-edit-a-thon-february-5-2017-in-pune">Marathi Wikipedia Edit-a-thon</a> (Subodh Kulkarni; February 8, 2017)</li>
<li><a class="external-link" href="http://cis-india.org/a2k/blogs/your-story-ting-yi-chang-february-7-2017-only-8.5-percent-of-wikipedia-editors-are-women-how-do-we-fix-the-gender-gap-on-the-internet">Only 8.5pc of Wikipedia Editors are Women. How do we fix the Gender Gap on the Internet?</a> (Ting-Yi Chang; February 9, 2017).</li>
<li><a class="external-link" href="http://cis-india.org/a2k/blogs/wikitungi-bhubaneswar-city-wiki-community-turns-1">WikiTungi: Bhubaneswar City Wiki Community Turns 1</a> (Sailesh Patnaik; February 27, 2017).</li>
</ul>
<p><b>Event Organized</b></p>
<ul>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a class="external-link" href="http://cis-india.org/a2k/blogs/marathi-wikisource-digitisation-workshop">Marathi Wikisource & Digitisation Workshop</a> (Organized by CIS, Maharashtra Granthottejak Sanstha, Maharashtra Knowledge Corporation Limited and Jnana Prabhodini; Jnana Prabodhini, Sadashiv Peth, Pune; February 17, 2017 and C Trade Tower, Senapati Bapat Road, Pune; February 18, 2017).</li>
</ul>
<ul>
</ul>
<p style="text-align: justify; "><b>-----------------------------------</b><a href="http://cis-india.org/internet-governance"><br />Internet Governance</a> <br /><b> -----------------------------------</b></p>
<div style="text-align: justify; ">
<p style="text-align: justify; ">As part of its research on privacy and free speech, CIS is engaged with two different projects. The first one (under a grant from Privacy International and IDRC) is on surveillance and freedom of expression (SAFEGUARDS). The second one (under a grant from MacArthur Foundation) is on restrictions that the Indian government has placed on freedom of expression online.</p>
<p>►Privacy</p>
<div style="text-align: justify; "><b>Research Papers</b></div>
<div style="text-align: justify; ">
<ul>
<li><a class="external-link" href="http://cis-india.org/internet-governance/blog/comparison-of-general-data-protection-regulation-and-data-protection-directive">Comparison of General Data Protection Regulation and Data Protection Directive</a> (Aditi Chaturvedi and Edited by Leilah Elmokadem; February 7, 2017).</li>
<li><a class="external-link" href="http://cis-india.org/internet-governance/blog/ranking-digital-rights-in-india">Ranking Digital Rights in India</a> (Divij Joshi and Aditya Chawla; February 12, 2017).</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li><a class="external-link" href="http://cis-india.org/internet-governance/blog/privacy-gaps-in-indias-digital-india-project">Privacy Gaps in India's Digital India Project</a> (Anisha Gupta; edited by Amber Sinha; February 21, 2017).</li>
</ul>
</div>
<p><b>Survey</b></p>
<ul>
<li><a class="external-link" href="http://cis-india.org/internet-governance/blog/survey-on-data-protection-regime">Survey on Data Protection Regime</a> (Aditi Chaturvedi and Elonnai Hickok; February 10, 2017).</li>
</ul>
<br />
<p><b>Participation in Events</b></p>
<ul>
<li><a class="external-link" href="http://cis-india.org/internet-governance/news/surveillance-in-india-policy-and-practice">Surveillance in India: Policy and Practice</a> (Organized by National Institute of Public Finance and Policy; New Delhi; February 9, 2017). Pranesh Prakash was a speaker.</li>
<li><a class="external-link" href="http://cis-india.org/internet-governance/news/t-20-mumbai-2017">T20 Mumbai 2017: Dialogue on the Emerging World Economy</a> (Organized by Gateway House, Indian Council on Global Relations; Mumbai; February 13 - 14, 2017). Elonnai Hickok attended the event.</li>
</ul>
<br />
<p>►Big Data</p>
<p><b>Research Paper</b></p>
<ul>
<li><a class="external-link" href="http://cis-india.org/internet-governance/blog/big-data-in-governance-in-india-case-studies">Big Data in Governance in India: Case Studies</a> (Amber Sinha, Vanya Rakesh and Vidushi Marda and Edited by Elonnai Hickok, Sumandro Chattapadhyay and Sunil Abraham; February 19, 2017).</li>
</ul>
<br />
<ul>
</ul>
<p>►Freedom of Expression and Cyber Security</p>
<p><b>Participation in Event</b></p>
<ul>
<li><a class="external-link" href="http://cis-india.org/internet-governance/news/digital-security-for-journalists">Digital Security for Journalists</a> (February 2 and 3, 2017). Pranesh Prakash conducted two workshops on consecutive days. The first one organized by IndiaSpend was held in their office. The second one organized by a fellow with the International Center Journalists was held in the Hindustan Times office.</li>
<li><a class="external-link" href="http://cis-india.org/internet-governance/news/securing-digital-payments-imperatives-for-a-growing-ecosystem">Securing Digital Payments: Imperatives for a Growing Ecosystem</a> (Organized by ORF and Koan Advisory; The Claridges, New Delhi; February 3, 2017). Udbhav Tiwari attended the round-table conference. </li>
<li><a class="external-link" href="http://cis-india.org/internet-governance/news/fake-news-rumors-online-content-regulation">Fake News, Rumors & Online Content Regulation</a> (Organized by Medianama and Mint; India Habitat Centre; February 22, 2017). Japreet Grewal and Amber Sinha attended the event.</li>
</ul>
<p>----------------------------------- <br /><a href="http://cis-india.org/telecom">Telecom</a> <br /> ----------------------------------- <br /> CIS is involved in promoting access and accessibility to telecommunications services and resources, and has provided inputs to ongoing policy discussions and consultation papers published by TRAI. It has prepared reports on unlicensed spectrum and accessibility of mobile phones for persons with disabilities and also works with the USOF to include funding projects for persons with disabilities in its mandate:</p>
<p><b>Article</b></p>
<ul>
<li><a class="external-link" href="http://cis-india.org/telecom/blog/business-standard-january-31-2017-and-organizing-india-blogspot-february-1-2017-shyam-ponappa-a-pathfinding-approach-for-digital-india">A Pathfinding Approach for Digital India</a> (Shyam Ponappa; Business Standard; January 31, 2017 and Organizing India Blogspot; February 1, 2017).</li>
</ul>
<p><b>-----------------------------------</b><br /><a href="http://cis-india.org/raw">Researchers at Work</a> <br /><b> ----------------------------------- </b><br /> The Researchers at Work (RAW) programme is an interdisciplinary research initiative driven by an emerging need to understand the reconfigurations of social practices and structures through the Internet and digital media technologies, and vice versa. It aims to produce local and contextual accounts of interactions, negotiations, and resolutions between the Internet, and socio-material and geo-political processes:</p>
<p><b>Event Organized</b></p>
<ul>
<li><a class="external-link" href="http://cis-india.org/raw/irc17">Internet Researchers' Conference 2017</a> (Organized by the Centre for Information Technology and Public Policy and CIS; International Institute of Information Technology, Bengaluru; March 3 - 5, 2017).</li>
</ul>
<p style="text-align: justify; "><b>----------------------------------- </b><br /><a href="http://cis-india.org/">About CIS</a> <br /><b> ----------------------------------- </b><br /> The Centre for Internet and Society (CIS) is a non-profit organisation that undertakes interdisciplinary research on internet and digital technologies from policy and academic perspectives. The areas of focus include digital accessibility for persons with disabilities, access to knowledge, intellectual property rights, openness (including open data, free and open source software, open standards, open access, open educational resources, and open video), internet governance, telecommunication reform, digital privacy, and cyber-security. The academic research at CIS seeks to understand the reconfigurations of social and cultural processes and structures as mediated through the internet and digital media technologies.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify; ">► Follow us elsewhere</p>
<div style="text-align: justify; ">
<ul style="text-align: justify; ">
<li> Twitter:<a href="http://twitter.com/cis_india"> http://twitter.com/cis_india</a> </li>
<li> Twitter - Access to Knowledge: <a href="https://twitter.com/CISA2K">https://twitter.com/CISA2K</a> </li>
<li> Twitter - Information Policy: <a href="https://twitter.com/CIS_InfoPolicy">https://twitter.com/CIS_InfoPolicy</a></li>
<li> Facebook - Access to Knowledge:<a href="https://www.facebook.com/cisa2k"> https://www.facebook.com/cisa2k</a> </li>
<li> E-Mail - Access to Knowledge: <a>a2k@cis-india.org</a> </li>
<li> E-Mail - Researchers at Work: <a>raw@cis-india.org</a> </li>
<li> List - Researchers at Work: <a href="https://lists.ghserv.net/mailman/listinfo/researchers">https://lists.ghserv.net/mailman/listinfo/researchers</a></li>
</ul>
</div>
<p style="text-align: justify; ">► Support Us</p>
<div style="text-align: justify; ">
<div style="text-align: justify; ">Please help us defend consumer and citizen rights on the Internet! Write a cheque in favour of 'The Centre for Internet and Society' and mail it to us at No. 194, 2nd 'C' Cross, Domlur, 2nd Stage, Bengaluru - 5600 71.</div>
</div>
<p style="text-align: justify; ">► Request for Collaboration</p>
<div style="text-align: justify; ">
<p style="text-align: justify; ">We invite researchers, practitioners, artists, and theoreticians, both organisationally and as individuals, to engage with us on topics related internet and society, and improve our collective understanding of this field. To discuss such possibilities, please write to Sunil Abraham, Executive Director, at sunil@cis-india.org (for policy research), or Sumandro Chattapadhyay, Research Director, at sumandro@cis-india.org (for academic research), with an indication of the form and the content of the collaboration you might be interested in. To discuss collaborations on Indic language Wikipedia projects, write to Tanveer Hasan, Programme Officer, at <a>tanveer@cis-india.org</a>.</p>
<div style="text-align: justify; "><i>CIS is grateful to its primary donor the Kusuma Trust founded by Anurag Dikshit and Soma Pujari, philanthropists of Indian origin for its core funding and support for most of its projects. CIS is also grateful to its other donors, Wikimedia Foundation, Ford Foundation, Privacy International, UK, Hans Foundation, MacArthur Foundation, and IDRC for funding its various projects</i>.</div>
</div>
</div>
<p>
For more details visit <a href='https://cis-india.org/about/newsletters/february-2017-newsletter'>https://cis-india.org/about/newsletters/february-2017-newsletter</a>
</p>
No publisherpraskrishnaAccessibility2017-05-20T12:46:41ZPageComments on the draft Policy on IT Accessibility for People with Disabilities
https://cis-india.org/accessibility/blog/comments-on-the-draft-policy-on-it-accessibility-for-people-with-disabilities
<b>The Centre for Internet & Society gave inputs on a document on implementing digital accessibility to Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology on May 2, 2017. </b>
<p style="text-align: justify; ">We welcome the initiative of the MEITY to formulate a policy/ set of guidelines to implement electronic accessibility for persons with disabilities within the government and provide our comments to the draft document below:</p>
<h3 style="text-align: justify; ">Accessibility of the document:</h3>
<p style="text-align: justify; ">The present document is not completely accessible. The first two Annexures cannot be read at all using a screen reader and there is also scope for improving accessibility in the rest of the document. Given the government’s policy requiring electronic accessibility and the nature of this document itself, this error may be rectified immediately. A good resource for creating accessible electronic documents is available at <a class="external-link" href="https://help.rnib.org.uk/help/daily-living/technology/accessible-documents">https://help.rnib.org.uk/help/daily-living/technology/accessible-documents</a></p>
<h3 style="text-align: justify; ">Title and content presentation:<span style="text-decoration: underline;"></span></h3>
<p style="text-align: justify; ">The present title reads- ‘Policy for IT Accessibility for people with disabilities”. This may be rephrased to - Policy for Implementing IT accessibility for persons with disabilities so that its purpose is clear and differentiated from the National Policy on Universal Electronics Accessibility. The policy may be broadly divided into four main aspects- Content and communication, technology, training and procurement, since these are the four areas where specific interventions are required and have different needs and associated standards.</p>
<h3 style="text-align: justify; ">Preliminary sections:</h3>
<p style="text-align: justify; ">The policy would benefit from clearly articulated vision, objectives, scope, applicability and statement.</p>
<h3 style="text-align: justify; ">Content and communication:</h3>
<p style="text-align: justify; ">All communication, including documents and publications, whether print or electronic, should be universally accessible. This could include documents, mails, invoices, leaflets etc. We recommend use of Unicode, EPUB 3, EPUB 3 Accessibility Guidelines and WCAG 2.0 (level AA) as the standards to be followed while creating and publishing electronic documents and information. The need to use Unicode for regional languages is especially emphasised, as also the need to provide alternatives in case of scanned notifications and documents. We would also like to stress the need to use alternate modes of communication for transactions such as Alternative mode of authentication other than visual captcha (IE: One time password (OTP), logical reasoning (2+2) etc.)</p>
<h3 style="text-align: justify; ">Accessibility of technologies:</h3>
<p style="text-align: justify; ">ICT accessibility interventions for different disabilities- This section should be circulated to experts of different disabilities to get their inputs. Attention may be given to also providing technology options such as the screen reader NVDA which are open source, efficient and work with indian languages. Overall, it is recommended that this section, recognises that persons with disabilities be provided with suitable assistive technologies and accessible technologies to enable them to work efficiently. The illustrative list of disabilitywise technologies may be provided as annexures to the policy/ guidelines and not be part of the main document.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify; "><a class="external-link" href="http://cis-india.org/accessibility/files/expert-comments-on-cdac-document.pdf">Click to read the full submission here</a>; and see the Policy and Guidelines <a class="external-link" href="http://cis-india.org/accessibility/files/policy-and-guidelines.pdf">here</a></p>
<p>
For more details visit <a href='https://cis-india.org/accessibility/blog/comments-on-the-draft-policy-on-it-accessibility-for-people-with-disabilities'>https://cis-india.org/accessibility/blog/comments-on-the-draft-policy-on-it-accessibility-for-people-with-disabilities</a>
</p>
No publishernirmitaAccessibility2017-05-19T15:33:41ZBlog EntryGlobal Accessibility Awareness Day 2017
https://cis-india.org/accessibility/events/global-accessibility-awareness-day-2017
<b>The Centre for Internet & Society along with Prakat Solutions and Mitra Jyothi is co-hosting the Global Accessibility Awareness Day in Bengaluru on May 18, 2017. </b>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Global Accessibility Awareness Day </strong>is celebrated across the world on the 3rd Thursday in May every year to create an awareness in making technology accessible and usable by persons with disabilities. While people may be interested in the topic of making technology accessible and inclusive, the reality is that they often do not know how or where to start, Awareness comes first.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">The purpose of GAAD is to get everyone talking, thinking and learning about digital (web, software, mobile, etc.) access/inclusion and people with different disabilities.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">To mark this day, Prakat Solutions will be hosting an event filled with lightning talks, workshops and a lot of other activities. You can also view a series of short videos about why accessibility is important with contributions from some of the greatest minds in accessibility today.For us as a company, Global Accessibility Awareness Day is quite special. Other awareness days that we participate in focus on a specific group of people. Today, is not about a specific group of people, today is about each and every one of us.</p>
<h3 style="text-align: justify;">Watch the Video on What is GAAD</h3>
<p><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/M9Ac5PAIKWo" frameborder="0" height="315" width="560"></iframe></p>
<p>
For more details visit <a href='https://cis-india.org/accessibility/events/global-accessibility-awareness-day-2017'>https://cis-india.org/accessibility/events/global-accessibility-awareness-day-2017</a>
</p>
No publisherpraskrishnaFeaturedHomepageAccessibilityEvent2017-05-16T05:51:45ZEventMobile Accessibility Practices
https://cis-india.org/accessibility/blog/mobile-accessibility-practices
<b>Over the past few months the Centre for Internet & Society along with some like minded organizations had been working on framing a feasible accessibility guidelines for mobile apps which they could recommend to the Government of India, since there is no single standard in existence at the moment. </b>
<h3>Problem Statement</h3>
<p style="text-align: justify; ">The shift to digital governance and availability of assistive technologies have been both empowering as well as frustrating for persons with disabilities, who comprise approximately 150 million of the Indian population. Government initiatives such as the Digital India campaign are increasingly delivering basic functions of governance through information technologies. In the past year, the government, private sector and the world at large have embraced mobile applications as a preferred medium for user interactions and transactions.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify; ">The Mobile Seva App Store hosts 790 government apps, which provide services including voter information, agricultural assistance, welfare scheme signups, and educational content provision. In addition, the overall app market in India has also grown rapidly, with almost 5 times as many apps downloaded in 2015 compared to the previous year. These include apps which let users access everyday services like transportation, communication and entertainment.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify; ">However, for persons with disabilities, many of these apps, and consequently the services they provide, are inaccessible and often impossible to use. Research in the past year that looked at several apps, both government and private, found that a majority of the apps are inaccessible and unusable, especially for persons with low vision and blindness.</p>
<hr />
<p><a class="external-link" href="http://cis-india.org/accessibility/files/mobile-accessibility-practices.pdf"><b>Read the full submission</b></a></p>
<p>
For more details visit <a href='https://cis-india.org/accessibility/blog/mobile-accessibility-practices'>https://cis-india.org/accessibility/blog/mobile-accessibility-practices</a>
</p>
No publishernirmitaAccessibility2017-04-12T13:48:13ZBlog EntryMarch 2017 Newsletter
https://cis-india.org/about/newsletters/march-2017-newsletter
<b>Welcome to March 2017 newsletter of the Centre for Internet & Society (CIS).</b>
<p style="text-align: justify; ">Dear readers,</p>
<p style="text-align: justify; ">Previous issues of the newsletters can be <a class="external-link" href="http://cis-india.org/about/newsletters">accessed here</a>.</p>
<hr style="text-align: justify; " />
<table class="grid listing" style="text-align: justify; ">
<tbody>
<tr>
<th>Highlights</th>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>
<ul>
<li style="text-align: justify; ">CIS <a class="external-link" href="http://cis-india.org/accessibility/blog/comments-on-the-draft-rights-of-persons-with-disabilities-rules">submitted comments on the draft Rights of Persons with Disabilities Rules</a> for the consideration of the Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities, Government of India.</li>
<li style="text-align: justify; ">Anubha Sinha in a blog post has <a class="external-link" href="http://cis-india.org/a2k/blogs/intellectual-property-rights-and-mobile-apps">identified the various kinds of IP in an app</a> and explained the protections available under Indian IPR law. </li>
<li style="text-align: justify; ">CIS-A2K is <a class="external-link" href="http://cis-india.org/a2k/blogs/wikisource-internship-project-at-new-law-college-pune">conducting a Wiki internship project</a> for students of New Law College, Pune under the guidance of Prof.Dr.Mukund Sarda, Dean and Principal of New Law College. </li>
<li style="text-align: justify; ">In an <a class="external-link" href="http://cis-india.org/internet-governance/blog/hindu-op-ed-sunil-abraham-march-31-2017-how-aadhaar-compromises-privacy-and-how-to-fix-it">Op-ed published in the Hindu</a>, Sunil Abraham has stated that though biometrics may be appropriate for targeted surveillance by the state, it is wholly inappropriate for everyday transactions between state and law abiding citizens.</li>
<li style="text-align: justify; ">CIS has <a class="external-link" href="http://cis-india.org/internet-governance/blog/benefits-harms-rights-and-regulation-survey-of-literature-on-big-data">published a survey</a> that draws upon a range of literature including news articles, academic articles, and presentations and seeks to disaggregate the potential benefits and harms of big data, organising them into several broad categories that reflect the existing scholarly literature.</li>
<li style="text-align: justify; ">CIS submitted comments on the Information Technology (Security of Prepaid Payment Instruments) Rules, 2017. The <a class="external-link" href="http://cis-india.org/internet-governance/blog/comments-on-information-technology-security-of-prepaid-payment-instruments-rules-2017">comments were in response to the Information Technology (Security of Prepaid Payment Instruments) Rules 2017</a>. The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology issued a consultation paper which called for developing a framework for security of digital wallets operating in the country. </li>
<li style="text-align: justify; ">Ritam Sengupta, Dr. Richard Heeks, Sumandro Chattapadhyay, and Dr. Christopher Foster <a class="external-link" href="http://cis-india.org/raw/exploring-big-data-for-development-an-electricity-sector-case-study-from-india">have co-authored a paper</a> that presents exploratory research into “data-intensive development” that seeks to inductively identify issues and conceptual frameworks of relevance to big data in developing countries.</li>
</ul>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<p style="text-align: justify; "><b>CIS in the news:</b></p>
<ul style="text-align: justify; ">
<li><a class="external-link" href="http://cis-india.org/internet-governance/news/richa-mishra-hindu-businessline-march-13-2017-the-12-digit-conundrum">The 12-digit conundrum</a> (Richa Mishra; Hindu Businessline; March 13, 2017)</li>
<li><a class="external-link" href="http://cis-india.org/internet-governance/news/the-statesman-smriti-sharma-vasudeva-march-14-2017-evms-how-transparent-is-the-indian-election-process">EVMs: How transparent is the Indian election process?</a> (Smriti Sharma Vasudeva; The Statesman; March 14, 2017).</li>
<li><a class="external-link" href="http://cis-india.org/internet-governance/news/first-post-march-16-nimish-sawant-nasscom-chief-saying-full-data-protection-isnt-possible-should-wake-us-from-our-digital-slumber">Nasscom chief saying full data protection isn’t possible should wake us from our digital slumber</a> (First Post; March 16, 2017).</li>
<li><a class="external-link" href="http://cis-india.org/internet-governance/news/one-world-indentity-kaelyn-lowmaster-march-17-2017-privacy-concerns-multiply-for-aadhaar-indias-national-biometric-identity-registry">Privacy concerns multiply for Aadhaar, India’s national biometric identity registry</a> (One World Identity; March 17, 2017).</li>
<li><a class="external-link" href="http://cis-india.org/internet-governance/news/the-guardian-march-21-2017-no-id-no-benefits">No ID, no benefits: thousands could lose lifeline under India’s biometric scheme</a> (Guardian; March 21, 2017).</li>
<li><a class="external-link" href="http://cis-india.org/internet-governance/news/huffington-post-rimin-dutt-ivan-mehta-march-24-2017-why-we-should-all-worry-about-the-mandatory-imposition-of-aadhaar">Why We Should All Worry About The Mandatory Imposition Of Aadhaar</a> (Rimin Dutt and Ivan Mehta; Huffington Post; March 24, 2017).</li>
<li><a class="external-link" href="http://cis-india.org/internet-governance/news/financial-times-march-27-2017-amy-kazmin-indias-biometric-id-scans-make-sci-fi-a-reality">India’s biometric ID scans make sci-fi a reality</a> (Amy Kazmin; Financial Times; March 27, 2017).</li>
<li><a class="external-link" href="http://cis-india.org/internet-governance/news/ndtv-march-27-2017-discussion-on-aadhaar">क्या आधार पर जल्दबाज़ी में है सरकार?</a> (NDTV; March 27, 2017).</li>
<li><a class="external-link" href="http://cis-india.org/internet-governance/news/business-standard-march-27-2017-priya-nair-and-sanjay-kumar-singh-get-an-aadhaar-card-if-you-dont-have-one">Get an Aadhaar card if you don't have one</a> (Priya Nair and Sanjay Kumar Singh; Business Standard; March 27, 2017).</li>
<li><a class="external-link" href="http://cis-india.org/internet-governance/news/hindu-businessline-shriya-mohan-the-aadhaar-of-all-things">The Aadhaar of all things</a> (Shriya Mohan; Hindu Businessline; March 31, 2017).</li>
</ul>
<p><b><br />CIS members wrote the following articles</b></p>
<ul style="text-align: justify; ">
</ul>
<ul>
<li><a class="external-link" href="http://cis-india.org/raw/indian-express-nishant-shah-march-19-2017-digital-native-lie-me-a-river">Digital native: Lie Me a River</a> (Nishant Shah; Indian Express; March 19, 2017).</li>
<li><a class="external-link" href="http://cis-india.org/internet-governance/blog/the-hindu-businessline-march-31-2017-sunil-abraham-its-the-technology-stupid">It’s the technology, stupid</a> (Sunil Abraham; Hindu Businessline; March 31, 2017).</li>
<li><a class="external-link" href="http://cis-india.org/internet-governance/blog/hindu-op-ed-sunil-abraham-march-31-2017-how-aadhaar-compromises-privacy-and-how-to-fix-it">How Aadhaar compromises privacy? And how to fix it?</a> (Sunil Abraham; Hindu; March 31, 2017).</li>
</ul>
<ul>
</ul>
<ul style="text-align: justify; ">
</ul>
<p style="text-align: justify; ">-------------------------------------<br /><a href="http://cis-india.org/accessibility">Accessibility & Inclusion</a> <br /> ------------------------------------- <br /> India has an estimated 70 million persons with disabilities who don't have access to read printed materials due to some form of physical, sensory, cognitive or other disability. As part of our endeavour to make available accessible content for persons with disabilities, we are developing a text-to-speech software in 15 languages with support from the Hans Foundation. The progress made so far in the project can be accessed <a href="http://cis-india.org/accessibility/resources/nvda-text-to-speech-synthesizer">here</a>.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify; ">Submission</p>
<ul>
<li><a class="external-link" href="http://cis-india.org/accessibility/blog/comments-on-the-draft-rights-of-persons-with-disabilities-rules">Comments on the draft Rights of Persons with Disabilities Rules</a> (Nirmita Narasimhan; March 29, 2017).</li>
</ul>
<p><b>----------------------------------- </b></p>
<p style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://cis-india.org/a2k">Access to Knowledge</a> <br /><b> ----------------------------------- </b><br />Our Access to Knowledge programme currently consists of two projects. The Pervasive Technologies project, conducted under a grant from the International Development Research Centre (IDRC), aims to conduct research on the complex interplay between low-cost pervasive technologies and intellectual property, in order to encourage the proliferation and development of such technologies as a social good. The Wikipedia project, which is under a grant from the Wikimedia Foundation, is for the growth of Indic language communities and projects by designing community collaborations and partnerships that recruit and cultivate new editors and explore innovative approaches to building projects.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify; ">►Pervasive Technologies</p>
<p><b>Blog Entry<br /></b></p>
<ul>
<li><a class="external-link" href="http://cis-india.org/a2k/blogs/intellectual-property-rights-and-mobile-apps">Intellectual Property Rights and Mobile Apps</a> (Anubha Sinha; March 6, 2017).</li>
</ul>
<ul>
</ul>
<ul>
</ul>
<ul>
</ul>
<ul>
</ul>
<p style="text-align: justify; ">►Wikipedia</p>
<p style="text-align: justify; ">As part of the <a href="http://cis-india.org/a2k/access-to-knowledge-program-plan">project grant from the Wikimedia Foundation</a> we have reached out to more than 3500 people across India by organizing more than 100 outreach events and catalysed the release of encyclopaedic and other content under the Creative Commons (CC-BY-3.0) license in four Indian languages (21 books in Telugu, 13 in Odia, 4 volumes of encyclopaedia in Konkani and 6 volumes in Kannada, and 1 book on Odia language history in English).</p>
<p style="text-align: justify; "><b>Blog Entries</b></p>
<ul>
<li><a class="external-link" href="http://cis-india.org/a2k/blogs/marathi-bhasha-gaurav-din-celebrations-in-maharashtra">"Marathi Bhasha Gaurav Din" celebrations in Maharashtra</a> (Manasa Rao; March 7, 2017).</li>
<li><a class="external-link" href="http://cis-india.org/a2k/blogs/women2019s-history-month-sambad-collaborates-with-odia-wikipedia-for-a-two-day-edit-a-thon">Women’s History Month: Sambad collaborates with Odia Wikipedia for a Two Day Edit-a-thon</a> (Sailesh Patnaik; March 16, 2017).</li>
<li><a class="external-link" href="http://cis-india.org/a2k/blogs/wikisource-internship-project-at-new-law-college-pune">Wikisource:Internship Project at New Law College, Pune</a> (Subodh Kulkarni; March 28, 2017).</li>
</ul>
<ul>
</ul>
<p><b>Events Organized</b></p>
<ul>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a class="external-link" href="http://cis-india.org/a2k/blogs/womens-day-edit-a-thon-in-pune">Women's Day Edit-a-thon</a> (Co-organized by Sterlite Tech Foundation, Jnana Prabhodhini, and CIS-A2K; Pune; March 10, 2017). Subodh Kulkarni was one of the trainers.</li>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a class="external-link" href="http://cis-india.org/a2k/blogs/marathi-wikipedia-edit-a-thon-on-environment-management">Marathi Wikipedia Edit-a-thon on Environment Management</a> (Organized by CSIBER College and CIS-A2K; Kolhapur; March 30, 2017). Subodh Kulkarni was a trainer.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
</ul>
<ul>
</ul>
<p style="text-align: justify; "><br />►Openness</p>
<div style="text-align: justify; ">Our work in the Openness programme focuses on open data, especially open government data, open access, open education resources, open knowledge in Indic languages, open media, and open technologies and standards - hardware and software. We approach openness as a cross-cutting principle for knowledge production and distribution, and not as a thing-in-itself.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify; "></div>
<div style="text-align: justify; "></div>
<div style="text-align: justify; ">
<p><b>Participation in Events</b></p>
<ul>
<li><a class="external-link" href="http://cis-india.org/openness/news/national-consultation-on-oer-for-higher-education">National Consultation on OER for Higher Education</a> (Organized by Commonwealth Educational Media Centre for Asia; New Delhi; March 3, 2017). Anubha Sinha attended the event.</li>
<li><a class="external-link" href="http://cis-india.org/openness/news/idrc-open-development-book-authors-workshop">Open Development Book - Authors' Workshop</a> (Organized by International Development Research Centre and Centre for Innovation in Learning and Teaching; University of Cape Town, South Africa; March 11 - 12, 2017). The workshop gathered the contributers to an upcoming book by IDRC on open development. Elonnai Hickok, Gus Hosein from Privacy International and Sumandro Chattapadhyay are writing a chapter for this book.</li>
<li><a class="external-link" href="http://cis-india.org/openness/news/indo-french-perspectives-on-digital-studies">Indo - French Perspectives on Digital Studies</a> (Organized by Digital Studies Group; Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi; March 15, 2017). Anubha Sinha was a speaker. </li>
</ul>
<ul>
</ul>
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify; "></div>
<div style="text-align: justify; "><b>Blog Entries</b></div>
<div style="text-align: justify; "><b>----------------------------------- </b>
<p style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://cis-india.org/internet-governance">Internet Governance</a> <br /><b> -----------------------------------</b></p>
<p style="text-align: justify; ">As part of its research on privacy and free speech, CIS is engaged with two different projects. The first one (under a grant from Privacy International and IDRC) is on surveillance and freedom of expression (SAFEGUARDS). The second one (under a grant from MacArthur Foundation) is on restrictions that the Indian government has placed on freedom of expression online.</p>
<p>►Privacy</p>
<p><b>Submission</b></p>
<ul>
<li><a class="external-link" href="http://cis-india.org/internet-governance/blog/comments-on-information-technology-security-of-prepaid-payment-instruments-rules-2017">Comments on Information Technology</a> (Security of Prepaid Payment Instruments) Rules, 2017 (Udbhav Tiwari, Pranesh Prakash, Abhay Rana, Amber Sinha and Sunil Abraham; March 23, 2017).</li>
</ul>
<br />
<p><b>Participation in Events</b></p>
<ul>
<li><a class="external-link" href="http://cis-india.org/internet-governance/news/wiser-lecture-sumandro-chattapadhyay-on-deregulation-by-code">WISER Lecture : Sumandro Chattapadhyay on Deregulation by Code</a> (Organized by the University of the Witwatersrand; Johannesburg; March 8, 2017). Sumandro Chattapadhyay gave a talk.</li>
<li><a class="external-link" href="http://cis-india.org/internet-governance/news/conference-on-safety-against-online-child-sexual-abuse">Conference on Safety Against Online Child Sexual Abuse</a> (Organized by CID, Telangana and the Department for Women Development and Child Welfare, Telangana; March 16 - 17, 2017). Japreet Grewal was a speaker.</li>
<li><a class="external-link" href="http://cis-india.org/internet-governance/news/state-of-digital-rights-in-india-delhi-march-24">State of Digital Rights in India</a> (Organized by Centre for Communication Governance at National Law University, Delhi and the Internet Freedom Foundation, in association with Access Now; India International Centre, New Delhi; March 24, 2017). Japreet Grewal and Sumandro Chattapadhyay took part in panel discussions.</li>
<li><a class="external-link" href="http://cis-india.org/internet-governance/news/google-hangout-on-technology-and-jobs">Hangout on Technology and Jobs</a> (Organized by Google; March 24, 2017). Vanya Rakesh was a speaker. </li>
</ul>
<br />
<ul>
</ul>
<ul>
</ul>
<p><b>Blog Entry</b></p>
<ul>
<li><a class="external-link" href="http://cis-india.org/internet-governance/blog/analysis-of-key-provisions-of-aadhaar-act-regulations">Analysis of Key Provisions of the Aadhaar Act Regulations</a> (Amber Sinha and edited by Elonnai Hickok; March 31, 2017).</li>
</ul>
<br />
<p>►Cyber Security</p>
<p><b>Upcoming Event</b></p>
<ul>
<li><a class="external-link" href="http://cis-india.org/internet-governance/events/firstfridayatcisindia-dr-madan-oberoi-digital-forensics-april-07">Digital Forensics and Cyber Investigations</a> (CIS; New Delhi; April 7, 2017). IPS officer Dr. Madan M. Oberoi will give a talk. </li>
</ul>
<ul>
</ul>
<br />
<p>►Big Data</p>
<p><b>Blog Entry<br /></b></p>
<ul>
<li><a class="external-link" href="http://cis-india.org/internet-governance/blog/benefits-harms-rights-and-regulation-survey-of-literature-on-big-data">Benefits, Harms, Rights and Regulation: A Survey of Literature on Big Data</a> (Amber Sinha, Vanya Rakesh, Vidushi Marda and Geethanjali Jujjavarapu; edited by Sunil Abraham, Elonnai Hickok and Leilah Elmokadem; March 23, 2017). </li>
</ul>
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify; "><b>Participation in Event</b></div>
<div style="text-align: justify; ">
<ul>
<li><a class="external-link" href="http://cis-india.org/internet-governance/news/the-fintech-disruption-innovation-regulation-and-transformation">The Fintech Disruption - Innovation, Regulation, and Transformation</a> (Organized by Carnegie India; March 28, 2017). Sumandro Chattapadhyay attended the event. </li>
</ul>
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify; "><br />
<ul>
</ul>
<div style="text-align: justify; ">►Freedom of Expression</div>
<div style="text-align: justify; "><b>Event Organized</b></div>
<div style="text-align: justify; ">
<ul>
<li><a class="external-link" href="http://cis-india.org/internet-governance/events/essentials-of-building-internet-tools-for-inclusion">Essentials of building internet tools for inclusion </a>(Valencia, Spain; March 6, 2017). A talk jointly proposed by Chinmayi SK and Rohini Lakshané was selected for the Internet Freedom Festival.</li>
</ul>
<b>Participation in Events</b></div>
<div style="text-align: justify; ">
<ul>
<li><a class="external-link" href="http://cis-india.org/internet-governance/news/from-virtual-to-reliable-exploring-freedom-and-facts-in-the-world-of-www-world-wide-web">From Virtual to Reliable: Exploring Freedom and Facts in the World of WWW (World Wide Web)</a> (Organized by Embassy of the Kingdom of Netherlands and Adaan Foundation; March 21, 2017). Saikat Datta and Amber Sinha were panelists.</li>
<li><a class="external-link" href="http://cis-india.org/internet-governance/news/internet-freedom-festival-2017">Internet Freedom Festival 2017</a> (Organized by IFF; Valencia, Spain; March 6 - 10, 2017). Vidushi Marda participated in the event. Vidushi also attended these sessions: <a class="external-link" href="https://internetfreedomfestival.org/wiki/index.php/Data_Protection_law_and_is_different_manifestations">Data Protection Law and its Different Manifestations</a>;<a class="external-link" href="https://internetfreedomfestival.org/wiki/index.php/The_identity_we_can%27t_change:_a_new_wave_of_biometric_policies_around_the_world"> Using the Ranking Digital Rights Corporate Accountability Index for Advocacy & Research; The identity we can't change: a new wave of biometric policies around the world</a> and <a class="external-link" href="https://internetfreedomfestival.org/wiki/index.php/Enabling_free_speech_online_by_legal_defence:_the_need_for_skilled_lawyers_to_secure_the_free_flow_of_information_online">Enabling free speech online by legal defence: the need for skilled lawyers to secure the free flow of information online</a>: Vidushi channeled a discussion about Shreya Singhal v. Union of India as an important case study in understanding how legal defence has been used to secure rights online.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
</ul>
</div>
<ul>
</ul>
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify; "></div>
<div style="text-align: justify; ">
<p><b><b>----------------------------------- <br /></b><a href="http://cis-india.org/telecom">Telecom</a> <br /><b> ----------------------------------- </b><br /> </b>CIS is involved in promoting access and accessibility to telecommunications services and resources, and has provided inputs to ongoing policy discussions and consultation papers published by TRAI. It has prepared reports on unlicensed spectrum and accessibility of mobile phones for persons with disabilities and also works with the USOF to include funding projects for persons with disabilities in its mandate:</p>
<p><b>Newspaper Column</b></p>
<ul>
<li><a class="external-link" href="http://cis-india.org/telecom/blog/business-standard-march-1-2017-shyam-ponappa-organisational-hurdles-in-telecom">Organisational Hurdles in Telecom</a> (Shyam Ponappa; Business Standard; March 1, 2017 and Organizing India Blogspot; March 2, 2017)</li>
</ul>
<p><b>-----------------------------------</b><br /><a href="http://cis-india.org/raw">Researchers at Work</a> <br /><b> ----------------------------------- </b><br /> The Researchers at Work (RAW) programme is an interdisciplinary research initiative driven by an emerging need to understand the reconfigurations of social practices and structures through the Internet and digital media technologies, and vice versa. It aims to produce local and contextual accounts of interactions, negotiations, and resolutions between the Internet, and socio-material and geo-political processes:</p>
<p><b>Research Paper</b></p>
<ul>
<li><a class="external-link" href="http://cis-india.org/raw/exploring-big-data-for-development-an-electricity-sector-case-study-from-india">Exploring Big Data for Development: An Electricity Sector Case Study from India</a> (Ritam Sengupta, Dr. Richard Heeks, Sumandro Chattapadhyay, and Dr. Christopher Foster; Global Development Institute, University of Manchester; March 29, 2017). <br /><br /></li>
</ul>
<div style="text-align: justify; "><b>Blog Entry</b></div>
<div style="text-align: justify; ">
<ul>
<li><a class="external-link" href="http://cis-india.org/raw/evaluating-safety-buttons-on-mobile-devices-preview">Evaluating Safety Buttons on Mobile Devices: Preview</a> (Rohini Lakshané and Chinmayi S.K.; March 27, 2017).</li>
</ul>
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify; "><b>----------------------------------- </b></div>
<p style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://cis-india.org/">About CIS</a> <br /><b> ----------------------------------- </b><br /> The Centre for Internet and Society (CIS) is a non-profit organisation that undertakes interdisciplinary research on internet and digital technologies from policy and academic perspectives. The areas of focus include digital accessibility for persons with disabilities, access to knowledge, intellectual property rights, openness (including open data, free and open source software, open standards, open access, open educational resources, and open video), internet governance, telecommunication reform, digital privacy, and cyber-security. The academic research at CIS seeks to understand the reconfigurations of social and cultural processes and structures as mediated through the internet and digital media technologies.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify; ">► Follow us elsewhere</p>
<div style="text-align: justify; ">
<ul style="text-align: justify; ">
<li> Twitter:<a href="http://twitter.com/cis_india"> http://twitter.com/cis_india</a> </li>
<li> Twitter - Access to Knowledge: <a href="https://twitter.com/CISA2K">https://twitter.com/CISA2K</a> </li>
<li> Twitter - Information Policy: <a href="https://twitter.com/CIS_InfoPolicy">https://twitter.com/CIS_InfoPolicy</a></li>
<li> Facebook - Access to Knowledge:<a href="https://www.facebook.com/cisa2k"> https://www.facebook.com/cisa2k</a> </li>
<li> E-Mail - Access to Knowledge: <a>a2k@cis-india.org</a> </li>
<li> E-Mail - Researchers at Work: <a>raw@cis-india.org</a> </li>
<li> List - Researchers at Work: <a href="https://lists.ghserv.net/mailman/listinfo/researchers">https://lists.ghserv.net/mailman/listinfo/researchers</a></li>
</ul>
</div>
<p style="text-align: justify; ">► Support Us</p>
<div style="text-align: justify; ">
<div style="text-align: justify; ">Please help us defend consumer and citizen rights on the Internet! Write a cheque in favour of 'The Centre for Internet and Society' and mail it to us at No. 194, 2nd 'C' Cross, Domlur, 2nd Stage, Bengaluru - 5600 71.</div>
</div>
<p style="text-align: justify; ">► Request for Collaboration</p>
<div style="text-align: justify; ">
<p style="text-align: justify; ">We invite researchers, practitioners, artists, and theoreticians, both organisationally and as individuals, to engage with us on topics related internet and society, and improve our collective understanding of this field. To discuss such possibilities, please write to Sunil Abraham, Executive Director, at sunil@cis-india.org (for policy research), or Sumandro Chattapadhyay, Research Director, at sumandro@cis-india.org (for academic research), with an indication of the form and the content of the collaboration you might be interested in. To discuss collaborations on Indic language Wikipedia projects, write to Tanveer Hasan, Programme Officer, at <a>tanveer@cis-india.org</a>.</p>
<div style="text-align: justify; "><i>CIS is grateful to its primary donor the Kusuma Trust founded by Anurag Dikshit and Soma Pujari, philanthropists of Indian origin for its core funding and support for most of its projects. CIS is also grateful to its other donors, Wikimedia Foundation, Ford Foundation, Privacy International, UK, Hans Foundation, MacArthur Foundation, and IDRC for funding its various projects</i>.</div>
</div>
</div>
<ul style="text-align: justify; ">
</ul>
<p>
For more details visit <a href='https://cis-india.org/about/newsletters/march-2017-newsletter'>https://cis-india.org/about/newsletters/march-2017-newsletter</a>
</p>
No publisherpraskrishnaAccess to KnowledgeTelecomAccessibilityInternet GovernanceResearchers at Work2017-05-20T12:47:11ZPageComments on the draft Rights of Persons with Disabilities Rules
https://cis-india.org/accessibility/blog/comments-on-the-draft-rights-of-persons-with-disabilities-rules
<b>The Centre for Internet & Society (CIS) submitted comments on the draft Rights of Persons with Disabilities Rules for the consideration of the Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities, Government of India. </b>
<p>The comments were submitted to the Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities on March 23, 2017. <a class="external-link" href="http://cis-india.org/accessibility/files/comments-on-draft-rights-persons-disabilities.pdf">Click to download the submission here</a>.</p>
<hr />
<h2 style="text-align: justify; ">Introduction</h2>
<p style="text-align: justify; ">We thank the Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (DEPD) for inviting comments on its draft rules. We provide brief comments on the Rules below. We would particularly like to draw the department’s attention to the need to have rules concerning measures relating to standards compliance, training and monitoring which we feel would help strengthen the Rules to address the issue of accessibility in a timely and effective manner.</p>
<h2 style="text-align: justify; ">Accessibility of the draft rules document</h2>
<p style="text-align: justify; ">At the outset, we would like to draw attention to the fact that the Rules when first published in PDF form were only partially accessible and not easily readable for persons using screen readers. We appreciate that at a later date, an accessible Word version was provided, however we feel that even the original PDF needs to conform to the <a href="https://helpx.adobe.com/acrobat/using/create-verify-pdf-accessibility.html">PDF/UA</a><a href="https://helpx.adobe.com/acrobat/using/create-verify-pdf-accessibility.html"> </a>standards.</p>
<h2 style="text-align: justify; ">Policy/Guidelines on accessible communication</h2>
<p style="text-align: justify; ">Following from the above point, we would like to propose that the DEPD publish at the earliest a set of guidelines for publishing accessible information and communication. The guidelines may define what constitutes information, explain how to create and disseminate accessible information and identify relevant accessibility standards. They may be applicable to all cases where printed or electronic information such as books, leaflets/ handbooks, mails, invoices, forms, data, policies and acts are created and communicated to diverse stakeholders. This guidelines may be mandatory across the Central and State Governments.</p>
<h2 style="text-align: justify; ">Reasonable Accommodation</h2>
<p style="text-align: justify; ">Rule 3(1) requires that every establishment take steps to provide reasonable accommodation. It may further be added that said measures towards reasonable accommodation be taken within a reasonable time frame, such that persons with disabilities are provided access to resources at the same time as others and not significantly later.</p>
<h2 style="text-align: justify; ">Standards and Guidelines</h2>
<ol style="text-align: justify; "> </ol>
<p style="text-align: justify; ">Standards are critical to implement accessibility, and it is important that we adopt the most updated globally recognised standards. To aid this endeavour, we recommend that the DEPD may appoint two experts who will primarily be responsible for implementing accessibility. Their tasks will involve identifying standards and policy requirements in different domains and coordinating with the relevant ministries to notify and implement the same. One expert may be responsible for environmental accessibility, while the other may be responsible for overseeing ICT accessibility. The experts may carry out the tasks of formulating strategies to implement accessibility compliance, as well as researching advances in international policies and standards and making recommendations to relevant Ministries.</p>
<ol style="text-align: justify; "> </ol> <ol style="text-align: justify; "> </ol>
<p style="text-align: justify; ">Regarding the Rules relating to the notification of standards for ICT accessibility (Rule 17.c.), we recommend that these may be expanded and made more comprehensive. To our understanding, some of the standards mentioned in relation to ICT accessibility such as telecasting and broadcasting do not as yet address the issue of accessibility. We recommend that the relevant ministries notify standards and guidelines to be followed in their regard at the earliest. There are also critical domains such as procurement, telecommunications and mobile devices, services and applications and emergency and disaster response for which standards and guidelines need to be notified.</p>
<ol style="text-align: justify; "> </ol> <ol style="text-align: justify; "> </ol>
<p style="text-align: justify; ">We propose that the deadline for notification of standards be set within 6 months of the Rules coming into force and that the standards to be adopted are those which are globally followed, such as EN 301-549 for procurement.</p>
<ol style="text-align: justify; "> </ol>
<p style="text-align: justify; ">Past efforts have proven that the notification of guidelines alone does not necessarily result in the implementation of accessibility, and often times a web site or platform which has been made accessible, reverts to being inaccessible as time elapses and persons who are involved in updating it and maintaining are unaware of accessibility principles to be followed. Hence, each and every person developing, maintaining and updating a website should be familiar with accessibility core principles. Outsourcing accessibility compliance is a temporary solution, it will be rendered pointless as people continue to update the website and post new content that is inaccessible. Therefore, some level of training is an absolute necessity, although the specific level and nature of these trainings may vary based on the individual’s role in relation to the website. For example, a web developer would need more in depth training as compared to a communications or administrative officer whose role may be to upload documents to the web site. Creating accessible documents and communicating in an accessible manner is something which every government official should be able to do, while the needs of developers are more advanced and technical and may require two rounds of training. Each ministry and department at the Centre and state may allocate a certain portion of their budget towards this.</p>
<ol style="text-align: justify; "> </ol>
<p style="text-align: justify; ">An Accessibility specialisation unit may also be constituted within the NIC or any other appropriate agency whose task will be especially to provide on-going practical support to government agencies on how to implement accessibility across their web sites and publications. This team may work closely with the DEPD and other government agencies to audit, trouble shoot and guide continuous progress in implementing web site accessibility across the government.</p>
<ol style="text-align: justify; "> </ol>
<p style="text-align: justify; ">All Ministries and government agencies may be required to include a section on accessibility compliance and initiatives as part of their annual reporting. This report may also include their performance on expenditure relating to implementing accessibility, hiring employees with disabilities, trainings undertaken and affirmative action required to be taken by them as given in the RPWD Act 2016, such as steps towards incentivising affirmative action by the private sector and activities undertaken relating to Chapter VI, Chapter VII and Chapter VIII of the RPWD Act.</p>
<ol style="text-align: justify; "> </ol>
<h2 style="text-align: justify; ">Training and Support</h2>
<h3 style="text-align: justify; ">Monitoring and reporting</h3>
<p style="text-align: justify; ">Regarding website accessibility, the DEPD may also consider taking up auditing web sites of government agencies at random from time to time and publish the reports periodically as a measure towards gauging progress. A comprehensive audit of all government web sites of both the Central and state government and applications may be undertaken every 3 years.</p>
<h2 style="text-align: justify; ">National fund</h2>
<p style="text-align: justify; ">Rule 43, relating to the Utilization of the National Fund is not clear on how much money is spent on accessibility initiatives each year. It is proposed that this rule specify the percentage of funds which have to be required to be utilised each year. In the absence of this, there is a concern that the fund will be under utilised, despite there being a large need for spending on accessibility. Details of projects and spending may be published from time to time.</p>
<h2 style="text-align: justify; ">Office of the Chief Commissioner</h2>
<p style="text-align: justify; ">The DEPD may require that at least one person of senior rank within the Office of the Chief Commissioner for Persons with Disabilities be a person with disability. This will ensure that the interests of the concerned group are directly represented at the highest level dedicated to ensuring their welfare and participation.</p>
<h2 style="text-align: justify; ">Transparency</h2>
<p style="text-align: justify; ">Finally we recommend that the rules emphasise the need for transparency in implementing the provisions of the Act and that all initiatives, programmes and expenditure may be published in a timely and accessible manner.</p>
<p>
For more details visit <a href='https://cis-india.org/accessibility/blog/comments-on-the-draft-rights-of-persons-with-disabilities-rules'>https://cis-india.org/accessibility/blog/comments-on-the-draft-rights-of-persons-with-disabilities-rules</a>
</p>
No publishernirmitaAccessibility2017-03-29T03:41:25ZBlog EntryJanuary 2017 Newsletter
https://cis-india.org/about/newsletters/january-2017-newsletter
<b>Welcome to the January 2017 newsletter of the Centre for Internet and Society (CIS). </b>
<p style="text-align: justify; ">Dear readers,</p>
<p>We are pleased to bring you the Centre for Internet & Society's January newsletter. Previous issues of the newsletters can be <a class="external-link" href="http://cis-india.org/about/newsletters">accessed here</a>.</p>
<hr style="text-align: justify; " />
<table class="listing grid" style="text-align: justify; ">
<tbody>
<tr>
<th>Highlights</th>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>
<ul>
<li style="text-align: justify; ">The Rights of Persons with Disabilities (RPD) Act, which was passed in December 2016, seeks to give effect to the rights and obligations enshrined in the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with disabilities, which India signed and ratified nearly a decade ago. Nirmita Narasimhan <a class="external-link" href="http://cis-india.org/accessibility/blog/digital-accessibility-in-the-rights-of-persons-with-disabilities-act-2016">in a blog entry</a> has summarized the key provisions of the Act relating to digital accessibility.</li>
<li style="text-align: justify; ">The <a class="external-link" href="http://cis-india.org/a2k/blogs/super-cassettes-v-myspace">latest judgment</a> in the matter of Super Cassettes v. MySpace is a landmark and progressive ruling, which strengthens the safe harbor immunity enjoyed by Internet intermediaries in India. CIS was one of the intervenors in the case, and has been duly acknowledged in the judgment. </li>
<li style="text-align: justify; ">Meena Gayathri <a class="external-link" href="http://cis-india.org/a2k/meet-telugu-wikipedian-surampudi-meena-gayathri-2013-the-first-south-indian-wikiwoman-completing-100wikidays-challenge">became the first South Indian Wikiwoman to complete 100 Wikidays challenge</a>. The challenge required Wikipedians to create one new article per day for one hundred days in a row. Gayathri's contribution and passion towards Telugu language and culture have transcended into a "knowledge revolution".</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li style="text-align: justify; ">The Committee on Digital Payments constituted by the Ministry of Finance and chaired by Ratan P. Watal, Principal Advisor, NITI Aayog, submitted its report on the "Medium Term Recommendations to Strengthen Digital Payments Ecosystem" on December 09, 2016. The report was made public on December 27, and comments were sought from the general public. CIS <a class="external-link" href="http://cis-india.org/internet-governance/blog/comments-on-the-report-of-the-committee-on-digital-payments-dec-2016">submitted its comments</a>. The comments were authored by Sumandro Chattopadhyay. </li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li style="text-align: justify; ">ICANN sought community input on the Proposed ICANN Community Anti-Harassment Policy on 7 November 2016. In response to this CIS <a class="external-link" href="http://cis-india.org/internet-governance/blog/comments-on-the-proposed-icann-community-anti-harassment-policy">submitted its comments</a>. The comments were authored by Padma Venkataraman, Rohini Lakshané, Sampada Nayak and Vidushi Marda. </li>
<li style="text-align: justify; ">The eleven sessions selected for the Internet Researchers' Conference 2017 (IRC17) to be held at the IIIT Bangalore campus during March 3-5, 2017 has been announced. The <a class="external-link" href="http://cis-india.org/raw/irc17-selected-sessions">conference is being organised</a> by the Centre for Information Technology and Public Policy (CITAPP) at IIIT Bangalore and CIS.</li>
</ul>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<p><b>CIS in the news</b></p>
<ul style="text-align: justify; ">
<li><a class="external-link" href="http://cis-india.org/internet-governance/news/wall-street-journal-gabriele-parussini-january-13-2017-indias-digital-id-rollout-collides-with-rickety-reality">India’s Digital ID Rollout Collides With Rickety Reality</a> (Gabriele Parussini; Wall Street Journal; January 13, 2017).</li>
<li><a class="external-link" href="http://cis-india.org/internet-governance/news/washington-post-january-14-2017-rama-lakshmi-millions-of-indians-move-from-cash-to-digital-payments">Millions of Indians move from cash to digital payments. But some ask whether it’s safe</a> (Rama Lakshmi; Washington Post; January 14, 2017).</li>
<li><a class="external-link" href="http://cis-india.org/internet-governance/news/economic-times-january-14-2017-sunil-abraham-on-aadhaar-misuse-during-demonetisation">Sunil Abraham on Aadhaar's misuse during demonetisation</a> (Economic Times; January 14, 2017)</li>
<li><a class="external-link" href="http://cis-india.org/internet-governance/news/economic-times-indulekha-aravind-january-15-2017-the-soon-to-be-launched-aadhaar-pay-will-let-you-make-purchases-using-your-fingerprint">The soon-to-be launched Aadhaar Pay will let you make purchases using your fingerprint</a> (Indulekha Aravind; January 15, 2017).</li>
<li><a class="external-link" href="http://cis-india.org/internet-governance/news/business-standard-january-16-2017-sanjay-kumar-singh-lost-your-phone-here-is-how-you-can-make-your-mobile-theft-proof">Lost your phone? Here's how you can make your mobile theft-proof</a> (Sanjay Kumar Singh; Business Standard; January 16, 2017).</li>
<li><a class="external-link" href="http://cis-india.org/internet-governance/news/bloomberg-mayank-jain-january-17-2017-dangers-of-aadhaar-based-payments-that-no-one-is-talking-about">The Dangers Of Aadhaar-Based Payments That No One Is Talking About</a> (Mayank Jain; Bloomberg; January 17, 2017).</li>
<li><a class="external-link" href="http://cis-india.org/internet-governance/news/business-standard-mj-antony-ayan-pramanik-apurva-venkat-supreme-court-issues-notice-to-whatsapp-centre-on-data-privacy">Supreme Court issues notice to WhatsApp, Centre on data privacy</a> (MJ Antony, Ayan Pramanik and Apurva Venkat; Business Standard; January 17, 2017).</li>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a class="external-link" href="http://cis-india.org/internet-governance/news/ndtv-december-24-2016-demonetisation-cost-versus-benefit">Demonetisation: Cost Vs Benefit</a> (NDTV; December 24, 2016). <i>Sunil Abraham took part in the Big Fight programme aired by NDTV. The video was published on January 17, 2017</i>.</li>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a class="external-link" href="http://cis-india.org/internet-governance/news/financial-times-amy-kazmin-january-23-2017-for-indias-complaints-department-visit-facebook-live">For India’s complaints department, visit Facebook Live</a> (Amy Kazmin; Financial Times; January 23, 2017).</li>
</ul>
<ul style="text-align: justify; ">
</ul>
<p><b>CIS members wrote the following articles:</b></p>
<ul>
<li><a class="external-link" href="http://cis-india.org/telecom/blog/business-standard-shyam-ponappa-january-4-2017-cashlessness-needs-connectivity">Cashlessness Needs Connectivity</a> (Shyam Ponappa; Business Standard; January 4, 2017).</li>
<li><a class="external-link" href="http://cis-india.org/raw/indian-express-nishant-shah-january-8-2017-digital-native-the-dream-of-the-cyborg">Digital Native: The Dream of the Cyborg</a> (Nishant Shah; Indian Express; January 8, 2017).</li>
<li><a class="external-link" href="http://cis-india.org/raw/london-school-of-economics-and-political-science-january-16-2017-digital-transitions-in-the-newsroom-how-are-indian-language-papers-adapting-differently">Digital transitions in the newsroom</a>: How are Indian language papers adapting differently? (Zeenab Aneez; London School of Economics and Political Science; January 16, 2017).</li>
<li><a class="external-link" href="http://cis-india.org/raw/indian-express-nishant-shah-january-22-2017-digital-native-back-at-it-again">Digital native: Back at it Again</a> (Nishant Shah; Indian Express; January 22, 2017).</li>
</ul>
<ul>
</ul>
<p><b>Jobs</b></p>
<div class="keyResearch">
<div id="parent-fieldname-text-79790f6fc21648dba6d4ca3a23773ac5">
<ul>
<li><a href="http://cis-india.org/jobs/policy-officer-cyber-security">Policy Officer (Cyber Security)</a> </li>
<li><a href="http://cis-india.org/jobs/senior-policy-officer-cyber-security">Senior Policy Officer (Cyber Security)</a> </li>
<li><a class="external-link" href="http://cis-india.org/jobs/internship">Internship</a> - Application accepted throughout the year</li>
<li><a class="internal-link" href="http://cis-india.org/jobs/seeking-survey-participants-for-research-on-musician-livelihood">Survey Participants for Research on Musician Livelihood</a><a class="internal-link" href="http://cis-india.org/jobs/community-advocate-on-consultancy-basis-access-to-knowledge-language-anchor"><span class="internal-link"> </span></a></li>
</ul>
</div>
</div>
<p style="text-align: justify; ">-------------------------------------<br /><a href="http://cis-india.org/accessibility">Accessibility & Inclusion</a> <br /> ------------------------------------- <br /> India has an estimated 70 million persons with disabilities who don't have access to read printed materials due to some form of physical, sensory, cognitive or other disability. As part of our endeavour to make available accessible content for persons with disabilities, we are developing a text-to-speech software in 15 languages with support from the Hans Foundation. The progress made so far in the project can be accessed <a href="http://cis-india.org/accessibility/resources/nvda-text-to-speech-synthesizer">here</a>.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify; "><b>Blog Entry</b></p>
<ul>
<li><a class="external-link" href="http://cis-india.org/accessibility/blog/digital-accessibility-in-the-rights-of-persons-with-disabilities-act-2016">Digital accessibility in the Rights of Persons With Disabilities Act 2016</a> (Nirmita Narasimhan; January 23, 2017).</li>
</ul>
<p> </p>
<p><b>Participation in Event</b></p>
<ul>
<li><a class="external-link" href="http://cis-india.org/accessibility/news/workplace-solutions-champions-consultative-workshop">Workplace Solutions Champions Consultative Workshop</a> (Organized by Enable India, January 21 - 22, 2017; Ecumenical Christian Centre, Bangalore). Nirmita Narasimhan attended the workshop.</li>
</ul>
<p style="text-align: justify; "><b>----------------------------------- </b><br /><a href="http://cis-india.org/a2k">Access to Knowledge</a> <br /><b> ----------------------------------- </b><br />Our Access to Knowledge programme currently consists of two projects. The Pervasive Technologies project, conducted under a grant from the International Development Research Centre (IDRC), aims to conduct research on the complex interplay between low-cost pervasive technologies and intellectual property, in order to encourage the proliferation and development of such technologies as a social good. The Wikipedia project, which is under a grant from the Wikimedia Foundation, is for the growth of Indic language communities and projects by designing community collaborations and partnerships that recruit and cultivate new editors and explore innovative approaches to building projects.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify; ">►Copyright and Patent</p>
<p style="text-align: justify; "><b>Blog Entry</b></p>
<ul>
<li><a class="external-link" href="http://cis-india.org/a2k/blogs/super-cassettes-v-myspace">Super Cassettes v. MySpace</a> (Redux) (Anubha Sinha; January 16, 2017).<br /><br /></li>
</ul>
<p style="text-align: justify; "><b>Event Organized</b></p>
<ul>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a class="external-link" href="http://cis-india.org/a2k/events/seminar-on-rethinking-copyright-and-licensing-for-digital-publishing-today-delhi-jan-23-2017">Seminar on Rethinking Copyright and Licensing for Digital Publishing Today</a> (Organized by Pro Helvetia - Swiss Arts Council, Goethe-Institut Max Mueller Bhavan New Delhi, and CIS; New Delhi; January 23, 2017). Anubha Sinha attended the event.</li>
</ul>
<p style="text-align: justify; ">►Wikipedia</p>
<p style="text-align: justify; ">As part of the <a href="http://cis-india.org/a2k/access-to-knowledge-program-plan">project grant from the Wikimedia Foundation</a> we have reached out to more than 3500 people across India by organizing more than 100 outreach events and catalysed the release of encyclopaedic and other content under the Creative Commons (CC-BY-3.0) license in four Indian languages (21 books in Telugu, 13 in Odia, 4 volumes of encyclopaedia in Konkani and 6 volumes in Kannada, and 1 book on Odia language history in English).</p>
<p style="text-align: justify; "><b>Blog Entries</b></p>
<ul>
<li><a class="external-link" href="http://cis-india.org/a2k/blogs/wikisangamotsavam-2016">WikiSangamotsavam 2016</a> (Manasa Rao; January 18, 2017).</li>
<li><a class="external-link" href="http://cis-india.org/a2k/blogs/telugu-wikipedia-stall-at-hyderabad-book-fair">Telugu Wikipedia Stall at Hyderabad Book Fair</a> (Manasa Rao; January 18, 2017).</li>
<li><a class="external-link" href="http://cis-india.org/a2k/blogs/telugu-wikipedia-stall-at-rajahmundry-book-fair-1">Telugu Wikipedia Stall at Rajahmundry Book Fair</a> (Manasa Rao; January 18, 2017).</li>
<li><a class="external-link" href="http://cis-india.org/a2k/blogs/mini-workshop-on-tools-wikipedia-monthly-meetup-hyderabad">Mini Workshop on Tools: Wikipedia Monthly Meetup, Hyderabad</a> (Manasa Rao and Pavan Santhosh; January 18, 2017).</li>
<li><a class="external-link" href="http://cis-india.org/a2k/meet-telugu-wikipedian-surampudi-meena-gayathri-2013-the-first-south-indian-wikiwoman-completing-100wikidays-challenge">Meet Telugu Wikipedian Surampudi Meena Gayathri – the first South Indian Wikiwoman completing 100 Wikidays Challenge</a> (Ting-Yi Chang; January 23, 2017).</li>
</ul>
<p><b>Event Organized</b></p>
<ul>
<li><a class="external-link" href="http://cis-india.org/a2k/events/odia-wikipedia-and-orientation-training-programme">Odia Wikipedia and Orientation Training Programme</a> (Organized by CIS-A2K team; Indian Institute of Mass Communication, Dhenkanal; January 31, 2017).</li>
</ul>
<p style="text-align: justify; ">►Openness</p>
<div style="text-align: justify; ">Our work in the Openness programme focuses on open data, especially open government data, open access, open education resources, open knowledge in Indic languages, open media, and open technologies and standards - hardware and software. We approach openness as a cross-cutting principle for knowledge production and distribution, and not as a thing-in-itself.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify; "></div>
<div style="text-align: justify; "><b>Participation in Event</b></div>
<div style="text-align: justify; ">
<ul>
<li><a class="external-link" href="http://cis-india.org/openness/news/cbga-consultation-on-opening-up-access-to-budget-data-in-india-delhi-jan-27-2017">CBGA - Consultation on Opening Up Access to Budget Data in India</a> (Organized by CBGA; January 27, 2017; New Delhi). Sumandro Chattapadhyay was a speaker.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify; ">
<p style="text-align: justify; "><b>----------------------------------- </b><br /><a href="http://cis-india.org/internet-governance">Internet Governance</a> <br /><b> -----------------------------------</b></p>
<p style="text-align: justify; ">As part of its research on privacy and free speech, CIS is engaged with two different projects. The first one (under a grant from Privacy International and IDRC) is on surveillance and freedom of expression (SAFEGUARDS). The second one (under a grant from MacArthur Foundation) is on restrictions that the Indian government has placed on freedom of expression online.</p>
<p>►Privacy</p>
<p><b>Submission</b></p>
<ul>
<li><a class="external-link" href="http://cis-india.org/internet-governance/blog/comments-on-the-report-of-the-committee-on-digital-payments-dec-2016">Comments on the Report of the Committee on Digital Payments</a> (Sumandro Chattapadhyay and Amber Sinha; January 12, 2017).</li>
</ul>
<p><b>Blog Entries</b></p>
<ul>
<li><a class="external-link" href="http://cis-india.org/internet-governance/blog/the-design-technology-behind-india2019s-surveillance-programmes">The Design & Technology behind India’s Surveillance Programmes</a> (Udbhav Tiwari; January 20, 2017)</li>
<li><a class="external-link" href="http://cis-india.org/internet-governance/blog/privacy-after-big-data">Workshop on ‘Privacy after Big Data’</a> (Amber Sinha; January 27, 2017).</li>
</ul>
<br />
<p><b>Events Organized</b></p>
<ul>
<li><a class="external-link" href="http://cis-india.org/internet-governance/events/discussion-on-ranking-digital-rights-in-india-delhi-jan-07-2017">Discussion on Ranking Digital Rights in India</a> (India Islamic Cultural Centre, New Delhi; January 7, 2017).</li>
<li><a class="external-link" href="http://cis-india.org/internet-governance/events/rankathon-on-digital-rights-delhi-jan-08-2017">Rankathon on Digital Rights</a> (CIS office, New Delhi; January 8, 2017). </li>
</ul>
<br />
<p><b>Participation in Events</b></p>
<ul>
<li> <a class="external-link" href="http://cis-india.org/internet-governance/news/global-governance-futures-2027-session-3-new-delhi">Global Governance Futures 2027 - Session 3</a> (Organized by Global Public Policy Institute and supported by Robert Bosch Stiftung; New Delhi; January 17, 2017). Sumandro Chattapadhyay joined Ankhi Das (Facebook) and Arun Mohan Sukumar (Observer Research Foundation) to discuss the "data governance" scenarios developed by the GGF 2027 Fellows.</li>
<li><a class="external-link" href="http://cis-india.org/internet-governance/news/cpdp-computers-privacy-and-data-protection-2017">CPDP (Computers, Privacy and Data Protection) 2017</a> (Organized by Privacy International; Brussels, January 26, 2017). Amber Sinha participated as a panelist.</li>
</ul>
<br />
<p>►Big Data</p>
<p><b>Blog Entry</b></p>
<ul>
<li><a class="external-link" href="http://cis-india.org/internet-governance/new-media-personalisation-and-the-role-of-algorithms">New Media, personalisation and the role of algorithms</a> (Amber Sinha; January 2, 2017).<br /><br /></li>
</ul>
<p><b>Participation in Events</b></p>
<ul>
<li><a class="external-link" href="http://cis-india.org/internet-governance/news/training-programme-for-chairs-convenor-and-experts-for-international-standardization-work">Training programme for Chairs, Convenor and Experts for International Standardization Work</a> (Organized by National Institute of Training for Standardization, under the Bureau of India Standards; January 19 - 20, 2017; NOIDA). Udbhav Tiwari attended the training programme.</li>
<li><a class="external-link" href="http://cis-india.org/internet-governance/news/seminar-on-understanding-financial-technology-cashless-india-and-forced-digitalisation-delhi-jan-24-2017">Seminar on Understanding Financial Technology, Cashless India, and Forced Digitalisation</a> (Centre for Financial Accountability; New Delhi; January 24, 2017). Sumandro Chattapadhyay spoke on the emerging architecture of FinTech in India.</li>
</ul>
<br />
<p>►Free Speech & Expression</p>
<p><b>Submission</b></p>
<ul>
<li><a class="external-link" href="http://cis-india.org/internet-governance/blog/comments-on-the-proposed-icann-community-anti-harassment-policy">Comments on the Proposed ICANN Community Anti-Harassment Policy</a> (Padma Venkataraman, Rohini Lakshané, Sampada Nayak and Vidushi Marda; January 13, 2017).<br /><br /></li>
</ul>
<p><b>Blog Entry</b></p>
<ul>
<li><a class="external-link" href="http://cis-india.org/internet-governance/blog/social-media-monitoring">Social Media Monitoring</a> (Amber Sinha; January 13, 2017).</li>
</ul>
<br />
<p>----------------------------------- <br /><a href="http://cis-india.org/telecom">Telecom</a> <br /> ----------------------------------- <b><b><br /> </b></b>CIS is involved in promoting access and accessibility to telecommunications services and resources, and has provided inputs to ongoing policy discussions and consultation papers published by TRAI. It has prepared reports on unlicensed spectrum and accessibility of mobile phones for persons with disabilities and also works with the USOF to include funding projects for persons with disabilities in its mandate:</p>
<p><b>Article</b></p>
<ul>
<li><a class="external-link" href="http://cis-india.org/telecom/blog/business-standard-shyam-ponappa-january-4-2017-cashlessness-needs-connectivity">Cashlessness Needs Connectivity</a> (Shyam Ponappa; Business Standard; January 4, 2017 and Organizing India Blogspot; January 5, 2017).</li>
</ul>
<p><b>-----------------------------------</b><br /><a href="http://cis-india.org/raw">Researchers at Work</a> <br /><b> ----------------------------------- </b><br /> The Researchers at Work (RAW) programme is an interdisciplinary research initiative driven by an emerging need to understand the reconfigurations of social practices and structures through the Internet and digital media technologies, and vice versa. It aims to produce local and contextual accounts of interactions, negotiations, and resolutions between the Internet, and socio-material and geo-political processes:</p>
<p><b>Event</b></p>
<ul>
<li><a class="external-link" href="http://cis-india.org/raw/irc17-selected-sessions">Internet Researchers' Conference 2017</a> (IRC17) - Selected Sessions (Organized by Centre for Information Technology and Public Policy and CIS; IIIT, Bangalore; March 3 - 5, 2017). Eleven sessions have received 10 or more nominations.</li>
</ul>
<p style="text-align: justify; "><b>----------------------------------- </b><br /><a href="http://cis-india.org/">About CIS</a> <br /><b> ----------------------------------- </b><br /> The Centre for Internet and Society (CIS) is a non-profit organisation that undertakes interdisciplinary research on internet and digital technologies from policy and academic perspectives. The areas of focus include digital accessibility for persons with disabilities, access to knowledge, intellectual property rights, openness (including open data, free and open source software, open standards, open access, open educational resources, and open video), internet governance, telecommunication reform, digital privacy, and cyber-security. The academic research at CIS seeks to understand the reconfigurations of social and cultural processes and structures as mediated through the internet and digital media technologies.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify; ">► Follow us elsewhere</p>
<div style="text-align: justify; ">
<ul style="text-align: justify; ">
<li> Twitter:<a href="http://twitter.com/cis_india"> http://twitter.com/cis_india</a> </li>
<li> Twitter - Access to Knowledge: <a href="https://twitter.com/CISA2K">https://twitter.com/CISA2K</a> </li>
<li> Twitter - Information Policy: <a href="https://twitter.com/CIS_InfoPolicy">https://twitter.com/CIS_InfoPolicy</a></li>
<li> Facebook - Access to Knowledge:<a href="https://www.facebook.com/cisa2k"> https://www.facebook.com/cisa2k</a> </li>
<li> E-Mail - Access to Knowledge: <a>a2k@cis-india.org</a> </li>
<li> E-Mail - Researchers at Work: <a>raw@cis-india.org</a> </li>
<li> List - Researchers at Work: <a href="https://lists.ghserv.net/mailman/listinfo/researchers">https://lists.ghserv.net/mailman/listinfo/researchers</a></li>
</ul>
</div>
<p style="text-align: justify; ">► Support Us</p>
<div style="text-align: justify; ">
<div style="text-align: justify; ">Please help us defend consumer and citizen rights on the Internet! Write a cheque in favour of 'The Centre for Internet and Society' and mail it to us at No. 194, 2nd 'C' Cross, Domlur, 2nd Stage, Bengaluru - 5600 71.</div>
</div>
<p style="text-align: justify; ">► Request for Collaboration</p>
<div style="text-align: justify; ">
<p style="text-align: justify; ">We invite researchers, practitioners, artists, and theoreticians, both organisationally and as individuals, to engage with us on topics related internet and society, and improve our collective understanding of this field. To discuss such possibilities, please write to Sunil Abraham, Executive Director, at sunil@cis-india.org (for policy research), or Sumandro Chattapadhyay, Research Director, at sumandro@cis-india.org (for academic research), with an indication of the form and the content of the collaboration you might be interested in. To discuss collaborations on Indic language Wikipedia projects, write to Tanveer Hasan, Programme Officer, at <a>tanveer@cis-india.org</a>.</p>
<div style="text-align: justify; "><i>CIS is grateful to its primary donor the Kusuma Trust founded by Anurag Dikshit and Soma Pujari, philanthropists of Indian origin for its core funding and support for most of its projects. CIS is also grateful to its other donors, Wikimedia Foundation, Ford Foundation, Privacy International, UK, Hans Foundation, MacArthur Foundation, and IDRC for funding its various projects</i>.</div>
</div>
</div>
<p>
For more details visit <a href='https://cis-india.org/about/newsletters/january-2017-newsletter'>https://cis-india.org/about/newsletters/january-2017-newsletter</a>
</p>
No publisherpraskrishnaAccess to KnowledgeTelecomAccessibilityInternet GovernanceResearchers at Work2017-03-01T06:00:37ZPageComments on Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities 'Vision Document 2030'
https://cis-india.org/accessibility/blog/comments-on-depds-vision-document-2030
<b>The Centre for Internet & Society (CIS) submitted comments for the consideration of the Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (DEPD) on the Vision Document 2030 brought out earlier this month.</b>
<p style="text-align: justify; ">We appreciate the efforts by the Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (DEPD) to put together a vision and strategy document to inform and direct the implementation of the new Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016 (RPWD), and give effect to the rights of persons with disabilities as enshrined in various international treaties.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify; ">Overall, we recommend that the vision articulate more clearly in terms of quantifiable targets what it seeks to achieve at different points of time and that these targets, while taking into account the realistic situation in our country, are not so minimally set as to undermine the aims of the Act and the national commitments outlined therein.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify; ">We submit that it be kept in mind that this is not the first time that a national conversation has taken place around accessibility and standards, and that many previous attempts such as the Guidelines on Indian Government Websites (GIGW) have been in existence for nearly 8 years.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify; ">Therefore, we submit that the steps taken towards implementing this act should be more ambitious, and should seek to resolve the issue within the next 2-3 years. Accordingly please find our brief comments below:</p>
<h3 style="text-align: justify; ">Background</h3>
<ol>
<li style="text-align: justify; ">Section 2(i) is as follows: Vision: ‘To build an inclusive society in which equal opportunities are provided for the growth and development of Persons with Disabilities so that they can lead productive, safe and dignified lives.’ We propose the addition of the word ‘integration/inclusion/assimilation’ as in the phrase ‘growth, integration and development’, since that implies social acceptance, which is crucial. We also propose the addition of one more sentence as follows: ‘To enable access to technology and technology enabled resources for every person with a disability to facilitate effective communication and integration in society, as well as to ensure that accessibility considerations and standards are included across the board in all government programmes and initiatives.’</li>
<li style="text-align: justify; ">We propose in 3(a) - the inclusion of the word technologies in the phrase ‘providing appropriate aids and appliances.’ This is important since aids and appliances are not always technology-based and often times a new technology may be suitable, efficient and contemporary to address a specific need.</li>
<li>We propose in 3(b) - the inclusion of the word accessibility in the phrase ‘developing rehabilitation professionals/personnel.’</li>
</ol>
<h3 style="text-align: justify; ">Long Term Vision by 2030</h3>
<ol>
<li style="text-align: justify; ">Inclusion of curriculum related to e-accessibility such as knowledge of the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) and universal design principles in all institutes and institutions teaching courses in engineering, computer science, IT etc.</li>
<li>Inclusion of disability-related issues in the curriculum of university courses in other fields as well, such as law, sociology, economics, and architecture. </li>
<li style="text-align: justify; ">Creation of a mechanism to gather more comprehensive and accurate data on persons with disabilities, such as their levels of access to technologies, information and basic resources and amenities.</li>
<li style="text-align: justify; ">Provision of training to use computers for students and children with disabilities in rural areas and provide training to students receiving aids and appliances as part of schemes. In addition, the Government should also focus on providing appropriate training and access to appropriate content in order to make full use of these technologies.</li>
<p style="text-align: justify; "><br /><b>Seven Years' Strategy</b></p>
<li style="text-align: justify; ">The point about making documents, buildings, websites, documents etc. accessible under the Accessible India campaign <a href="#fn1" name="fr1">[1]</a> is appreciated; however, it should be accompanied with a mechanism for transparency and accountability. This should include periodic reports giving updates on the details of websites, documents, etc. taken up for retrofitting. At the moment, this information is not available on any of the public domain web sites such as the Accessible India campaign URLs, and repeated RTIs have failed to make this information available. Hence, there is no clarity on what the exact number of URLs and documents which have been made accessible so far is. Without accountability built into this procedure moving forward, there is very little to ensure that it happens.</li>
</ol>
<h3>Three Years Strategy</h3>
<ol>
<li style="text-align: justify; ">Review of legislations for persons with disabilities : we propose that a time line be set for this, say within 6 months and a list of existing and new policy/ legislation requiring interventions/ formulation be drawn up for action. Priority tasks could be to take up accessible procurement, accessibility of mobile applications, web sites and electronic documents.</li>
<li style="text-align: justify; ">One of the foremost tasks should be to identify and notify appropriate standards for different domains of accessibility such as procurement, electronic documents, television and so on, as well as reaffirm/ update any existing standards already recognized by the Government so that the process of retrofitting existing resources, as well as building new accessible ones commences at the earliest.</li>
<li style="text-align: justify; ">It is recommended that the Government of India put together an advisory committee of subject matter experts from NGOs and other civil society bodies who can advise on initiatives to be taken for environmental and information accessibility.</li>
<li style="text-align: justify; ">Regarding the plan for making 50% of all government web sites and documents accessible<a href="#fn2" name="fr2">[2] </a>, this target needs to be revised. The Accessible India campaign, which lists the same target in its strategy document,<a href="#fn3" name="fr3">[3] </a>has already been underway for the past one and a half years, and we hope that this target would have already been achieved under those efforts. Hence, if the Government sets a target of 50% over the next three years, this implies either that work has not been taking place thus far, or that very little will be done over that period of time. Furthermore, the RPWD Act requires all service providers to make their services accessible within 2 years of notification of regulation by the Central Government<a href="#fn4" name="fr4">[4]</a>, hence the time stipulated under the Act is much lesser than the vision is providing for and should be amended to making all web sites and documents accessible within 2 years. It may further be noted that the GIGW had been notified since 2009 and despite being in place for eight years, there is currently no official information on how many websites been made fully compliant with these standards. Therefore, we submit that a strict approach with regard to any deadlines and regulatory measures are necessary.</li>
<li style="text-align: justify; ">It is respectfully submitted that the number of 500 language interpreters<a href="#fn5" name="fr5">[5] </a> is simply not enough. This would work out to approximately 15 interpreters per state in 3 years, a number that we consider far too low for the time allotted. We submit instead that it is urgent that an attempt be made to train at least 30 people per state/UT per year, which would work out to 90 interpreters per state/UT over the 3-year period.</li>
<li style="text-align: justify; ">It is crucial the DEPD try to work with the Digital India campaign and the Smart Cities Mission to ensure that upcoming smart cities are born accessible. To this end, there needs to be specific measures to ensure that accessibility standards are part of the Terms of Reference and contracts for smart cities and that there is sufficient guidance and accountability for this.</li>
</ol><ol> </ol>
<hr />
<p>[<a href="#fr1" name="fn1">1</a>]. Section C.6</p>
<p style="text-align: justify; ">[<a href="#fr2" name="fn2">2</a>]. Section D.6</p>
<p>[<a href="#fr3" name="fn3">3</a>]. http://www.disabilityaffairs.gov.in/upload/uploadfiles/files/Accessible%20India%20Campaign_Brochure.pdf</p>
<p>[<a href="#fr4" name="fn4">4</a>]. Chapter VIII, Section 46</p>
<p>[<a href="#fr5" name="fn5">5</a>]. Section D.7</p>
<p>
For more details visit <a href='https://cis-india.org/accessibility/blog/comments-on-depds-vision-document-2030'>https://cis-india.org/accessibility/blog/comments-on-depds-vision-document-2030</a>
</p>
No publishernirmitaAccessibility2017-02-28T15:58:55ZBlog Entry