The Centre for Internet and Society
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First Look: CIS Cybersecurity documentary film
https://cis-india.org/internet-governance/blog/cis-cybersecurity-series-film-trailer
<b>CIS presents the trailer of its documentary film DesiSec: Cybersecurity & Civil Society in India</b>
<p>The Centre for Internet and Society is pleased to release the trailer of its first documentary film, on cybersecurity and civil society in India. </p>
<p>The documentary is part of the CIS Cybersecurity Series, a work in progress which may be found <a class="external-link" href="http://cismetamedia.tumblr.com">here</a>.</p>
<iframe src="//www.youtube.com/embed/3134xVvMmfc" frameborder="0" height="315" width="560"></iframe>
<p><strong>DesiSec: Cybersecurity and Civil Society in India</strong></p>
<p>The trailer of <em>DesiSec: Cybersecurity and Civil Society in India</em> was shown at the Internet Governance Forum in Bali on October 24. It was a featured presentation at the Citizen Lab workshop, <em>Internet Governance For The Next Billion Users.</em></p>
<p>The transcript of the workshop is available here: <a href="http://www.intgovforum.org/cms/component/content/article/121-preparatory-process/1476-ws-344-internet-governance-for-the-next-billion-users">http://www.intgovforum.org/cms/component/content/article/121-preparatory-process/1476-ws-344-internet-governance-for-the-next-billion-users</a> </p>
<p><strong><em>This work was carried out as part of the Cyber Stewards Network with aid of a grant from the International Development Research Centre, Ottawa, Canada.</em></strong></p>
<p>
For more details visit <a href='https://cis-india.org/internet-governance/blog/cis-cybersecurity-series-film-trailer'>https://cis-india.org/internet-governance/blog/cis-cybersecurity-series-film-trailer</a>
</p>
No publisherpurbaCybersecurityInternet Governance ForumInternet GovernanceCyber Security FilmCyberculturesCyber Security2013-12-17T08:16:42ZBlog EntryExtra-Territorial Surveillance and the Incapacitation of Human Rights
https://cis-india.org/internet-governance/extra-territorial-surveillance-and-the-incapacitation-of-human-rights
<b>This paper was published in Volume 12 (2) of the NUJS Law Review. </b>
<div> </div>
<div>Our
networked data trails dictate, define, and modulate societies in hitherto
inconceivable ways. The ability to access and manipulate that data is a
product of stark power asymmetry in geo-politics, leading to a dynamic
that privileges the interests of a few over the right to privacy and
dignity of the many. I argue that the persistent de facto violation of
human rights norms through extraterritorial surveillance conducted by
western intelligence agencies, compounded by the failure of judicial
intervention in the West has lead to the incapacitation of international
human rights law. Despite robust jurisprudence including case law,
comments by the United Nations, and widespread state practice on the
right to privacy and the application of human rights obligations to
extraterritorial stakeholders, extraterritorial surveillance continues
with aplomb. Procedural safeguards and proportionality tests regularly
sway towards a ‘ritual incantation’ of national security even in
scenarios where a less intrusive option is available. The vulnerable
citizen abroad is unable to challenge these processes and becomes an
unwitting victim of nefarious surveillance practices that further widens
global power asymmetry and entrenches geo-political fissures.</div>
<div><br />The full article can be found <a href="https://cis-india.org/internet-governance/extraterritorial-algorithmic-surveillance-and-the-incapacitation-of-international-human-rights-law" class="internal-link" title="EXTRATERRITORIAL ALGORITHMIC SURVEILLANCE AND THE INCAPACITATION OF INTERNATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS LAW">here</a>.</div>
<p>
For more details visit <a href='https://cis-india.org/internet-governance/extra-territorial-surveillance-and-the-incapacitation-of-human-rights'>https://cis-india.org/internet-governance/extra-territorial-surveillance-and-the-incapacitation-of-human-rights</a>
</p>
No publisherArindrajit BasuCybersecurityCyber SecurityInternet Governance2020-01-02T11:02:26ZBlog EntryElectoral Databases – Privacy and Security Concerns
https://cis-india.org/internet-governance/blog/electoral-databases-2013-privacy-and-security-concerns
<b>In this blogpost, Snehashish Ghosh analyzes privacy and security concerns which have surfaced with the digitization, centralization and standardization of the electoral database and argues that even though the law provides the scope for protection of electoral databases, the State has not taken any steps to ensure its safety.</b>
<p></p>
<p> </p>
<p style="text-align: justify; ">The recent move by the Election Commission of India (ECI) to tie-up with Google for providing electoral look-up services for citizens and electoral information services has faced heavy criticism on the grounds of data security and privacy.<a href="#_edn1" name="_ednref1"><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span class="MsoEndnoteReference">[i]</span></span></a> After due consideration, the ECI has decided to drop the plan.<a href="#_edn2" name="_ednref2"><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span class="MsoEndnoteReference">[ii]</span></span></a></p>
<p style="text-align: justify; ">The plan to partner with Google has led to much apprehension regarding Google gaining access to the database of 790 million voters including, personal information such as age, place of birth and residence. It could have also gained access to cell phone numbers and email addresses had the voter chosen to enroll via the online portal on the ECI website. Although, the plan has been cancelled, it does not necessarily mean that the largest database of citizens of India is safe from any kind of security breach or abuse. In fact, the personal information of each voter in a constituency can be accessed by anyone through the ECI website and the publication of electoral rolls is mandated by the law.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify; "><b>Publication of Electoral Rolls</b><br />The electoral roll essentially contains the name of the voter, name of the relationship (son of/wife of, etc.), age, sex, address and the photo identity card number. The main objective of creation and maintenance of electoral rolls and the issue of Electoral Photo Identity Card (EPIC) was to ensure a free and fair election where the voter would have been able to cast his own vote as per his own choice. In other words, the main purpose of the exercise was to curtail bogus voting. This is achieved by cross referencing the EPIC with the electoral roll.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify; ">The process of creation and maintenance of electoral rolls is governed by the Registration of Electors Rules, 1960. Rule 22 requires the registration officer to publish the roll with list of amendments at his office for inspection and public information. Furthermore, ECI may direct the registration officer to send two copies of the electoral roll to every political party for which a symbol has exclusively been reserved by the ECI. It can be safely concluded that the electoral roll of a constituency is a public document<a href="#_edn3" name="_ednref3"><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span class="MsoEndnoteReference">[iii]</span></span></a> given that the roll is published and can be circulated on the direction of the ECI.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify; ">With the computational turn, in 1998 the ECI took the decision to digitize the electoral databases. Furthermore, printed electoral rolls and compact discs containing the rolls are available for sale to general public.<a href="#_edn4" name="_ednref4"><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span class="MsoEndnoteReference">[iv]</span></span></a> In addition to that, the electoral rolls for the entire country are available on the ECI website.<a href="#_edn5" name="_ednref5"><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span class="MsoEndnoteReference">[v]</span></span></a> However, the current database is not uniform and standardized, and entries in some constituencies are available only in the local language. The ECI has taken steps to make the database uniform, standardized and centralized.<a href="#_edn6" name="_ednref6"><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span class="MsoEndnoteReference">[vi]</span></span></a></p>
<p style="text-align: justify; "><b>Security Concerns</b><br />The Registration of Electoral Rules, 1960 is an archaic piece of delegated legislation which is still in force and casts a statutory duty on the ECI to publish the electoral rolls. The publication of electoral rolls is not a threat to security when it is distributed in hard copies and the availability of electoral rolls is limited. The security risks emerge only after the digitization of electoral database, which allows for uniformity, standardization and centralization of the database which in turn makes it vulnerable and subject to abuse. The law has failed to evolve with the change in technology.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify; ">In a recent article, Bill Davidow analyzes "the dark side of Moore’s Law" and argues that with the growth processing power there has been a growth in surveillance capabilities and on this note the article is titled, “<i>With Great Computing Power Comes Great Surveillance”</i><a href="#_edn7" name="_ednref7"><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span class="MsoEndnoteReference">[vii]</span></span></a> Drawing from Davidow’s argument, with the exponential growth in computing power, search has become convenient, faster and cheap. A uniform, standardized and centralized database bearing the personal information of 790 million voters can be searched and categorized in accordance with the search terms. The personal information of the voters can be used for good, but it can be equally abused if it falls into the wrong hands. Big data analysis or the computing power makes it easier to target voters, as bits and pieces of personal information give a bigger picture of an individual, a community, etc. This can be considered intrusive on individual’s privacy since the personal information of every voter is made available in the public domain</p>
<p style="text-align: justify; ">For example, the availability of a centralized, searchable database of voters along with their age would allow the appropriate authorities to identify wards or constituencies, which has a high population of voters above the age of 65. This would help the authority to set up polling booths at closer location with special amenities. However, the same database can be used to search for density of members of a particular community in a ward or constituency based on the name, age, sex of the voters. This information can be used to disrupt elections, target vulnerable communities during an election and rig elections.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify; "><b>Current IT Laws does not mandate the protection of the electoral database</b><br />A centralized electoral database of the entire country can be considered as a critical information infrastructure (CII) given the impact it may have on the election which is the cornerstone of any democracy. Under Section 70 of the Information Technology Act, 2000 (IT Act) CII means “the computer resource, incapacitation or destruction of which, shall have debilitating impact on national security, economy.”<a href="#_edn8" name="_ednref8"><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span class="MsoEndnoteReference">[viii]</span></span></a> However, the appropriate Government has not notified the electoral database as a protected system<a href="#_edn9" name="_ednref9"><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span class="MsoEndnoteReference">[ix]</span></span></a>. Therefore, information security practices and procedures for a protected system are not applicable to the electoral database.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify; ">The Information Technology Rules (IT Rules) are also not applicable to electoral databases, <i>per se</i>. Since, ECI is not a body corporate, the Information Technology (Reasonable Security Practices and Procedures and Sensitive Personal Data or Information), Rules, 2011 (<i>hereinafter </i>Reasonable Security Practices Rules) do not apply to electoral databases. Ignoring that Reasonable Security Practices Rules only apply to a body corporate, the electoral database does fall within the ambit of definition of “personal information”<a href="#_edn10" name="_ednref10"><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span class="MsoEndnoteReference">[x]</span></span></a> and should arguably be made subject to the Rules.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify; ">The intent of the ECI for hosting the entire country’s electoral database online <i>inter alia</i> is to provide electronic service delivery to the citizens. It seeks to provide “electoral look up services for citizens ... for better electoral information services.”<a href="#_edn11" name="_ednref11"><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span class="MsoEndnoteReference">[xi]</span></span></a> However, the Information Technology (Electronic Service Delivery) Rules, 2011 are not applicable to the electoral database given that it is not notified by the appropriate Government as a service to be delivered electronically. Hence, the encryption and security standards for electronic service delivery are not applicable to electoral rolls.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify; ">The IT Act and the IT Rules provide a reasonable scope for the appropriate Government to include electoral databases within the ambit of protected system and electronic service delivery. However, the appropriate government has not taken any steps to notify electoral database as protected system or a mode of electronic service delivery under the existing laws.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify; "><b>Conclusion</b><br />Publication of electoral rolls is a necessary part of an election process. It ensures free and fair election and promotes transparency and accountability. But unfettered access to electronic electoral databases may have an adverse effect and would endanger the very goal it seeks to achieve because the electronic database may pose threat to privacy of the voters and also lead to security breach. It may be argued that the ECI is mandated by the law to publish the electoral database and hence, it is beyond the operation of the IT Act. But Section 81 of the IT Act has an overriding effect on any law inconsistent, therewith. The appropriate Government should take necessary steps under the IT Act and notify electoral databases as a protected system.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify; ">It is recommended that the Electors Registration Rules, 1960 should be amended, taking into account the advancement in technology. Therefore, the Rules should aim at restricting the unfettered electronic access to the electoral database and also introduce purposive limitation on the use of the electoral database. It should also be noted that more adequate and robust data protection and privacy laws should be put in place, which would regulate the collection, use, storage and processing of databases which are critical to national security.</p>
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<div id="edn1">
<p class="MsoEndnoteText" style="text-align: justify; "><a href="#_ednref1" name="_edn1"><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span class="MsoEndnoteReference">[i]</span></span></a> Pratap Vikram Singh, Post-uproar, EC’s Google tie-up plan may go for a toss, Governance Now, January 7, 2014 available at <a class="external-link" href="http://www.governancenow.com/news/regular-story/post-uproar-ecs-google-tie-plan-may-go-toss">http://www.governancenow.com/news/regular-story/post-uproar-ecs-google-tie-plan-may-go-toss</a></p>
</div>
<div id="edn2">
<p class="MsoEndnoteText" style="text-align: justify; "><a href="#_ednref2" name="_edn2"><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span class="MsoEndnoteReference">[ii]</span></span></a> Press Note No.ECI/PN/1/2014, Election Commission of India , January 9, 2014 available at <a class="external-link" href="http://eci.nic.in/eci_main1/current/PN09012014.pdf">http://eci.nic.in/eci_main1/current/PN09012014.pdf</a></p>
</div>
<div id="edn3">
<p class="MsoEndnoteText" style="text-align: justify; "><a href="#_ednref3" name="_edn3"><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span class="MsoEndnoteReference">[iii]</span></span></a> Section 74, Indian Evidence Act, 1872</p>
</div>
<div id="edn4">
<p class="MsoEndnoteText" style="text-align: justify; "><a href="#_ednref4" name="_edn4"><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span class="MsoEndnoteReference">[iv]</span></span></a> <a class="external-link" href="http://eci.nic.in/eci_main1/the_function.aspx">eci.nic.in/eci_main1/the_function.aspx</a></p>
</div>
<div id="edn5">
<p class="MsoEndnoteText" style="text-align: justify; "><a href="#_ednref5" name="_edn5"><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span class="MsoEndnoteReference">[v]</span></span></a> <a class="external-link" href="http://eci.nic.in/eci_main1/Linkto_erollpdf.aspx">http://eci.nic.in/eci_main1/Linkto_erollpdf.aspx</a></p>
</div>
<div id="edn6">
<p class="MsoEndnoteText" style="text-align: justify; "><a href="#_ednref6" name="_edn6"><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span class="MsoEndnoteReference">[vi]</span></span></a> “At present, in most States and UTs the Electoral Database is kept at the district level. In some cases it is kept even with the vendors. In most States/UTs it is maintained in MS Access, while in some cases it is on a primitive technology like FoxPro and in some other cases on advanced RDBMS like Oracle or Sql Server. The database is not kept in bilingual form in some of the States/UTs, despite instructions of the Commission. In most cases Unicode fonts are not used. The database structure not being uniform in the country, makes it almost impossible for the different databases to talk to each other” – Election Commission of India, Revision of Electoral Rolls with reference to 01-01-2010 as the qualifying date – Integration and Standardization of the database- reg., No. 23/2009-ERS, January 6, 2010 available at e<a class="external-link" href="http://eci.nic.in/eci_main/eroll&epic/ins06012010.pdf">ci.nic.in/eci_main/eroll&epic/ins06012010.pdf</a><span dir="RTL"></span></p>
</div>
<div id="edn7">
<p class="MsoEndnoteText"><a href="#_ednref7" name="_edn7"><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span class="MsoEndnoteReference">[vii]</span></span></a><a class="external-link" href="http://eci.nic.in/eci_main1/current/PN09012014.pdf"><span><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"> </span></span></span>http://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2014/01/with-great-computing-power-comes-great-surveillance/282933/</a></p>
</div>
<div id="edn8">
<p class="MsoEndnoteText" style="text-align: justify; "><a href="#_ednref8" name="_edn8"><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span class="MsoEndnoteReference">[viii]</span></span></a> Section 70, Information Technology Act, 2000</p>
</div>
<div id="edn9">
<p class="MsoEndnoteText" style="text-align: justify; "><a href="#_ednref9" name="_edn9"><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span class="MsoEndnoteReference">[ix]</span></span></a> Computer resource which directly or indirectly affects the facility of Critical Information Infrastructure</p>
</div>
<div id="edn10">
<p class="MsoEndnoteText" style="text-align: justify; "><a href="#_ednref10" name="_edn10"><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span class="MsoEndnoteReference">[x]</span></span></a> Rule 2(1)(i), Information Technology (Reasonable Security Practices and Procedures and Sensitive Personal Data or Information) Rules, 2011</p>
</div>
<div id="edn11">
<p class="MsoEndnoteText" style="text-align: justify; "><a href="#_ednref11" name="_edn11"><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span class="MsoEndnoteReference">[xi]</span></span></a> Press Note No.ECI/PN/1/2014, Election Commission of India , January 9, 2014 available at <a class="external-link" href="http://eci.nic.in/eci_main1/current/PN09012014.pdf">http://eci.nic.in/eci_main1/current/PN09012014.pdf</a></p>
</div>
</div>
<p>
For more details visit <a href='https://cis-india.org/internet-governance/blog/electoral-databases-2013-privacy-and-security-concerns'>https://cis-india.org/internet-governance/blog/electoral-databases-2013-privacy-and-security-concerns</a>
</p>
No publishersnehashishDigital GovernancePrivacyCybersecurityData ProtectionInternet GovernanceSafetyInformation TechnologyCyber SecuritySecuritye-GovernanceTransparency, PoliticsE-Governance2014-01-16T11:07:21ZBlog EntryDesiSec: Episode 1 - Film Release and Screening
https://cis-india.org/internet-governance/desisec-episode-1-film-release-and-screening
<b>The Centre for Internet and Society is pleased to to announce the release of the first documentary film on cybersecurity in India - DesiSec.
We hope you can join us for a special screening of the first episode of DesiSec, on 11th December, at CIS!</b>
<div>Early 2013, the Centre for Internet and Society began shooting its first documentary film project. After months of researching and interviewing activists and experts, CIS is thrilled to announce the release of the first documentary film on cybersecurity in India - <strong>DesiSec: Cybersecurity and Civi Society in India</strong>.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>Trailer link: <a href="https://cis-india.org/internet-governance/blog/cis-cybersecurity-series-film-trailer">http://cis-india.org/internet-governance/blog/cis-cybersecurity-series-film-trailer</a></div>
<div> </div>
<div>CIS is hosting a special screening of <strong>DesiSec: Episode 1</strong> on <strong>11th December, 2013, 6 pm</strong> and invites you to this event. The first episode is centered around the issue of privacy and surveillance in cyber space and how it affects Indian society.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>We look forward to seeing you there!</div>
<div> </div>
<div>RSVP: <a href="mailto:purba@cis-india.org" target="_blank">purba@cis-india.org</a></div>
<div>Venue: http://osm.org/go/yy4fIjrQL?m=</div>
<div> </div>
<div><strong><em>This work was carried out as part of the Cyber Stewards Network with aid of a grant from the International Development Research Centre, Ottawa, Canada.</em></strong></div>
<p>
For more details visit <a href='https://cis-india.org/internet-governance/desisec-episode-1-film-release-and-screening'>https://cis-india.org/internet-governance/desisec-episode-1-film-release-and-screening</a>
</p>
No publisherpurbaCyberspacePrivacyCybersecurityInternet GovernanceSurveillanceCyber Security FilmCyber SecurityEvent2013-12-17T08:13:32ZEventDecrypting Automated Facial Recognition Systems (AFRS) and Delineating Related Privacy Concerns
https://cis-india.org/internet-governance/decrypting-automated-facial-recognition-systems-afrs-and-delineating-related-privacy-concerns
<b>Arindrajit Basu and Siddharth Sonkar have co-written this blog as the first of their three-part blog series on AI Policy Exchange under the parent title: Is there a Reasonable Expectation of Privacy from Data Aggregation by Automated Facial Recognition Systems?</b>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>The use of aggregated Big Data by governments has the potential to
exacerbate power asymmetries and erode civil liberties like few
technologies of the past. In order to guard against the aggressive
aggregation and manipulation of the data generated by individuals who
are branded as suspect, it is critical that our firmly established
constitutional rights protect human dignity in the face of this
potential erosion.</p>
<p>The increasing ubiquity of Automated Facial Recognition Systems
(AFRS) serve as a prime example of the rising desire of governments to
push fundamental rights to the brink. With AFRS, the core fundamental
right in question is privacy, although questions have been posed
regarding the potential violation of other related rights, such as the
Right to Equality and the Right to Free Speech and Expression, as well.</p>
<p>There is a rich corpus of literature, (see <a href="https://indianexpress.com/article/opinion/columns/digital-identification-facial-recognition-system-ncrb-5859072/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">here</a>, <a href="http://www.unswlawjournal.unsw.edu.au/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/40-1-11.pdf" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">here</a> and an excellent recent paper by Smriti Parsheera <a href="http://datagovernance.org/report/adoption-and-regulation-of-facial-recognition-technologies-in-india" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">here)</a>
from a diverse coterie of scholars that call out the challenges posed
by AFRS, particularly with respect to its proportionality as a
restriction over the right to privacy. Our contribution to this
discourse focuses on a very specific question around a ‘reasonable
expectation of privacy’ — the standard identified for the protection of
privacy in public spaces across jurisdictions, including in India. This
is because at this juncture, the precise nature of the AFRS which will
eventually be used and the regulations it will be subject to are not
clear. </p>
<p>In <a href="https://indiankanoon.org/doc/91938676/'">Retd. K.S </a><a href="https://indiankanoon.org/doc/91938676/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Puttaswamy (Retd.) v. Union of India</a>:
Justice Chandrachud (Puttaswamy I), the Indian Supreme Court was
concerned with the question whether there exists a fundamental right to
privacy under the Indian Constitution. A nine-judge bench of the Court
recognized that the right to privacy is a fundamental right implicit
inter alia in the right to life within Article 21 of the Constitution.</p>
<p>The right to privacy protects people and not places. Every person is
entitled, however, to a reasonable expectation of privacy. The
expectation of privacy must be twofold. First, the person must prove
that the alleged act could inflict some harm. Such harm must be real and
not be speculative or imaginary. Second, society must recognize this
expectation as reasonable. The test of reasonable expectations is
contextual, i.e., the extent to which it safeguards privacy depends on
the place at which the individual is.</p>
<p>In order to pass any constitutional test, therefore, AFRS must
satisfy the ‘reasonable expectation’ test articulated in Puttaswamy.
However, in this context, the test itself has multiple contours. Do we
have a right to privacy in a public place? Is AFRS collecting any data
that specifically violates a right to privacy? Is the aggregation of
that data a potential violation?</p>
<p>After providing a brief introduction to the use cases of AFRS in
India and across the world, we embark upon answering all these
questions.</p>
<p><strong>Primer on Automated Facial Recognition Systems (AFRS)</strong></p>
<p>Facial recognition is a biometric technology that utilises cameras to
match stored or live footage of individuals (including both stills and
moving footage) with images or video from an existing database. Some
systems might also be used to analyze broader demographic trends or
conduct sentiment analysis through crowd scanning.</p>
<p>While the use of photographs and video footage have been core
components of police investigation, the use of algorithms to process
vast tracts of Big Data (characterized by ‘Volume, Velocity, and
Variety), and compare disparate and discrete data points allows for the
derivation of hitherto unfeasible insights on the subjects of Big Data.</p>
<p>The utilisation of AFRS for law enforcement is rapidly spreading around the world. <a href="https://carnegieendowment.org/2019/09/17/global-expansion-of-ai-surveillance-pub-79847" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">A Global AI Surveillance Index</a>
compiled by the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace found that
at least sixty-four countries are incorporating facial recognition
systems into their AI surveillance programs.</p>
<p>Chinese technology company Yitu has entered into a partnership with
security forces in Malaysia to equip police officers with facial
recognition body cameras that, powered by enabling technologies, would
allow a comparison of images caught by the live body cameras with images
from several central databases.</p>
<p>In <a href="https://news.sky.com/story/met-polices-facial-recognition-tech-has-81-error-rate-independent-report-says-11755941" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">England and Wales</a>,
London Metropolitan Police, South Wales Police, and Leicestershire
Police are all in the process of developing technologies that allow for
the identification and comparison of live images with those stored in a
database.</p>
<p>The technology is being developed by Japanese firm NEC and the police
force has limited ability to oversee or modify the software, given its
proprietary nature. The Deputy Chief of South Wales Police stated that
“the tech is given to [them] as a sealed box… [and the police force
themselves] have no input – whatever it does, it does what it does.”</p>
<p>In the US, <a href="https://www.americanbar.org/groups/criminal_justice/publications/criminal-justice-magazine/2019/spring/facial-recognition-technology/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Baltimore’s police</a>
set up facial recognition cameras to track and arrest protestors — a
system that reached its zenith during the 2018 riots in the city. </p>
<p>It is suspected that authorities in <a href="https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2019/10/23/asia-pacific/hong-kong-protests-ai-facial-recognition-tech/#.Xf1Fs_zhVPY" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Hong Kong</a> are also using AFRS to clamp down on the ongoing pro-democracy protests.</p>
<p>In India, the Ministry of Home Affairs, through the National Crime Records Bureau put out a <a href="http://ncrb.gov.in/TENDERS/AFRS/RFP_NAFRS.pdf" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">tender for a new AFRS</a>,
whose stated objective is to “act as a foundation for national level
searchable platform of facial images.” The AFRS will pull facial image
data from CCTV feeds and compare these with existing records across
databases including the Crime and Criminal Tracking Networks and Systems
(CCTNS), Inter-operable Criminal Justice System (or ICJS), Immigration
Visa Foreigner Registration Tracking (IVFRT), Passport, Prisons and
state police records.</p>
<p>Plans are also afoot to integrate this with the yet to be deployed
National Automated Fingerprint Identification System (NAFIS), thereby
creating a multi-faceted surveillance system.</p>
<p>Despite raising eyeballs due to its potential all-pervasive scope,
this tender is not the first instance of AFRS being used by Indian
authorities. Punjab Police, <a href="https://www.livemint.com/AI/DIh6fmR6croUJps6x7JW5K/Meet-Staqu-a-startup-helping-Indian-law-enforcement-agencie.html" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">in partnership with Gurugram-based start-up Staqu</a>
has launched and commenced implementation of the Punjab Artificial
Intelligence System (PAIS) which uses digitised criminal records and
automated facial recognition to retrieve information on a suspected
criminal and essentially tracks their public whereabouts, which poses
potential constitutional questions.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>This was published by <a class="external-link" href="https://aipolicyexchange.org/2019/12/26/decrypting-automated-facial-recognition-systems-afrs-and-delineating-related-privacy-concerns/">AI Policy Exchange</a>.</p>
<p>
For more details visit <a href='https://cis-india.org/internet-governance/decrypting-automated-facial-recognition-systems-afrs-and-delineating-related-privacy-concerns'>https://cis-india.org/internet-governance/decrypting-automated-facial-recognition-systems-afrs-and-delineating-related-privacy-concerns</a>
</p>
No publisherArindrajit Basu, Siddharth SonkarCybersecurityCyber Securityinternet governanceInternet Governance2020-01-02T14:01:48ZBlog EntryCybersecurity Visuals Media Handbook: Launch Event
https://cis-india.org/internet-governance/blog/cybersecurity-visuals-media-handbook-launch-event
<b>6th December | 6 pm | Centre for Internet and Society, Bangalore</b>
<p> </p>
<p>The existing cybersecurity imagery in media publications has been observed to be limited in its communication of the discourse prevailing in cybersecurity policy circles, relying heavily on stereotypes such as hooded men, padlocks, and binary codes.</p>
<p><br />In order to enable a clearer, more nuanced representation of cybersecurity concepts, we, at CIS, along with <a class="external-link" href="http://designbeku.in/">Design Beku</a> are launching the Cybersecurity Visuals Media Handbook. This handbook has been conceived to be a concise guide for media publications to understand the specific concepts within cybersecurity and use it as a reference to create visuals that are more informative, relevant, and look beyond stereotypes.</p>
<p>We will be launching the interactive digital handbook on 6th December, 2019, at the Centre for Internet and Society, Bangalore, at 6 pm. The event would include a discussion on the purpose, process, and concepts behind this illustrated guide by CIS researchers and Design Beku.</p>
<p>The launch will be followed by a panel discussion on Digital Media Illustrations & the Politics of Technology. We will be joined by Padmini Ray Murray, Paulanthony George, and Kruthika N S in the panel. It will be moderated by Saumyaa Naidu.</p>
<p dir="ltr"><strong>Padmini Ray Murray</strong></p>
<p dir="ltr">Padmini founded the Design Beku collective in 2018 to help not-for-profit organisations explore their potential through research-led design and digital development. Trained as an academic researcher, Padmini currently as the head of communications at Obvious, a design studio. She regularly gives talks and publishes on the necessity of technology and design to be decolonial, local, and ethical. <strong><br /></strong></p>
<p dir="ltr"><strong>Paulanthony George</strong></p>
<p dir="ltr">Paulanthony hates writing bios in the third person.<br />My research focuses on the relationships between made objects, the maker and the behaviour of making, in the context of spreadable digital media (and behaviours stemming from it). I study internet memes inside and outside of India and phenomenon such as dissent, satire, free expression and ambivalent behaviour fostered by them. The research is at the intersection of digital ethnography, culture studies, human-computer interaction, humour studies and critical theory. I spend my time watching people. I draw them, the way they are, the way some people want to be and sometimes I have interesting conversations with them.</p>
<p><span id="gmail-docs-internal-guid-5cb9e515-7fff-777e-6b99-8a216379ee39">
</span></p>
<p dir="ltr"><strong>Kruthika N S</strong></p>
<p dir="ltr">Kruthika NS is a lawyer at LawNK and researcher at the Sports Law & Policy Centre, Bengaluru. She uses art as a medium to explore the intersections of the law and society, with gender justice featuring as the central theme of her work. Her art has included subjects such as the #MeToo movement in India, and the feminist principles of the internet, among several other doodles.</p>
<p dir="ltr"><strong>Saumyaa Naidu</strong></p>
<p dir="ltr">Saumyaa is a designer and researcher at the Centre for Internet and Society. <strong> </strong></p>
<p> </p>
<p><br /><strong>Agenda</strong><br />6:00 - 6:15 pm - Introduction <br />6:15 - 6:45 pm - Presentation on the Media Handbook by Paulanthony George<br />6:45 - 7:00 pm - Tea/ Coffee <br />7:00 - 8:00 pm - Panel discussion on Digital Media Illustrations & the Politics of Technology<br />8:00 - 8:30 pm - Tea/ Coffee and Snacks</p>
<p>The interactive version of handbook can be accessed <a class="external-link" href="http://cis-india.github.io/cybersecurityvisuals/index">here</a>. The print versions of the handbook can be accessed at: <a class="external-link" href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/13Llq1vD5Eb-yo2YE3X6dRPaZ_WsMYhfa/view?usp=sharing">Single Scroll Printing</a>, <a class="external-link" href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1mK_lxA0Eeb7GWxqZk4IM3cBxKdWakKS9/view?usp=sharing">Tiled-Paste Printing</a>.</p>
<p>
For more details visit <a href='https://cis-india.org/internet-governance/blog/cybersecurity-visuals-media-handbook-launch-event'>https://cis-india.org/internet-governance/blog/cybersecurity-visuals-media-handbook-launch-event</a>
</p>
No publishersaumyaaCybersecurityCyber SecurityEventInternet Governance2019-12-06T09:27:37ZEventCryptocurrency Regulation in India – A brief history
https://cis-india.org/internet-governance/blog/cryptocurrency-regulation-in-india-2013-a-brief-history
<b>In March 2020, the Supreme Court of India quashed the RBI order passed in 2018 that banned financial services firms from trading in virtual currency or cryptocurrency.
Keeping this policy window in mind, the Centre for Internet & Society will be releasing a series of blog posts and policy briefs on cryptocurrency regulation in India
</b>
<p id="docs-internal-guid-18286fb9-7fff-c656-6a5b-a01a2e2b3682" style="text-align: justify;" dir="ltr"> </p>
<p style="text-align: justify;" dir="ltr">The story of cryptocurrencies
started in 2008 when a paper titled “Bitcoin: A Peer to Peer Electronic
Cash System” was published by a single or group of pseudonymous
developer(s) by the name of Satoshi Nakamoto. The actual network took
some time to start with the first transactions taking place only in
January 2009. The first actual sale of an item using Bitcoin took place a
year later with a user swapping 10,000 Bitcoin for two pizzas in 2010,
which attached a cash value to the cryptocurrency for the first time. By
2011 other cryptocurrencies began to emerge, with Litecoin, Namecoin
and Swiftcoin all making their debut. Meanwhile, Bitcoin the
cryptocurrency that started it all started getting criticised after
claims emerged that it was being used on the so-called “dark web”,
particularly on sites such as Silk Road as a means of payment for
illegal transactions. Over the next five years cryptocurrencies steadily
gained traction with increased number of transactions and the price of
Bitcoin, the most popular cryptocurrency shot up from around 5 Dollars
in the beginning of 2012 to almost 1000 Dollars at the end of 2017.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;" dir="ltr">Riding on the back of this
wave of popularity, a number of cryptocurrency exchanges started
operating in India between 2012 and 2017 providing much needed depth and
volume to the Indian cryptocurrency market. These included popular
exchanges such as Zebpay, Coinsecure, Unocoin, Koinex, Pocket Bits and
Bitxoxo. With the price of cryptocurrencies shooting up and because of
its increased popularity and adoption by users outside of its
traditional cult following, regulators worldwide began to take notice of
this new technology; in India the RBI issued a Press Release cautioning
the public against dealing in virtual currencies including Bitcoin way
back in 2013. However, the transaction volumes and adoption of
cryptocurrencies in India really picked up in earnest only after the
demonetisation of high value currency notes in November of 2016, with
the government’s emphasis on digital payments leading to alternatives to
traditional online banking such as cryptocurrencies forcing their way
into the public consciousness. Indian cryptocurrency exchanges started
acquiring users at a much higher pace which drove up volume for
cryptocurrency transactions on all Indian exchanges. The growing
popularity of cryptocurrencies and its adoption by large numbers of
Indian users forced the RBI to issue another Press Release in February
2017 reiterating its concerns regarding cryptocurrencies raised in its
earlier Press Release of 2013. </p>
<p style="text-align: justify;" dir="ltr">In October and November, 2017
two Public Interest Petitions were filed in the Supreme Court of India,
one by Siddharth Dalmia and another by Dwaipayan Bhowmick, the former
asking the Supreme Court to restrict the sale and purchase of
cryptocurrencies in India, and the latter asking for cryptocurrencies in
India to be regulated. Both the petitions are currently pending in the
Supreme Court.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;" dir="ltr">In November, 2017 the
Government of India constituted a high level Inter-ministerial Committee
under the chairmanship of Shri Subhash Chandra Garg, Secretary,
Department of Economic Affairs, Ministry of Finance and comprising of
Shri Ajay Prakash Sawhney (Secretary, Ministry of Electronics and
Information Technology), Shri Ajay Tyagi (Chairman, Securities and
Exchange Board of India) and Shri B.P. Kanungo (Deputy Governor, Reserve
Bank of India). The mandate of the Committee was to study various
issues pertaining to Virtual Currencies and to propose specific actions
that may be taken in relation thereto. This Committee submitted its
report in July of 2019 recommending a ban on private cryptocurrencies in
India.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;" dir="ltr">In December 2017 both the RBI
as well as the Ministry of Finance issued Press releases cautioning the
general public about the dangers and risks associated with
cryptocurrencies, with the Ministry of Finance Press Release saying that
cryptocurrencies are like ponzi schemes and also declaring that they
are not currencies or coins. It should be mentioned here that till the
end of March 2018, the RBI and the Finance Ministry had issued various
Press Releases on cryptocurrencies cautioning people against their
risks, however none of them ever took any legal action or gave any
enforceable directions against cryptocurrencies. All of this changed
with the RBI circular dated April 6, 2018 whereby the RBI prevented
Commercial and Co-operative Banks, Payments Banks, Small Finance Banks,
NBFCs, and Payment System Providers not only from dealing in virtual
currencies themselves but also directing them to stop providing services
to all entities which deal with virtual currencies.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;" dir="ltr">The effect of the circular was
that cryptocurrency exchanges, which relied on normal banking channels
for sending and receiving money to and from their users, could not
access any banking services within India. This essentially crippled
their business operations since converting cash to cryptocurrencies and
vice versa was an essential part of their operations. Even pure
cryptocurrency exchanges which did not deal in fiat currency, were
unable to carry out their regular operations such as paying for office
space, staff salaries, server space, vendor payments, etc. without
access to banking services. </p>
<p>As a the operations of cryptocurrency exchanges took a severe hit and
the number of transactions on these exchanges reduced substantially.
People who had bought cryptocurrencies on these exchanges as an
investment were forced to sell their crypto assets and cash out before
they lost access to banking facilities. The cryptocurrency exchanges
themselves found it hard to sustain operations in the face of the dual
hit of reduced transaction volumes and loss of access banking services.
Faced with such an existential threat, a number of exchanges who were
members of the Internet and Mobile Association of India (IMAI), filed a
writ petition in the Supreme Court on May 15, 2018 titled Internet and
Mobile Association of India v. Reserve Bank of India, the final
arguments in which were heard by the Supreme Court of India in January,
2020 and the judgment is awaited. If the Supreme Court agrees with the
arguments of the petitioners, then cryptocurrency exchanges would be
able to restart operations in India; as a result the cryptocurrency
ecosystem in India may be revived and cryptocurrencies may become a
viable investment alternative again.</p>
<p>
For more details visit <a href='https://cis-india.org/internet-governance/blog/cryptocurrency-regulation-in-india-2013-a-brief-history'>https://cis-india.org/internet-governance/blog/cryptocurrency-regulation-in-india-2013-a-brief-history</a>
</p>
No publishervipulCybersecurityinternet governanceBitcoinInternet GovernanceCryptocurrenciesCyber Security2020-03-05T18:36:09ZBlog EntryCIS Cybersecurity Series (Part 24) – Shantanu Ghosh
https://cis-india.org/internet-governance/blog/cis-cybersecurity-series-part-24-2013-shantanu-ghosh
<b>CIS interviews Shantanu Ghosh, Managing Director, Symantec Product Operations, India, as part of the Cybersecurity Series.</b>
<p><em>“Remember
that India is also a land where there are a lot of people who are beginning to
use computing devices for the first time in their lives. For many people, their
smartphone is their first computing device because they have never had
computers in the past. For them, the challenge is how do you make sure that
they understand that that can be a threat too. It can be a threat not only to
their bank accounts, with their financial information, but even to their
private lives.”</em></p>
<p>Centre for Internet and Society presents its twenty fourth
installment of the CIS Cybersecurity Series.”</p>
<p>The CIS Cybersecurity Series seeks to address hotly
debated aspects of cybersecurity and hopes to encourage wider public discourse
around the topic.</p>
<p>Shantanu Ghosh is the Managing Director of Symantec
Product Operations, India. He also runs the Data Centre Security Group for
Symantec globally.</p>
<iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/dFN2_R0HzbA" frameborder="0" height="315" width="560"></iframe>
<p><strong>This work was carried out as part of the Cyber
Stewards Network with aid of a grant from the International Development Research
Centre, Ottawa, Canada.</strong></p>
<p>
For more details visit <a href='https://cis-india.org/internet-governance/blog/cis-cybersecurity-series-part-24-2013-shantanu-ghosh'>https://cis-india.org/internet-governance/blog/cis-cybersecurity-series-part-24-2013-shantanu-ghosh</a>
</p>
No publisherpurbaPrivacyCybersecurityInternet GovernanceCyber Security FilmCyber SecurityCyber Security Interview2015-07-15T14:58:50ZBlog EntryCIS Cybersecurity Series (Part 23) – Justin Searle
https://cis-india.org/internet-governance/cis-cybersecurity-series-part-23-2013-justin-searle
<b>CIS interviews Justin Searle, security expert, as part of the Cybersecurity Series.</b>
<p><em>"I think that people here in India, just like everywhere else, are broadening the areas where security can be applied. We see elsewhere, like in the United States and in Europe, that a lot of security researchers are starting to get into not just control systems, but also embedded devices and hardware and wireless... And we are seeing the same trends here in India as well. It is fun to see that growth and continual development, and not only that, but we are seeing security projects and research coming out of India, that's unqiue and fresh and contributing back to what originally came more from the United States and Europe."</em></p>
<p>Centre for Internet and Society presents its twenty
third installment of the CIS Cybersecurity Series.</p>
<p>The CIS Cybersecurity Series seeks to address hotly
debated aspects of cybersecurity and hopes to encourage wider public discourse
around the topic. </p>
<p>Justin Searle is the managing partner for Utilisec.
Utisix provides security services to the energy sector. They also assist oil,
water, gas, and manufacturing companies. Justin specializes in security
assessments and finding vulnerabilities in systems. </p>
<iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ufOV8DXzQuA" frameborder="0" height="315" width="560"></iframe>
<p> </p>
<p><strong>This work was carried out as part of the Cyber
Stewards Network with aid of a grant from the International Development
Research Centre, Ottawa, Canada.</strong></p>
<p>
For more details visit <a href='https://cis-india.org/internet-governance/cis-cybersecurity-series-part-23-2013-justin-searle'>https://cis-india.org/internet-governance/cis-cybersecurity-series-part-23-2013-justin-searle</a>
</p>
No publisherpurbaPrivacyCybersecurityInternet GovernanceCyber Security FilmCyber SecurityCyber Security Interview2015-07-15T14:44:38ZBlog EntryCIS Cybersecurity Series (Part 22) - Anonymous
https://cis-india.org/internet-governance/blog/cis-cybersecurity-series-part-22-anonymous
<b>CIS interviews a Tibetan security researcher and information activist, as part of the Cybersecurity Series. He prefers to remain anonymous.</b>
<p><em>"I
don't know technology but I am aware of the information people share with me.
So yes, they can track you down through your mobile phone. The last time I was
in Nepal, I met a westerner. We went to this restaurant and she asked me to
take the battery out of the phone. That was the first time I had heard of this
and so when I asked why she said that it is possible that people had followed
us and it has happened to other Tibetans in Nepal..."</em></p>
<p>Centre for Internet and Society presents its twenty second installment of the CIS Cybersecurity Series.</p>
<p>The CIS Cybersecurity Series seeks to address hotly
debated aspects of cybersecurity and hopes to encourage wider public discourse
around the topic.</p>
<p><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/glsAFfj7tV4" frameborder="0" height="315" width="560"></iframe></p>
<p><em>This work was carried out as part of the Cyber
Stewards Network with aid of a grant from the International Development Research
Centre, Ottawa, Canada.</em></p>
<p>
For more details visit <a href='https://cis-india.org/internet-governance/blog/cis-cybersecurity-series-part-22-anonymous'>https://cis-india.org/internet-governance/blog/cis-cybersecurity-series-part-22-anonymous</a>
</p>
No publisherpurbaPrivacyCybersecurityInternet GovernanceCyber Security FilmCyber SecurityCyber Security Interview2015-07-13T13:40:42ZBlog EntryCIS Cybersecurity Series (Part 13) - Pranesh Prakash
https://cis-india.org/internet-governance/cis-cybersecurity-series-part-13-pranesh-prakash
<b>CIS interviews Pranesh Prakash, lawyer and policy director with Centre for Internet and Society, as part of the Cybersecurity Series.</b>
<div>
<div><i>"When it comes to things cyber we completely lose our sense of proportion. While killing someone by negligence only attracts two years of punishment, saying something that people can define "offensive" attracts even more under 66A of the Information Technology Act. Something that can be a nuisance, under the Criminal Laws, can attract up to six months punishment, whereas under the IT act, it is up to three years..." - Pranesh Prakash, lawyer and policy director, Centre for Internet and Society</i></div>
<div></div>
<div>Centre for Internet and Society presents its thirteenth installment of the CIS Cybersecurity Series.</div>
<div></div>
<div>The CIS Cybersecurity Series seeks to address hotly debated aspects of cybersecurity and hopes to encourage wider public discourse around the topic.</div>
<div></div>
<div>Pranesh is a Policy Director with the Centre, and is a graduate of the National Law School of India University, Bangalore, with a degree in Arts and Law.</div>
<div></div>
</div>
<p><iframe frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/gUDeTeQ6DAg" width="560"></iframe></p>
<div><b><i><br /></i></b></div>
<div><b><i>This work was carried out as part of the Cyber Stewards Network with aid of a grant from the International Development Research Centre, Ottawa, Canada.</i></b></div>
<p>
For more details visit <a href='https://cis-india.org/internet-governance/cis-cybersecurity-series-part-13-pranesh-prakash'>https://cis-india.org/internet-governance/cis-cybersecurity-series-part-13-pranesh-prakash</a>
</p>
No publisherpurbaCyberspaceCybersecurityInternet GovernanceCyber Security FilmCyberculturesCyber SecurityCyber Security Interview2014-01-20T06:20:44ZBlog EntryCIS Cybersecurity Series (Part 12) - Namita Malhotra
https://cis-india.org/internet-governance/blog/cis-cybersecurity-series-part-12-namita-malhotra
<b>CIS interviews Namita Malhotra, researcher and lawyer at Alternative Law Forum, Bangalore, as part of the Cybersecurity Series.</b>
<p><em>"In a strange mix of how both capitalism and state control work, what is happening is that more and more of these places that one could access, for various reasons, whether it is for ones own pleasure or for political conversations, are getting further and further away from us. And I think that that mix of both corporate interests and state control is particularly playing a role in this regard." - Namita Malhotra, researcher and lawyer, Alternative Law Forum</em></p>
<p>Centre for Internet and Society presents its twelfth installment of the CIS Cybersecurity Series. </p>
<p>The CIS Cybersecurity Series seeks to address hotly debated aspects of cybersecurity and hopes to encourage wider public discourse around the topic.</p>
<p>Namita Malhotra is a researcher and lawyer at Alternative Law Forum (ALF). She has a keen interest in working on law, technology and media through legal research, cultural studies, new media practices and film making.</p>
<p>ALF homepage: www.altlawforum.org</p>
<iframe src="//www.youtube.com/embed/R9bSvrs5w74" frameborder="0" height="315" width="560"></iframe>
<p><strong><em><br /></em></strong></p>
<p><strong><em>This work was carried out as part of the Cyber Stewards Network with aid of a grant from the International Development Research Centre, Ottawa, Canada.</em></strong></p>
<p> </p>
<p>
For more details visit <a href='https://cis-india.org/internet-governance/blog/cis-cybersecurity-series-part-12-namita-malhotra'>https://cis-india.org/internet-governance/blog/cis-cybersecurity-series-part-12-namita-malhotra</a>
</p>
No publisherpurbaCybersecurityInternet GovernanceCyberculturesCyber SecurityCyber Security Interview2013-11-18T10:03:29ZBlog EntryCIS Cybersecurity Series (Part 11) - Anja Kovacs
https://cis-india.org/internet-governance/blog/cis-cybersecurity-series-part-11-anja-kovacs
<b>CIS interviews Anja Kovacs, researcher and activist, and director of the Internet Democracy, Project as part of the Cybersecurity Series.</b>
<p><em>"Having the cyber security debate become more and more important was a real challenge for civil society. I think in part because many of us who were focused on human rights aren't necessarily techies. And so, when you have a conversation with a government bureaucrat, and ask questions about the kind of decisions they decided to take, very often they will come up with a technical answer in response. And then, if you don't have that expertise, it is difficult to react. In the meantime though, I think it has become clear that this is one of the biggest issues in the internet field at the moment. It is also one of the big issues that is driving the desires of governments to have a bigger role to play in internet governance. So it is an area that is unavoidable for activists. What has happened slowly is that we have come to realize that the first thing, as in most other areas, is not the technical details, but principles, and those principles are fairly similar to how they are in many other fields." - Anja Kovacs, Internet Democracy Project</em></p>
<p>Centre for Internet and Society presents its eleventh installment of the CIS Cybersecurity Series. </p>
<p>The CIS Cybersecurity Series seeks to address hotly debated aspects of cybersecurity and hopes to encourage wider public discourse around the topic.</p>
<p>In this installment, CIS speaks to Anja Kovacs, director of the Internet Democracy Project. Her work focuses on a wide range of questions regarding freedom of expression, cybersecurity and the architecture of Internet governance as they relate to the Internet and democracy. Anja is currently also a member of the of the Investment Committee of the Digital Defenders Partnership and of the interim Steering Group of Best Bits, a global network of civil society members.</p>
<p><em>(Bio from internetdemocracy.in) </em></p>
<p>Internet Democracy Project homepage: http://internetdemocracy.in/</p>
<p> <iframe src="//www.youtube.com/embed/uWH2oup6ND8" frameborder="0" height="315" width="420"></iframe></p>
<div>
<p><strong><em>This work was carried out as part of the Cyber Stewards Network with aid of a grant from the International Development Research Centre, Ottawa, Canada.</em></strong></p>
<div><strong><em><br /></em></strong></div>
</div>
<p>
For more details visit <a href='https://cis-india.org/internet-governance/blog/cis-cybersecurity-series-part-11-anja-kovacs'>https://cis-india.org/internet-governance/blog/cis-cybersecurity-series-part-11-anja-kovacs</a>
</p>
No publisherpurbaCybersecurityInternet GovernanceCyberculturesCyber SecurityCyber Security Interview2013-10-15T15:25:07ZBlog EntryCIS Cybersecurity Series (Part 10) - Lawrence Liang
https://cis-india.org/internet-governance/blog/cis-cybersecurity-series-part-10-lawrence-liang
<b>CIS interviews Lawrence Liang, researcher and lawyer, and co-founder of Alternative Law Forum, Bangalore, as part of the Cybersecurity Series.</b>
<p><em>"The right to privacy and the right to free speech have often been understood as distinct rights. But I think in the ecology of online communication, it becomes crucial for us to look at the two as being inseparable. And this is not entirely new in India. But, interestingly, a lot of the cases that have had to deal with this question in the Indian context, have pitted one against the other. Now, India doesn't have a law for the protection of whistle-blowers. So how do we now think of the idea of whistle-blowers being one of the subjects of speech and privacy coming together? How do we use the strong pillars that have been established, in terms of a very rich tradition that Indian law has, on the recognition of free speech issues but slowly start incorporating questions of privacy?" - Lawrence Liang, researcher and lawyer, Alternative Law Forum. </em></p>
<p>Centre for Internet and Society presents its tenth installment of the CIS Cybersecurity Series. </p>
<p>The CIS Cybersecurity Series seeks to address hotly debated aspects of cybersecurity and hopes to encourage wider public discourse around the topic.</p>
<p>Lawrence Liang is one of the co-founders of the Alternative Law Forum where he works on issues of intellectual property, censorship, and the intersection of law and culture. He is also a fellow with the Centre for Internet and Society and serves on its board. </p>
<iframe src="//www.youtube.com/embed/odQajlxcLLA" frameborder="0" height="315" width="420"></iframe>
<div> </div>
<div><strong><em>This work was carried out as part of the Cyber Stewards Network with aid of a grant from the International Development Research Centre, Ottawa, Canada.</em></strong></div>
<p>
For more details visit <a href='https://cis-india.org/internet-governance/blog/cis-cybersecurity-series-part-10-lawrence-liang'>https://cis-india.org/internet-governance/blog/cis-cybersecurity-series-part-10-lawrence-liang</a>
</p>
No publisherpurbaCybersecurityCyber SecurityCyberculturesCyber Security Interview2013-09-10T08:31:31ZBlog EntryCIS Cybersecurity Series (Part 9) - Saikat Datta
https://cis-india.org/internet-governance/blog/cis-cybersecurity-series-part-9-saikat-datta
<b>CIS interviews Saikat Datta, Resident Editor of DNA, Delhi, as part of the Cybersecurity Series.
</b>
<p><em>"Anonymous speech, in countries which have extremely severe systems of governments, which do not have freedom, etcetera, is welcome. But in a democracy like India, I do not see the need for anonymous speech because it is anyways guaranteed by the Constitution of India. So, no, I do not see the need for anonymity in an open and democratic state like India and I would be seriously worried if such a requirement comes up. Shouldn't I strive to be ideal? The ideal suggests that the constitution has guaranteed freedom of speech. Anonymity, for a time being may be acceptable to some people but I would like a situation where a person, without having to seek anonymity, can speak about anything and not be prosecuted by the state, or persecuted by society. And that is the ideal situation that I would like to strive for." - Saikat Datta, Resident Editor, DNA, Delhi.</em></p>
<p>Centre for Internet and Society presents its ninth installment of the CIS Cybersecurity Series. </p>
<p>The CIS Cybersecurity Series seeks to address hotly debated aspects of cybersecurity and hopes to encourage wider public discourse around the topic.</p>
<p>Saikat Datta is a journalist who began his career in December 1996 and has worked with several publications like The Indian Express, the Outlook magazine and the DNA newspaper. He is currently the Resident Editor of DNA, Delhi. Saikat has authored a book on India's Special Forces and presented papers at seminars organized by the Centre for Land Warfare Studies, the Centre for Air Power Studies and the National Security Guards. He has also been awarded the International Press Institute Award for investigative journalism, the National RTI award in the journalism category and the Jagan Phadnis Memorial Award for investigative journalism.</p>
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<div><strong><em>This work was carried out as part of the Cyber Stewards Network with aid of a grant from the International Development Research Centre, Ottawa, Canada.</em></strong></div>
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For more details visit <a href='https://cis-india.org/internet-governance/blog/cis-cybersecurity-series-part-9-saikat-datta'>https://cis-india.org/internet-governance/blog/cis-cybersecurity-series-part-9-saikat-datta</a>
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