The Centre for Internet and Society
http://editors.cis-india.org
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Methods for Social Change
http://editors.cis-india.org/digital-natives/making-change/methods-for-social-change
<b>On this brief introduction, I outline the main targets of my research project for CIS and the HIVOS Knowledge Program. As a response to the thought piece ‘Whose Change is it Anyway’ I will explore civic engagement among middle class youth over the course of the next 9 months by interviewing change makers and collectives that are part of multi-stakeholder projects in Bangalore.</b>
<h3>Why look at the civic engagement of digital natives?</h3>
<p style="text-align: justify;">Some of the main knowledge gaps in the literature revolve around understanding the type and extent of political motivation and engagement of citizens (Fowler and Biekart, 2011) and how these motivations translate into sustainable and meaningful participation (Cornwall and Coelho, 2007) in the public space. Having the digital platforms as a space of participation, expression and experience (Cornwall and Coelho 2007, Pleyers, 2012) is necessary but insufficient infrastructure for civic engagement. It is the equivalent of building highways to improve the mobility and communication transactions of a community, disregarding the extent to which it connects the interests, knowledges and identities of those who transit these roads. Through the ‘Methods for Social Change’ project I want to explore the different factors behind building a strong sense of citizenship and sustained civic engagement through technology-mediated change practices.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;" class="normal">The project seeks to respond to the questions around change-making raised in the thought piece '<em>Whose Change is it Anyway?', </em>as part of the Making Change project.<em> </em>One of the main challenges today is how to move beyond the ‘spectacle’ created around digitally mediated change. The third axis of the piece specifically refers to what Shah calls the ‘spectacle imperative’, and suggests us to take a look at the less visible, undocumented narratives that are currently shaping change. Maro Pantazidou also makes the distinction between mass events and every-day practices of change; an interesting complement to Shah’s critique. Both frame ‘spectacle’ events that signal change in the public space as frequently short-lived instances of change, that lack a strong foundation to carry the “revolution” forward through every-day behaviour and practices.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;" class="normal">This is not to say I am discrediting the impact of visibility of mass event citizen action. Change must be tackled from different fronts; whether it is by occupying the social imaginary through highly visible displays of civil disobedience or by tackling smaller community battles. However, according to John Gaventa and Gregory Barrett and their findings on mapping the outcomes of citizen engagement, there must be two elements to sustain activism culture: a) the presence of informed active citizens in the movement and b) practicing prefigurative activism, which is establishing horizontal democratic values in the internal organization of this movement. In other words, one of the ways to move beyond the ‘spectacle’ paradigm in citizen action, is through embedding civicness and solidarity networks in its citizens. Hence, my research will be based on the hypothesis that in order to make a transition from spectacle to quotidian activism, change practices must be infused with citizenship-building methods and the negotiation of the citizen identity in public and private spaces.</p>
<h3 style="text-align: justify;" class="normal">Who, Where and How</h3>
<p>From this proposition, there are three areas to be explored:</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;" class="normal">First, the profile of our <strong>change agents. </strong>The population interacting with political and social issues through digital technologies is a very specific and privileged demographic. This group, assuming motivation and disposition, must count with the corresponding access and resources to act. As brought up in the Mapping Digital Media: India Report, recently published by the Open Society Foundation, middle class activism is not only on the rise but is currently experiencing the highest visibility when compared to political and social activism. This is the case not only for India but also for emerging economies in the Global South where the internet penetration rate is very much related to socio-economic status as well as to the urban-rural divide. Shah refers to this as the gentrification of contemporary politics and it is one of the core poignant critiques of his piece.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;" class="normal">However, it also leads to the question of how to channel the resources and privileged accessibility of this group for the 'greater good'. Instead of focusing on the problematic behind this power inequality, I would like to look at how this group is using these resources to create partnerships that allows them to disseminate knowledge, awareness and confidence to other citizens; the formula behind strong citizenship and willingness to act according to Gaventa. This underscores the need for a mapping exercise that looks at the Indian political and social context in Bangalore and India, and identify the main challenges and opportunities to build citizenship and engagement among the middle class.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;" class="normal">Second, <strong>the spaces </strong>where responsible citizenry must be instilled. As mentioned above, one of the main questions is how to translate the horizontal values of pre-figurative activism proposed by Gaventa into the horizontal forms of organization at the community level proposed by Pantazidou. The latter claims that establishing solidarity networks fights citizen alienation by providing a sense of belonging and adds that in order to strengthen these communal relations, citizens must be fully active, present and available in the social arena. In this respect, the possibilities for collaboration through online tools are grand for activism. Online tools and net-ability as pointed out by Fowler and Biekart in their exploration of post-2010 trends in activism, increase connected solidarity and collective consciousness, which are paramount for engaging the populace with its civic duties both in the community as in the larger public space.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;" class="normal">Nevertheless, digital tools remain neutral in the question of how to translate it into sustainable every-day practices for change. In order for online engagement to be truly sustained it must be backed up by a solid offline community that carries this lifestyle forward; a question at the backbone of this research. I will be looking at individuals and collectives from different fields that build partnerships to create positive and sustainable change in Bangalore and India. The objective is to see how further collaboration between change agents translates to the ground level by bringing new groups of people, with different skill sets, lenses and networks into the field of social change. Another interesting possibility is exploring whether these new amalgams of change practices prove to be more enticing and provoking for the 21st century citizen.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;" class="normal">Along these lines, the <strong>methods </strong>utilized to engage this group will be the third area of research. Although the prevalence of the ‘spectacle’ blurs the lines between engaging in meaningful civicness and succumbing into the fad of ready-made activism, it would be interesting to look at what makes the ‘spectacle’ appealing and borrow some of those elements to improve advocacy practices. As outlined in the piece, events of change now seem to demand three characteristics to be effective: legibility, intelligibility and accessibility. Creating an image following these criteria provides the message a degree of visibility and clarity that enables its recognition and further amplification through digital technologies.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;" class="normal">Therefore, the final research goal is to explore multi-stakeholderism and its potential to enhance visibility for social change. Identify artists, graphic designers, start-ups, entrepreneurs and collectives who are remixing their skills with technology to revisit the question of impact and influence on their audience. I would like to test whether Pleyers’ thesis on the cross-fertilization of activisms also applies to strategie and analyse whether this approach helps overcome the limitations of each tactic, foster ownership by different stakeholders and ultimately empower citizens. Furthermore, as part of a generation that is highly stimulated by the 'visual', I am curious to see how the role of aesthetics and inter-disciplinary collaboration behind middle class activism unfolds. Particularly in Bangalore, a crossroads of technology, activism and creativity, innovation is becoming a praxis norm among change makers. What is left to explore is the extent to which this creative ecosystem can produce and attract the apathetic citizen into the camp of sustainable civic action.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;" class="normal">All interviews and change-makers profiles will be published regularly on the <a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/digital-natives/making-change/" class="external-link">Making Change</a> page on the CIS Website.</p>
<hr />
<h2 style="text-align: justify;" class="normal">Sources</h2>
<ol>
<li>Biekart, Kees, and Alan Fowler. "Transforming Activisms 2010+: Exploring Ways and Waves." <em>Development and Change</em> 44, no. 3 (2013): 527-546</li>
<li>Cornwall, Andrea, and Vera Schatten Coelho, eds. <em>Spaces for change?: the politics of citizen participation in new democratic arenas</em>. Vol. 4. Zed Books, 2007.</li>
<li>Gaventa, John, and Gregory Barrett. "So what difference does it make? Mapping the outcomes of citizen engagement." <em>IDS Working Papers</em> 2010, no. 347 (2010): 01-72.</li>
<li>Open Society Foundations “Mapping Digital Media: India, 2012. Retrieved from: <a href="http://www.opensocietyfoundations.org/sites/default/files/mapping-digital-media-india-20130326.pdf">http://www.opensocietyfoundations.org/sites/default/files/mapping-digital-media-india-20130326.pdf</a></li>
<li>Shah, Nishant “Whose Change is it Anyways? <em>Hivos Knowledge Program. </em>April 30, 2013.</li>
<li>Pantazidou, Maro. "Treading New Ground: A Changing Moment for Citizen Action in Greece.</li>
<li>Pleyers, Geoffrey. "Beyond Occupy: Progressive Activists in Europe." <em>Open Democracy: free thinking for the world</em> 2012 (2012): 5pages-8.</li></ol>
<p>
For more details visit <a href='http://editors.cis-india.org/digital-natives/making-change/methods-for-social-change'>http://editors.cis-india.org/digital-natives/making-change/methods-for-social-change</a>
</p>
No publisherdenisseResearchers at WorkWeb PoliticsMaking ChangeDigital Natives2015-04-17T10:42:11ZBlog Entry5 Challenges for the Future of Learning: Digital Natives and How We Shall Teach Them
http://editors.cis-india.org/news/ignite-talks
<b>At the Digital Media and Learning Conference on beyond education technologies, Nishant Shah gave a ignite talk on 5 Challenges for the Future of Learning: Digital Natives and How We Shall Teach Them on March 1, 2012. There was an author's table where he presented and shared the Digital AlterNatives books and info-kits.</b>
<p><strong>Thursday, March 1, 2012 – 4:30-5:45 </strong>(Cyril Magnin Ballroom)</p>
<p>Kea Anderson from SRI International<br /><em>How do you know it's working?: The U.S. Dept. of Education's new Evidence Framework</em><br /><br />Doug Belshaw, Purpos/ed<br /><em>Why we need a debate about the purpose(s) of education<br /></em><br />Tessa Joseph-Nicholas, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill<br /><em>The Zombies and the Revolution: Making Science Fiction Matter in the Digital Culture Classroom<br /></em><br />Peter Kittle, Cal State Univ., Chico<br /><em>Good Memes, Bad Teaching<br /></em><br />Crystle Martin, University of Wisconsin-Madison<br /><em>Interest-Based Crap Detecting<br /></em><br />David Cooper Moore, Temple University<br /><em>What Did Rebecca Black's "Friday" Teach Us About Media Literacy?<br /></em><br />Chad Sansing, Central Virginia Writing Project<br /><em>I used to be a middle school teacher like you until I took an arrow in the knee<br /></em><br />Rafi Santo, Indiana University<br /><em>Why Kids Need to Know How to Hack: Technological Citizenship and the New Civic Education<br /></em><br />Nishant Shah, Centre for Internet and Society<br /><em>5 Challenges for the future of learning: Digital Natives and how we shall teach them</em></p>
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<p><strong>Saturday, March 3, 2012 – 3:30-4:30 </strong>(Cyril Magnin Ballroom)</p>
<p>Heather Braum, Northeast Kansas Library System<br /><em>Learning from Birth to the Grave @ Your Library<br /></em><br />Mel Chua, Purdue University, and Sebastian Dziallas, Olin College<br /><em>Teaching Open Source: Productively Lost For Great Justice<br /></em><br />Ben Chun, Galileo Academy of Science & Technology<br /><em>Programming for Every Subject<br /></em><br />Jane Crayton, UNM, CU Boulder, STEM-A<br /><em>iSTEMart<br /></em><br />Mizuko Ito, University of California, Irvine<br /><em>Occupy Learning<br /></em><br />Henry Jenkins, USC<br /><em>The Samba School Revisited: Play, Performance, and Participation in Education<br /></em><br />Chris Lawrence, Hive Learning Network, NYC<br /><em>Throw a learning party!<br /></em><br />Heather Mallak, Girls, Math & Science Partnership, Click! Spy School<br /><em>Opening things with your teeth<br /></em></p>
<p>Jesse Pickard, MindSnacks<br /><em>How to Make Your Educational Game Not Suck<br /></em><br />Philipp Schmidt, Peer 2 Peer University<br /><em>How to make an online course in 5 minutes<br /></em><br />Jeff Sturges, Mt Elliott Makerspace<br /><em>Makerspaces<br /></em><br />Hsing Wei, Eyebeam and New Visions<br /><em>DTC Lab = teachers + technologists + designers = digital prototypes in 3 months <br /></em></p>
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<p>Venue:<em> </em>Wyndham Parc 55 Hotel<em>, </em>San Francisco, CA 94102</p>
<p><a class="external-link" href="http://dml2012.dmlcentral.net/content/ignite-talks-1">Click on the original here</a></p>
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<h3> Video</h3>
<iframe src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/jMdFPqHtOvQ" frameborder="0" height="315" width="320"></iframe>
<p> </p>
<a class="external-link" href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?gl=IN&v=jMdFPqHtOvQ">The video is also featured in YouTube</a>
<p> </p>
<p>
For more details visit <a href='http://editors.cis-india.org/news/ignite-talks'>http://editors.cis-india.org/news/ignite-talks</a>
</p>
No publisherpraskrishnaDigital Natives2012-04-30T13:04:26ZNews ItemMaking a difference, online and offline
http://editors.cis-india.org/news/making-difference-online-offline
<b>A new collection examines how technology and issues of connectivity are shaping the lives of ‘digital natives’—and how the Net can influence social change, writes Gopal Sathe in an article published in LiveMint on September 27, 2011.</b>
<p>The Centre for Internet and Society, Bangalore, and The Hague, Netherlands-based Hivos Knowledge Programme recently launched a four- book collection, Digital AlterNatives with a Cause?, edited by Nishant Shah and Fieke Jansen. Jansen is the knowledge officer for the Digital AlterNatives with a Cause? Programme at Hivos. In the book, researchers look at the identities, networks, actions and role of the “digital” generation. The researchers talked to people identified as “digital natives” about the way in which the Internet has shaped the way they interact with the world. We spoke to Nishant Shah, co-founder and director-research for the Centre for Internet and Society, about the collection. Edited excerpts:</p>
<p><strong>The research this book talks about is based mostly in other countries, such as Chile, Taiwan and South Africa. How does this connect to the situation in India?</strong></p>
<p>The researchers looked at young people’s use of digital technologies to make changes in their immediate environments within the information landscape of the “Global South” (countries with low to medium rankings in the human development index). We were interested in looking at macro structures that would help us understand what is happening globally.</p>
<p>We did not impose our frameworks and concepts on the communities we were working with. Hence, we did not have the expected discussions of digital divides and digital access. What they found interesting across locations was the question of connectivity and dis-connectivity. In the ubiquitous, unforgetting world of the Internet, we leave traces all the time. This incessant connectivity can come with its own pressures, problems and repercussions, and hence there were discussions around “right to disconnect”, “right to be forgotten” and “right to be non-digital”.</p>
<p>In the early 1990s, there were people who did not have phones, could not make national and international phone calls and had poor communication infrastructure—that changed in less than 10 years. Instead of focusing on access and infrastructure, it became more important to look at the ways in which they shape people’s usage, behaviour, engagement with technology, and with their larger physical realities.</p>
<p><strong>When we consider the “digital landscape” of India, whom are we really discussing?</strong></p>
<p>Popular definitions—somebody who is born with technologies, who did not have to make a transition to digital—are inadequate to account for the realities we experience every day. We made a more inclusive identity, which gets inflected by questions of age, sex, location, class and politics, et al.</p>
<p>The way we understand a digital native now is somebody whose life has been significantly restructured because of their relationship with digital technologies and their ability to see the potentials of change in these technologies. Just having access to digital technologies is not enough. Their purposes, causes, ambitions, intentions are what is going to change the way they use technologies. People are not “born digital” but they “become digital” and the processes of becoming digital are more complex than merely getting access.</p>
<p>New devices and cheaper connections have granted access to a huge number of people—what impact has this had on people’s choices?</p>
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<td> <img src="http://editors.cis-india.org/home-images/Nishant.jpg/image_preview" alt="Ns" class="image-inline image-inline" title="Ns" /></td>
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<p>The “natives” belong to different communities, families and regions. They are influenced by the cultural practices in their everyday life. They depend on different structures of work for their economic survival. They live in differently marked political regimes—from the extreme liberal to the highly authoritarian. Their ways of thinking and engagement, influenced by their practices online, change the larger realities within which they live. For example, digital natives who are used to the peer-to-peer processes of knowledge production online are already changing the ways in which classroom learning is happening in schools around the country. </p>
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<div>At the same time, the larger structures of education, literacy, economic choices, cultural productions like TV and cinema, all influence the content and expectations from the Internet as well. What really matters is how the capacities and capabilities of one medium, the digital, for example, influence and are influenced by the experiences and knowledge in the other—the physical, for instance.</div>
<div> </div>
<div><strong>Would the addition of more Indian-language content on the Internet make a difference to the digital landscape in India? Would it spur greater engagement and therefore have a bigger impact? Is this what’s holding back technologies like telemedicine and distance education?</strong></div>
<div> </div>
<div>There are many user-generated content platforms like Wikipedia and other blogging platforms like WordPress that are promoting the localization of content. It is good that we are offering some resistance to the very quick “Englification” of the online world. But with the current flow of globalization, there is no denying the fact that English is a language with the highest currency and that in our physical realities, it is getting a stronghold in our everyday practices.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>The Internet is a tool, a process, a technology but not a solution. The mere presence of the Internet is not going to lead to social change. Just introducing the Internet to existing structures is only going to lead to a more flawed model of development.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>For example, telemedicine has exciting possibilities but the basic problem of healthcare is not the unavailability of medical resources. What is missing is a universal health Bill to make it affordable to all.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>This is why in this book, we pay specific attention to how and why people engage in processes of change. We have been trying to address the questions of how people see themselves as agents of social change and what are the ways in which digital and Internet technologies enable them to make changes in their immediate environments.</div>
<div> </div>
<p>Digital AlterNatives with a Cause? is available as a free download at <a class="external-link" href="http://www.cis-india.org/digital-natives/blog/dnbook">http://www.cis-india.org/digital-natives/blog/dnbook</a>.</p>
<div>Read the original story published in LiveMint <a class="external-link" href="http://www.livemint.com/2011/09/27210021/Making-a-difference-online-an.html">here</a></div>
<p>
For more details visit <a href='http://editors.cis-india.org/news/making-difference-online-offline'>http://editors.cis-india.org/news/making-difference-online-offline</a>
</p>
No publisherpraskrishnaDigital Natives2011-09-28T07:09:35ZNews ItemAugust 2012 Bulletin
http://editors.cis-india.org/about/newsletters/august-2012-bulletin
<b>Welcome to the newsletter issue of August 2012 from the Centre for Internet & Society (CIS). The present issue features an analysis of the latest list of sites blocked by the Indian government from August 18, 2012 to August 21, 2012, the India Report for Consumers International IP Watchlist 2012, and press coverage related to the recent North East exodus.</b>
<h2><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/internet-governance">Internet Governance</a></h2>
<p>The Internet Governance programme conducts research around the various social, technical, and political underpinnings of global and national Internet governance, and includes online privacy, freedom of speech, and Internet governance mechanisms and processes:</p>
<h3><b>Special Section on Freedom of Expression</b></h3>
<p style="text-align: justify; ">We usually cover Freedom of Expression under Internet Governance. However, in the month of August there has been much discussion regarding the North East exodus from Bangalore and the blocking of a number of websites by the Indian government from August 18 to 21, 2012. This special section covers reportage and original content from CIS:</p>
<p><b>Featured Research</b></p>
<ul>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/internet-governance/blog/analysing-blocked-sites-riots-communalism">Analysing Latest List of Blocked Sites</a> (Communalism & Rioting Edition) (by Pranesh Prakash): Pranesh Prakash did a preliminary analysis on a leaked list of the websites blocked from August 18, 2012 till August 21, 2012 by the Indian government. There were a total of 309 specific items (those being URLs, Twitter accounts, img tags, blog posts, blogs, and a handful of websites) that were blocked. In this analysis, Pranesh examines why these have been blocked, are the blocks legitimate, are there any egregious mistakes, why the whole list hasn’t been put up, why can one access items that are supposed to be blocked, what should the government have done, etc. The analysis was quoted/cross-posted in the following places: <a href="http://blogs.wsj.com/indiarealtime/2012/08/25/opinion-indias-clumsy-twitter-gamble/">Wall Street Journal</a> (August 25, 2012), <a href="http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/article3812819.ece">The Hindu</a> (August 24, 2012), <a href="http://www.livemint.com/2012/08/23210529/How-ISPs-block-websites-and-wh.html?atype=tp">LiveMint</a> (August 24, 2012), <a href="http://globalvoicesonline.org/2012/08/24/india-strong-reactions-to-social-media-censorship/">Global Voices</a> (August 24, 2012), <a href="http://bit.ly/PZN75N">Outlook</a> (August 23, 2012), <a href="http://www.firstpost.com/tech/epic-fail-how-india-compiled-its-banned-list-of-websites-427522.html">FirstPost.India</a> (August 23, 2012), <a href="http://ibnlive.in.com/news/haphazard-censorship-leaked-list-of-blocked-sites/284592-11.html">IBN Live</a> (August 23, 2012), <a href="http://newsclick.in/india/analysing-latest-list-blocked-sites-communalism-rioting-edition">News Click</a> (August 23, 2012), <a href="http://www.medianama.com/2012/08/223-india-internet-blocks/">Medianama</a> (August 23, 2012) and <a href="http://kafila.org/2012/08/23/an-analysis-of-the-latest-round-of-internet-censorship-in-india-communalism-and-rioting-edition-pranesh-prakash/">KAFILA</a> (August 23, 2012).</li>
</ul>
<p><b>Columns</b></p>
<ul>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/internet-governance/www-deccan-herald-aug-26-2012-to-regulate-net-intermediaries-or-not-is-the-question">To regulate Net intermediaries or not is the question</a> (by Sunil Abraham, Deccan Herald, August 26, 2012): “Given the disruption to public order caused by the mass exodus of North-Eastern Indians from several cities, the government has had for the first time in many years, a legitimate case to crackdown on Internet intermediaries and their users.”</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/internet-governance/www-first-post-com-aug-25-2012-nishant-shah-social-media-sms-are-not-why-ne-students-left-bangalore">Social media, SMS are not why NE students left Bangalore</a> (by Nishant Shah, First Post, August 25, 2012): “I woke up one morning to find that I was living in a city of crisis. Bangalore, where the largest public preoccupations to date have been about bad roads, stray dogs, and occasionally, the lack of night-life, the city was suddenly a space that people wanted to flee and occupy simultaneously.”</li>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/internet-governance/down-to-earth-org-nishant-shah-aug-24-2012-what-lurks-beneath-the-network">What lurks beneath the Network</a> (by Nishant Shah, Down to Earth, August 24, 2012): “There is a series of buzzwords that have become a naturalised part of discussions around digital social media—participation, collaboration, peer-2-peer, mobilisation, etc. Especially in the post Arab Spring world (and our own home-grown Anna Hazare spectacles), there is this increasing belief in the innate possibilities of social media as providing ways by which the world as we know it shall change for the better. Young people are getting on to the streets and demanding their rights to the future.”</li>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/internet-governance/www-tehelka-com-sunil-abraham-august-23-2012-censoring-the-internet">Censoring the Internet: A brief manual</a> (by Sunil Abraham, Tehelka, August 23, 2012): “Blocking websites on the Internet should be proportionate to harm they intend. However, the government of India's approach is against the principles of natural justice.”</li>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/internet-governance/www-livemint-com-chinmayi-arun-aug-20-2012-perils-of-hactivism">The Perils of 'Hactivism'</a> (by Chinmayi Arun, LiveMint, August 20, 2012): “Civil disobedience includes accepting the penalty for breaking the law. Untraceable hackers are far removed from this ethic.”</li>
</ul>
<p><b>Foreign Media Coverage</b></p>
<ul>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/news/www-washington-post-rama-lakshmi-august-20-2012-india-blocks-more-than-250-web-sites-for-inciting-hate-panic">India blocks more than 250 Web sites for inciting hate, panic</a> (by Rama Lakshmi, Washington Post on August 20, 2012): “A blanket ban does not necessarily lead to a reduction in the circulation of rumors because people become more vulnerable in a communication vacuum.”— Sunil Abraham.</li>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/news/www-the-globe-and-mail-stephanie-nolen-august-23-2012-indias-ethnic-clashes-intensify-within-social-media-maelstrom">India’s ethnic clashes intensify within social-media maelstrom</a> (by Stephanie Nolen, Globe Mail, August 23, 2012): “Now for a change, the government has legitimate grounds to censor speech...but they’ve cried wolf on so many occasions before.” — Sunil Abraham.</li>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/news/afr-com-aug-24-2012-mark-magnier-india-limits-social-media-after-civil-unrest">India limits social media after civil unrest</a> (by Mark Magnier, Australian Financial Review, August 24, 2012): “Before, the government’s had no grounds for censorship, it was only acting on the bruised egos of bureaucrats and officials... this time, it’s got a legitimate right given the disruption of public order. But it hasn’t done so very effectively.” — Sunil Abraham.</li>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/news/wsj-com-jai-krishna-and-rumman-ahmed-aug-23-2012-new-delhi-expands-curbs-on-web-content">New Delhi Expands Curbs on Web Content</a> (by R Jai Krishna and Rumman Ahmed, Wall Street Journal, August 23, 2012): “The government's move to block several Twitter handles is a clear case of administrative overreach...This action means citizens are less likely to believe that the government can use its powers responsibly.” — Sunil Abraham.</li>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/news/www-livemint-com-aug-24-2012-surabhi-agarwal-govt-in-line-of-fire-over-web-censorship">Govt in line of fire over web censorship</a> (by Surabhi Agarwal, Livemint, August 24, 2012): “Both Kanchan Gupta and Swapan Dasgupta seem to be having a right wing ideology, but while the former’s account is blocked the latter’s is not...The difference is on the kind of content which has been posted.” — Pranesh Prakash.</li>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/news/in-reuters-com-david-lalmalsawma-aug-24-2012-indias-social-media-crackdown-reveals-clumsy-govt-machinery">India's social media crackdown reveals clumsy govt machinery</a> (by David Lalmalsawma, Reuters, August 24, 2012): Pranesh Prakash’s analysis is quoted.</li>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/news/hosted-2-ap-org-aug-24-2012-internet-expert-criticizes-indian-cyber-blockades">Internet expert criticizes Indian cyber blockades</a> (by Muneeza Naqvi, Associated Press, August 24, 2012): “The government has gone overboard and many of its efforts are legally questionable.” — Pranesh Prakash. This was also covered in <a href="http://www.businessweek.com/ap/2012-08-24/internet-expert-criticizes-indian-cyber-blockades">Bloomberg Businessweek</a> (August 24, 2012), <a href="http://www.khaleejtimes.com/kt-article-display-1.asp?xfile=data/international/2012/August/international_August802.xml&section=international">Khaleej Times</a> (August 24, 2012), <a href="http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/wireStory/internet-expert-criticizes-indian-cyber-blockades-17071588#.UDr2TdbibFs">ABC News</a> (August 24, 2012), <a href="http://seattletimes.com/html/businesstechnology/2018980504_apasindiacybercensorship.html" target="_blank">Seattle Times</a> (August 24, 2012), <a href="http://www.vancouversun.com/mobile/news/world-news/Internet+expert+criticizes+India+cyber+blockades+wake+ethnic/7139293/story.html">Vancouver Sun</a> (August 24, 2012), <a href="http://www.kansascity.com/2012/08/24/3776866/internet-expert-criticizes-indian.html" target="_blank">Kansas City</a>. (August 24, 2012), <a href="http://www.timescolonist.com/technology/Internet+expert+criticizes+India+cyber+blockades+wake+ethnic/7139293/story.html" target="_blank">Times Colonist</a> (August 24, 2012), <a href="http://www.mercedsunstar.com/2012/08/24/2494805_internet-expert-criticizes-indian.html">Merced Sun-Star</a> (August 24, 2012), <a href="http://news.yahoo.com/internet-expert-criticizes-indian-cyber-123930580.html">Yahoo News</a> (August 24, 2012), <a href="http://www.sanluisobispo.com/2012/08/24/2197739_internet-expert-criticizes-indian.html">SanLuisObispo.com</a> (August 24, 2012), <a href="http://www.terrorismwatch.org/2012_08_19_archive.html">Terrorism Watch</a> (August 25, 2012), <a href="http://www.sci-tech-today.com/story.xhtml?story_id=84590">Sci-Tech Today</a> (August 26, 2012).</li>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/news/www-livemint-com-aug-24-2012-gopal-sathe-how-isps-block-websites-and-why-it-doesnt-help">How ISPs block websites and why it doesn’t help</a> (by Gopal Sathe, Livemint, August 24, 2012): “Even though many of the items on that list do deserve (in my opinion) to be removed [...] the people and companies hosting the material should have been asked to remove it, instead of ordering the ISPs to block them.” — Pranesh Prakash.</li>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/news/wsj-com-aug-25-2012-rumman-ahmed-r-jai-krishna-indias-internet-curbs-under-legal-cloud">India’s Internet Curbs Under Legal Cloud</a> (by Rumman Ahmed and R Jai Krishna, Wall Street Journal, August 26, 2012):” The four orders that were sent to the ISPs don’t say under which section or under what power these orders are being sent...They were sent without invoking any statute or without invoking any law.” — Pranesh Prakash.</li>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/news/www-ny-times-aug-25-2012-gardiner-harris-after-violence-in-india-a-crackdown-online">After Violence in India, a Crackdown Online</a> (by Gardiner Harris, New York Times, August 25, 2012): “I don’t see this as politically motivated censorship...I see this as gross ineptitude by the government.” — Pranesh Prakash.</li>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/news/http-www-google-com-hostednews-afp-inde-la-tentative-de-controler-i-internet-est-illegale">Inde: la tentative de contrôler l'internet est "illégale</a>" (Agence France Presse, August 24, 2012): Pranesh Prakash is quoted.</li>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/news/www-china-post-aug-24-2012-india-threatens-action-against-twitter-for-ethnic-violence-rumors">India threatens action against Twitter for ethnic violence 'rumors'</a> (originally posted by Ben Sheppard in AFP and published in the China Post, August 25, 2012): Pranesh Prakash’s analysis is quoted.</li>
<li><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/news/www-ciol-com-aug-23-2012-blocked-websites">Blocked websites: Where India flawed</a> (CIOL, August 23, 2012): Pranesh Prakash’s analysis is quoted.</li>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/news/global-voices-online-org-aparna-ray-aug-24-2012india-social-media-censorship-to-contain-cyber-terrorism">India: Social Media Censorship to Contain ‘Cyber-Terrorism'?</a> (by Aparna Ray, Global Voices, August 24, 2012): Pranesh Prakash’s analysis is quoted.</li>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/news/gulf-today-aug-25-2012-delhi-defends-internet-blocking">Delhi defends Internet blocking</a> (Gulf Today, August 25, 2012): “The officials who are trusted with this don’t know the law or modern technology well enough.” — Pranesh Prakash.</li>
<li><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/news/www-ibi-times-co-uk-gianluca-mezzofiore-aug-24-2012-india-blocks-news-website-pages-for-spreading-fear-over-assam-violence">India Blocks News Website Pages for 'Spreading Fear' over Assam Violence</a> (by Gianluca Mezzofiore, International Business Times, August 24, 2012): “The government's highest priority should have been to counter the rumours and it did a really bad job of that.” — Pranesh Prakash.</li>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/news/www-gulf-daily-news-com-aug-25-2012-internet-clamp-outrage">Internet clamp outrage</a> (Gulf Daily, August 25, 2012): Pranesh Prakash is quoted.</li>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/news/in-reuters-com-devidutta-tripathy-satarupa-bhattacharjya-aug-24-2012-india-faces-twitter-backlash">India faces Twitter backlash over Internet clampdown</a> (by Devidutta Tripathy and Satarupa Bhattacharjya, Reuters, August 24, 2012): “This isn't about political censorship. This is about the government not knowing how to do online regulation properly.” — Pranesh Prakash.</li>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/news/afp-com-aug-23-2012-indian-govt-defends-internet-blocking">Indian government defends Internet blocking</a> (AFP, August 23, 2012): “I hope that this fiasco shows the folly of excessive censorship and encourages the government to make better use of social networks and technology to reach out to people.” — Pranesh Prakash. This was cross-posted in the following: <a href="http://www.thenational.ae/lifestyle/spectre-of-violence-justified-internet-blocking-indian-officials-say">The National</a> (August 25, 2012), <a href="http://news.ph.msn.com/sci-tech/indian-govt-defends-internet-blocking" target="_blank">MSN News</a> (August 24, 2012), <a href="http://www.starafrica.com/en/news/detail-news/view/india-warns-twitter-over-ethnic-violence-249196.html" target="_blank">StarAfrica.com</a> (August 24, 2012), <a href="http://www.thejakartaglobe.com/international/india-defends-internet-censorship/540161" target="_blank">Jakarta Globe</a> (August 24, 2012).</li>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/news/www-ft-com-aug-24-2012-james-crabtree-tim-bradshaw-criticism-mounts-over-india-censorship">Criticism mounts over India censorship</a> (by James Crabtree in Mumbai and Tim Bradshaw in San Francisco, Financial Times, August 24, 2012): “I am not questioning their original motives, but I do think this is excessive and incompetent censorship.” — Pranesh Prakash.</li>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/news/www-forbes-com-mark-bergen-aug-29-2012-facebooks-delicate-dance-with-delhi-on-censorship">Facebook's Delicate Dance With Delhi On Censorship</a> (by Mark Bergen, Forbes, August 29, 2012): “Perhaps the Indian government has wasted, frittered away goodwill...It has cried ‘wolf’ so many times that this time the internet intermediaries are not taking them as seriously as they should.” — Sunil Abraham.</li>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/news/www-nytimes-vikas-bajaj-aug-21-2012-internet-analysts-question-indias-efforts-to-stem-panic">Internet Analysts Question India’s Efforts to Stem Panic</a> (by Vikas Bajaj, New York Times, August 21, 2012): “The Internet intermediaries are responding slowly because now they have to trawl through their networks and identify hate speech.” — Sunil Abraham. This was cross-posted in <a href="http://www.ndtv.com/article/india/internet-analysts-question-india-s-efforts-to-stem-panic-257760">NDTV</a> on August 22, 2012. A version of this article appeared in print on August 22, 2012, on page B4 of the New York edition with the headline: Internet Moves by India to Stem Rumors and Panic Raise Questions.</li>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/news/articles-latimes-com-mark-magnier-aug-23-2012-india-limits-social-media-after-civil-unrest">India limits social media after civil unrest</a> (by Mark Magnier, Los Angeles Times, August 23, 2012 and cross-posted in <a href="http://www.channel6newsonline.com/2012/08/after-civil-unrest-indian-government-places-limits-social-media/">Channel 6 News</a> on August 24, 2012): Sunil Abraham is quoted.</li>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/news/www-voanews-com-aug-21-2012-anjana-pasricha-india-debates-misuse-of-social-media">India Debates Misuse of Social Media</a> (by Anjana Pasricha, Voice of America, August 21, 2012 and re-posted in <a href="http://english.chosun.com/site/data/html_dir/2012/08/22/2012082200496.html">Chosunilbo</a> on September 4, 2012): “Social media websites and other Internet intermediaries should have been asked by the government to run banner advertising or some other form of messaging that revealed the lack of truth in the rumors that were circulating.” — Sunil Abraham.</li>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/news/frenchtribune-com-bruce-totolos-aug-22-2012-officials-raise-questions-over-indian-governments-efforts">Officials Raise Questions over Indian Government’s Efforts</a> (by Bruce Totolos, French Tribune, August 22, 2012). “The government acted appropriately, but without sufficient sophistication.” — Sunil Abraham.</li>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/news/www-upi-com-aug-24-2012-india-seeks-a-tighter-grip-on-social-media">India seeks a tighter grip on social media</a> (United Press International, August 24, 2012): Pranesh Prakash is quoted.</li>
</ul>
<p><b>National Media Coverage</b></p>
<ul>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/news/economic-times-aug-24-2012-internet-expert-pranesh-prakash-criticizes-indian-cyber-blockades">Internet expert Pranesh Prakash criticizes Indian cyber blockades</a> (Economic Times, August 24, 2012): Pranesh Prakash is quoted.</li>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/news/times-of-india-aug-24-2012-govt-orders-blocking-of-300-specific-urls-including-16-twitter-accounts">Govt orders blocking of 300 specific URLs including 16 Twitter accounts</a> (Times of India, August 23, 2012): “The blocking of many of the items on the list are legally questionable and morally indefensible, even while a large number of the items ought to be removed.” — Pranesh Prakash.</li>
<li><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/news/tech-2-in-com-ne-exodus">NE exodus: List containing 309 blocked URLs leaks online</a> (tech 2, August 23, 2012): Pranesh Prakash's analysis is quoted.</li>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/news/www-hindustantimes-com-aug-24-2012-govt-cracks-down-on-twitter">Govt cracks down on Twitter</a> (Hindustan Times, August 24, 2012): “The blocking was done without due process of law...the government should have engaged with the social media platforms since a majority — 217 out of 310 — of the block orders were aimed at Facebook, YouTube, and Twitter.” — Pranesh Prakash.</li>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/news/www-hindustantimes-com-aug-24-2012-twitter-users-hit-back-at-govt-ban">Twitter users hit back at government ban</a> (originally posted in Reuters and carried in the Hindustan Times, August 24, 2012): “This isn't about political censorship. This is about the government not knowing how to do online regulation properly.” — Pranesh Prakash.</li>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/news/www-hindustan-times-aug-26-2012-when-goi-blocks-twitterati-fly-off-their-handles">When #GOIBlocks, twitterati fly off their ‘handles’</a> (Hindustan Times, August 26, 2012). Pranesh Prakash’s tweet is quoted.</li>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/news/www-the-hindu-aug-26-v-sridhar-regulating-the-internet-by-fiat">Regulating the Internet by fiat</a> (by V Sridhar, Hindu, August 26, 2012): Pranesh Prakash’s analysis is quoted.</li>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/news/economic-times-aug-26-2012-twitter-handles">Twitter handles: How and why govt erred and what it can do to be smarter & more effective</a> (by TV Mahalingam and Shantanu Nandan Sharma, Economic Times, August 26, 2012): “Perhaps, for the first time, the <a href="http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/topic/Indian-government">Indian government</a> had legitimate reasons to censor speech.” — Sunil Abraham.</li>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/news/tech2-in-com-som-isps-block-wordpress-domain-across-india">Some ISPs block Wordpress domain across India</a> (tech 2, August 25, 2012): Pranesh Prakash’s analysis is quoted.</li>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/news/www-the-hindu-com-aug-24-2012-details-emerge-on-govt-blockade-of-websites">Details emerge on government blockade of websites</a> (Hindu, August 24, 2012): Pranesh Prakash’s analysis is quoted.</li>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/news/www-indolink-com-india-faces-twitter-backlash">India faces Twitter backlash over Internet clampdown</a> (INDOLink, August 25, 2012): Pranesh Prakash is quoted.</li>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/news/www-pbs-org-aug-28-2012-simon-roughneen-india-blocks-facebook-twitter-mass-texts-in-response-to-unrest">India Blocks Facebook, Twitter, Mass Texts in Response to Unrest</a> (by Simon Roughneen, Media Shift, August 28, 2012): “In the older forms of governance, which were imagined through a broadcast model, the government was at the center of the information wheel, managing and mediating what information reached different parts of the country. In the [peer-to-peer] world, where the government no longer has that control, it is now trying different ways by which it can reinforce its authority and centrality to the information ecosystem. Which means that there is going to be a series of failures and models that don't work.” — Nishant Shah.</li>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/news/tech-2-in-com-aug-30-2012-tata-photon-unblocks-wordpress">Tata Photon unblocks Wordpress.com</a> (by Rohini Lakshane, tech 2, August 30, 2012): “This is not the first time an ISP has gone overboard in implementing censorship, be it copyright issues, piracy or inflammatory content. In 2006, the government had <a href="http://pib.nic.in/newsite/erelease.aspx?relid=18954">chastised ISPs</a> for over-censoring content and blocking unintended websites and pages...ISPs have numerous grouses against the government. They do not possess the technical capabilities to implement the government's orders, at times, whether about surveillance or censorship.” — Pranesh Prakash.</li>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/news/www-merinews-com-wahid-bukhari-august-23-2012-northeast-exodus">Northeast exodus: Is there a mechanism to pre-screen social media content?</a> (by Wahid Bukhari, Merinews.com, August 23, 2012): “Given the amount of content uploaded on the larger social networks, pre-screening content is just not possible, while removal upon complaint is. They don't have editors like newspapers do; importantly, they shouldn't.” — Pranesh Prakash.</li>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/news/www-ibnlive-in-com-haphazard-censorship-leaked-list-of-blocked-sites">Haphazard censorship? Leaked list of blocked websites in India</a> (IBN Live, August 23, 2012): Pranesh Prakash’s analysis is quoted.</li>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/news/articles-economictimes-indiatimes-com-govt-asks-twitter-to-block-fake-pmo-india-accounts-site-fails-to-respond">Government asks Twitter to block fake 'PMO India' accounts; site fails to respond</a> (Economic Times, August 23, 2012): Sunil Abraham is quoted.</li>
</ul>
<p><b>Videos</b></p>
<ul>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/news/ibn-live-com-shows-ftn-aug-21-2012-is-it-time-to-regulate-social-media">FTN: Is it time to regulate social media?</a> (IBN Live, August 21, 2012): Sunil Abraham, Pavan Duggal, A Mukherji and Nikhil Pahwa spoke to CNN-IBN Deputy Editor Sagarika Ghose in Face the Nation episode that was telecasted in IBNLive on August 21, 2012. Sunil said “if one looks at the initial orders that the government sent these intermediaries those were very broad instructions. The order was addressed to all intermediaries under the IT Act.” Watch the <a href="http://ibnlive.in.com/shows/Face+the+Nation/284279.html">full video</a> on IBN Live.</li>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/news/www-ndtv-com-aug-23-2012-govt-vs-tweeple-has-clampdown-hit-free-speech">Govt vs Tweeple: Has clampdown hit free speech?</a> (NDTV, August 23, 2012): Has the Government crossed the line by ordering the blocking of several Twitter accounts, many belonging to prominent journalists? The debate was featured in NDTV on August 23, 2012. Sunil Abraham spoke to Sonia Singh of NDTV. Sunil said that “we should focus on designing of the censorship regime in the country and the lack of compliance with the principles of natural justice.” Watch the <a href="http://www.ndtv.com/video/player/india-decides-9/govt-vs-tweeple-has-clampdown-hit-free-speech/243830?vod-mostpopular">full video</a> on NDTV.</li>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/news/www-ndtv-com-we-the-people-aug-26-2012-is-the-govt-caught-in-the-censorship-web">Is the govt caught in the 'censorship' web?</a> (NDTV, August 26, 2012): In “We the People” Pranesh Prakash responded to Barkha Dutt’s question on what does a government do in a time of social unrest. See the <a href="http://www.ndtv.com/video/player/we-the-people/is-the-govt-caught-in-the-censorship-web/244248">full debate</a> on NDTV.</li>
</ul>
<p><b>Events Organised</b></p>
<ul>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/internet-governance/role-of-us-tech-companies-in-govt-surveillance">Role of the US Tech Companies in Government Surveillance: A Lecture by Christopher Soghoian</a> (CIS, Bangalore, August 27, 2012): Christopher Soghoian gave a lecture on the role companies play in assisting government surveillance.</li>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/internet-governance/iacs-summer-school-2012">The Asian Edge: 2012 Inter-Asia Cultural Studies Society Summer School</a>: The 2nd Biannual Inter Asia Cultural Studies (IACS) Summer School was hosted in Bangalore by CIS and the Centre for the Study of Culture and Society.</li>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/internet-governance/biometric-identification">Biometric Identification: Specified Error, Accuracy and Efficiency, Considered for the Operations of the UIDAI — A Talk by Hans Varghese Mathews</a> (CIS, Bangalore, August 17, 2012): Hans Varghese Mathews gave a public lecture on biometric identification.</li>
</ul>
<p><b>Events Participated</b></p>
<ul>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/news/sixth-meeting-of-sub-groups-on-privacy-issues">Sixth Meeting of the two Sub-Groups on Privacy Issues under the Chairmanship of Justice AP Shah</a> (Committee Room No. 228, Yojana Bhawan, Sansad Marg, New Delhi, August 31, 2012): Sunil Abraham participated in the meeting.</li>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://conference.apnic.net/34/program/inet-gov-plenary">APNIC 34 Conference</a> (Phnompenh, Cambodia, August 23 – 31, 2012): Sunil Abraham was a panelist along with Ang Peng Hwa, Paul Wilson, Duangthip Chomprang and Raul Echeberria in the session on Internet Governance Plenary. The event was organised by APNIC.</li>
</ul>
<p><b>Events Hosted</b></p>
<ul>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://www.meetup.com/Bangalore-Designers/events/70796372/">Meetup for Bangalore's designers</a> (CIS, Bangalore, August 11, 2012): CIS hosted the meet-up in Bangalore.</li>
<li style="text-align: justify; ">Visit by students from Hindustan University, Chennai (CIS, Bangalore, August 16, 2012): Sunil Abraham and Elonnai Hickok gave a lecture to students from the Hindustan University.</li>
<li style="text-align: justify; ">Interface Intimacies (TERI Complex, Bangalore, August 18 – 20, 2012): CIS conducted a research workshop with Audrey Yue and Namita Malhotra.</li>
</ul>
<p><b>Upcoming Events</b></p>
<ul>
<li><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/internet-governance/thinking-with-data">Thinking with Data@CIS</a> (CIS, Bangalore, September 16 – 18, 2012): The Thinking with Data course offered at the National Institute of Advanced Studies (NIAS) will be screened at CIS, Bangalore. The screening will be followed by online discussions with the faculty through Skype or Google+ Hangouts. Screening starts from September 12.</li>
<li><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/internet-governance/cartonama-conference">Cartonama Conference</a> (MLR Convention Centre, JP Nagar, Bangalore, September 22, 2012): The Cartonama Conference is centred around geospatial data, mapping and location based services. HasGeek supported by CIS is organising this event.</li>
<li><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/internet-governance/uk-dna-database-and-european-court-of-human-rights-lessons-that-india-can-learn-from-mistakes">UK DNA Database and the European Court of Human Rights</a>: Lessons that India can Learn from Its Mistakes (Alternative Law Forum, Infantry Road, Shivaji Nagar, Bangalore, September 24, 2012): CIS in collaboration with Alternative Law Forum invites the public to a talk with international experts, Helen Wallace from GeneWatch, UK and Jeremy Gruber from the Council for Responsible Genetics in the United States.</li>
</ul>
<hr />
<h2><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/telecom">Telecom</a></h2>
<p style="text-align: justify; ">While the potential for growth and returns exist for telecommunications in India, a range of issues need to be addressed. One aspect is more extensive rural coverage and the other is a countrywide access to broadband which is low. Both require effective and efficient use of networks and resources, including spectrum:</p>
<p><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/telecom/telecom-knowledge-repository/knowledge-and-capacity-around-telecom-policy" class="external-link"><b>Building Knowledge and Capacity around Telecommunication Policy in India</b></a></p>
<p style="text-align: justify; ">Ford Foundation has given a grant of USD 2,00,000 to CIS to build expertise in the area of telecommunications in India. The knowledge repository deals with these modules: Introduction to Telecommunications, Telecommunications Infrastructure and Technologies, Government of India Regulatory Framework for Telecom, Telecommunication and the Market, Universal Access and Accessibility, The International Telecommunications Union and other international bodies, Broadcasting, Emerging Topics and Way Forward. Dr. Surendra Pal, Satya N Gupta, Paranjoy Guha Thakurta, Payal Malik, Dr. Rakesh Mehrotra and Dr. Nadeem Akhtar are the expert reviewers.</p>
<p><span class="visualHighlight">The following are the new outputs:</span></p>
<ul>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/telecom/telecom-knowledge-repository/auctioning-and-allocation-of-spectrum">Auctioning and Allocation of Spectrum</a> (by Snehashish Ghosh): Auction of spectrums was introduced in the telecommunication market after the failure of the administrative process of allocating spectrum. Auctions use a price mechanism to allocate spectrum. Auction of spectrum can be used to increase efficiency and earn maximum revenue.</li>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/telecom/telecom-knowledge-repository/trai-act-1997">The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India Act, 1997</a> (by Snehashish Ghosh): The main objective of the TRAI Act was to establish the TRAI and the Telecom Dispute Settlement Appellate Tribunal. Snehashish also touches upon the amendment to the TRAI Act, government control over TRAI, scheme of the TRAI Act, constitution of TRAI, its powers and functions, grounds and procedures for appeal to the tribunal, etc.</li>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/telecom/telecom-knowledge-repository/broadband-wireless-access">Broadband Wireless Access – Standards</a> (by Jürgen Kock): Jürgen tells us about the broadband wireless access standards, why we need technical standards, who define BWA standards, WiMAX standards and long term evolution.</li>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/telecom/telecom-knowledge-repository/mesh-networks">Mesh Networks</a> (by Ravikiran Annaswamy): Ravikiran tells us the definition of Mesh Networks, its importance, applications and the things to explore in future.</li>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/telecom/telecom-knowledge-repository/national-telecom-policy">National Telecom Policy, 2012</a> (by Snehashish Ghosh): The National Telecom Policy, 2012 was approved by the Union Cabinet on May 31, 2012. Snehashish tells us about the vision of the National Telecom Policy, 2012, its background, the strategies (broadband rural telephony and universal service obligation fund), licensing, convergence and value-added services, spectrum management, etc.</li>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/telecom/telecom-knowledge-repository/new-telecom-policy-1999">New Telecom Policy, 1999</a> (by Snehashish Ghosh): The New Telecom Policy, 1999 was formulated on the basis of the report of Group on Telecommunication. In this unit, Snehashish talks about the objectives of the Policy, its targets, the new category of service providers, role of the regulator, other mandates to the Policy, amendment to the New Telecom Policy, 1999, etc.</li>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/telecom/telecom-knowledge-repository/national-telecom-policy-1994">National Telecom Policy, 1994</a> (by Snehashish Ghosh): The National Telecom Policy, 1994 was formulated for the purpose of opening up the Indian markets for foreign direct investment as well as domestic investment in the telecom sector. Snehashish throws light on the objectives of the National Telecom Policy, 1994, the status of telecom services prior to the implementation of the aforesaid Policy; value added services, hardware and technological aspects, basic services, and outcomes of the National Telecom Policy.</li>
</ul>
<p><b>Column in Business Standard</b></p>
<ul>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/telecom/http-organizing-india-blogspot-in-aug-2-2012-shyam-ponappa-decision-analysis-for-interest-rates">Decision Analysis for Interest Rates - II</a> (Shyam Ponappa, Business Standard, August 2, 2012): “India needs to make practical choices that prioritise growth. This is the second column. The previous column was published in the Business Standard on July 5, 2012. It explained how lower interest rates could improve growth by increasing net profits.”</li>
</ul>
<hr />
<h2 style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/a2k">Access to Knowledge</a></h2>
<p style="text-align: justify; ">The Access to Knowledge programme addresses the harms caused to consumers, developing countries, human rights, and creativity/innovation from excessive regimes of copyright, patents, and other such monopolistic rights over knowledge:</p>
<p><b>Key Research</b></p>
<ul>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/a2k/consumers-international-ip-watchlist-report-2012">Consumers International IP Watchlist 2012 — India Report</a> (by Pranesh Prakash): The India Report for Consumers International IP Watchlist 2012 was published on the A2K Network website. According to the report, India's Copyright Act is a relatively balanced instrument that recognises the interests of consumers through its broad private use exception, and by facilitating the compulsory licensing of works that would otherwise be unavailable. However, the compulsory licensing provision have not been utilized so far, because of both a lack of knowledge and more importantly because of the stringent conditions attached to them.</li>
</ul>
<p><b>Press Coverage</b></p>
<ul>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/news/www-businessworld-in-jaya-bhattacharji-rose-august-9-copyright-law">Copyright Law: More Than a Moral Obligation</a> (by Jaya Bhattacharji Rose, Businessworld, August 9, 2012): “So far, things have worked well because sepia-tinted photographs have generally become part of the public domain. But now, only photographs by photographers who died before 1951 are part of the public domain. This has shrivelled up the public domain in photographs since it is even more difficult to trace the photographer...than to estimate the age of a photograph, determining whether a photograph is in the public domain is laden with uncertainty. The use of historical photos in books (and Wikipedia) will be badly affected.”— Pranesh Prakash.</li>
</ul>
<hr />
<h2><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/accessibility">Accessibility</a></h2>
<p style="text-align: justify; ">India has an estimated 70 million disabled persons who are unable to read printed materials due to some form of physical, sensory, cognitive or other disability. The disabled need accessible content, devices and interfaces facilitated via copyright law and electronic accessibility policies:</p>
<p><b>Blog Entry</b></p>
<ul>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/accessibility/ring-side-view">Ring Side View: Update on WIPO Negotiations on the Treaty for the Visually Impaired</a> (by Rahul Cherian): As the negotiations between Member States progressed it became clear that the United States and the European Union were blocking the Treaty while everybody else was pushing hard for the Treaty. The United States and the European Union were pushing for some form of non-binding instrument that would be more in the nature of a recommendation. Further coverage of this is at <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/07/26/blind-treaty-2012_n_1706543.html">Huffington Post</a> and in the <a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/global-development/2012/jul/30/us-eu-blocking-treaty-blind-books">Guardian</a>.</li>
</ul>
<hr />
<h2><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/digital-natives">Digital Natives</a></h2>
<p style="text-align: justify; ">Digital Natives with a Cause? examines the changing landscape of social change and political participation in light of the role that young people play through digital and Internet technologies, in emerging information societies. Consolidating knowledge from Asia, Africa and Latin America, it builds a global network of knowledge partners who critically engage with discourse on youth, technology and social change, and look at alternative practices and ideas in the Global South:</p>
<p><b>Public Talk</b></p>
<ul>
<li>Decoding Digital Natives (Mudra Institute of Communications, Ahmedabad, August 31, 2012): Nishant Shah gave a public lecture.</li>
</ul>
<hr />
<h2><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/about/openness">Openness</a></h2>
<p style="text-align: justify; ">The 'Openness' programme critically examines alternatives to existing regimes of intellectual property rights, and transparency and accountability. Under this programme, we study Open Government Data, Open Access to Scholarly Literature, Open Access to Law, Open Content, Open Standards, and Free/Libre/Open Source Software:</p>
<p><b>Event Hosted</b></p>
<ul>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/openness/bangalore-force-com-cloud-apps-developer-meetup-event">Bangalore Force.com August Meetup</a> (CIS, Bangalore, August 19, 2012): John Barnes, CTO Model Metrics gave a lecture at the event organised by Bangalore Force.com.</li>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/openness/technology-evangelists-religious-evangelists">Technology Evangelists and Religious Evangelists — A Talk by Katherine Sydenham</a> (CIS, Bangalore, August 10, 2012): Katherine Sydenham from the University of Michigan School gave a lecture.</li>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/openness/data-driven-journalism-data-literacy-and-open-govt">Data-Driven Journalism, Data Literacy & Open Government — Talk at CIS</a> (CIS, Bangalore, August 1, 2012): The event was co-organised by Open Knowledge Foundation and CIS. Lucy Chambers and Laura Newman gave an informal talk on ‘Data-Driven Journalism, Data Literacy, and Open Government'.</li>
</ul>
<p><b>CIS is hiring</b><br /> *<a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/jobs">Jobs</a>*<br /> CIS is seeking applications from interested candidates for the following posts:</p>
<ul>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/jobs/research-manager">Research Manager</a>: CIS is seeking an individual, full-time, for a period of 12 months, beginning from October 2012. The Research Manager is expected to contribute to conceptualising, managing and executing research projects in the field of Internet and Society, build knowledge networks of researchers towards collaborative and open knowledge production and dissemination, developing and executing the monitoring and evaluation processes for humanities and social sciences based research, supporting and managing academic, popular and hybrid publishing projects from existing and new research and initiate innovative and creative areas and methodologies of studying the Internet and its practices in India and the larger Global South, to develop key research clusters and networks. Send in your applications to <a href="mailto:admin@cis-india.org">admin@cis-india.org</a>.</li>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/jobs/vacancy-for-researcher-accessibility">Researcher/Editor</a> (Accessibility): CIS is hiring for the full-time position of a researcher for its accessibility programme. The job will entail working on researching on national and international policies and best practices in the field of accessibility of information and technology for persons with disabilities. To apply, please send your CV and three examples of writing to <a href="mailto:nirmita@cis-india.org">nirmita@cis-india.org</a></li>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/jobs/vacancy-for-programme-director">Programme Director – Access to Knowledge</a>: CIS is seeking a Programme Director for its New Delhi office. The Programme Director will manage CIS’s Access to Knowledge programme which is funded by the Wikimedia Foundation, to support the growth of Wikipedia and its sister projects and to advance access to free knowledge in India. The Programme Director will partner with the large Wikimedia community in India to focus on Indic and English languages and will manage a team of four staff members.</li>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/jobs/programme-officer-internet-governance">Programme Officer – Internet Governance</a>: CIS is seeking an individual with a strong background in legal research and policy work to be part of its internet governance (IG) programme. The candidates must have good knowledge of Indian and international law on freedom of expression and privacy, demonstrable research skills, have strong communication skills and be media savvy with the ability to convey complex legal issues clearly to a general audience, open to travel and work independently.</li>
</ul>
<p style="text-align: justify; ">To apply for the posts of Programme Director and Programme Officers, please send your resume to Sunil Abraham (<a href="mailto:sunil@cis-india.org">sunil@cis-india.org</a>) or Pranesh Prakash (<a href="mailto:pranesh@cis-india.org">pranesh@cis-india.org</a>) with three references.</p>
<hr />
<h2><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/about/">About CIS</a></h2>
<p style="text-align: justify; ">CIS was registered as a society in Bangalore in 2008. As an independent, non-profit research organisation, it runs different policy research programmes such as Accessibility, Access to Knowledge, Openness, Internet Governance, and Telecom. Over the last four years our policy research programmes have resulted in outputs such as the <a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/advocacy/accessibility/blog/e-accessibility-handbook">e-Accessibility Policy Handbook for Persons with Disabilities</a> with ITU and G3ict, and <a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/digital-natives/front-page/blog/dnbook">Digital Alternatives with a Cause?</a>, <a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/digital-natives/front-page/blog/position-papers">Thinkathon Position Papers</a> and the <a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/digital-natives/front-page/blog/digital-natives-with-a-cause-a-report">Digital Natives with a Cause? Report</a> with Hivos. With the Government of India we have done policy research for Ministry of Communications & Information Technology, Ministry of Human Resource Development, Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions, Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, etc., on <a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/a2k/blog/cis-analysis-july2011-treaty-print-disabilities">WIPO Treaties</a>, <a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/a2k/blog/analysis-copyright-amendment-bill-2012">Copyright Bill</a>, <a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/internet-governance/front-page/blog/cis-feedback-to-nia-bill">NIA Bill</a>, etc.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify; ">CIS is an accredited NGO at WIPO and has given policy briefs to delegations from various countries, our Programme Manager, Nirmita Narasimhan won the <a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/accessibility/blog/national-award">National Award for Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities</a> from the Government of India and also received the <a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/news/nirmita-nivh-award">NIVH Excellence Award</a>.</p>
<hr />
<h3><b>Follow us elsewhere</b></h3>
<ul>
<li>Get short, timely messages from us on Twitter</li>
<li>Join the CIS group on <a href="http://www.facebook.com/groups/28535315687/">Facebook</a></li>
<li>Visit us at <a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/">http://cis-india.org</a></li>
</ul>
<p style="text-align: justify; "><i>CIS is grateful to its donors, Ford Foundation, Privacy International, UK, Hans Foundation and the Kusuma Trust which was founded by Anurag Dikshit and Soma Pujari, philanthropists of Indian origin, for its core funding and support for most of its projects.</i></p>
<p>
For more details visit <a href='http://editors.cis-india.org/about/newsletters/august-2012-bulletin'>http://editors.cis-india.org/about/newsletters/august-2012-bulletin</a>
</p>
No publisherpraskrishnaAccess to KnowledgeDigital NativesTelecomAccessibilityInternet GovernanceCISRAWOpenness2012-09-11T14:53:44ZPageInformation Design - Visualizing Action (TTC)
http://editors.cis-india.org/digital-natives/making-change/tactical-technology-design-activism-1
<b>This is the second part of the Making Change analysis on information activism. It explores the role of the presentation and design of information to translate information into action.</b>
<pre style="text-align: justify;"><strong>CHANGE-MAKER:</strong> Maya Ganesh
<strong>
PROJECT</strong>:
Visualizing Information for Advocacy
<strong><strong>
METHOD OF CHANGE</strong>:
</strong>Redesign the production, presentation and representation of data to stimulate citizen action.<strong>
STRATEGY OF CHANGE: </strong>
- Demystify the technology, strategy and tactics behind information design
- Train people on how to use them for their projects.
- Empower people and increase political participation at the grassroots</pre>
<h2>Part 2: Information Design</h2>
<p align="justify">Tactical Technology aims to demystify strategies that stimulate citizen participation through the production, presentation and representation of data. Their 2010 program:<a href="https://tacticaltech.org/visualising-information-advocacy"> Visualizing Information for Advocacy</a> focuses on finding "the right combination of information, design, technology and networks" (2010) to communicate issues and stimulate action. As explored in the last post, campaigns must not only inform citizens, but must persuade them into acting. The way information is presented: the symbols, shapes and sequences plays a big part in creating deeper connections between the consumer and information. Using more visual advocacy examples, I will list three elements that underpin this connection: symbols, design and consumption culture.</p>
<h3>I. Symbols</h3>
<p><strong>Marks or characters representing an object, function or abstract process</strong></p>
<p>Lance Bennett’s work on civic engagement (2008), identified two features in information that motivate citizens to act:</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;" dir="ltr">a) Familiar values and activities<br /> b) Action options that facilitate decision-making and the participation process</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">By personalizing data and finding symbols that embody these values and action options, the citizen is more likely to engage with the information. Throughout this post we will look at some examples, outside of Tactical Tech, that are applying these principles.</p>
<pre style="text-align: justify;" dir="ltr">Example 1:<br />Dislike Poverty Campaign- Un Techo para mi Pais (TECHO) Latin America<br /></pre>
<p style="text-align: justify;" dir="ltr">First example is this is the <a href="http://vimeo.com/15656801">campaign</a> by the Chilean NGO<a href="http://www.techo.org/en/"> Un Techo para mi Pais</a>. The organization’s main objectives are to a) to eradicate poverty and b) build a strong body of volunteers that epitomize a new way of understanding citizenship in the region. They are very popular among youth, in part due to their communication strategies and their use of social media. Recently, the ‘No Me Gusta’ (Dislike) campaign was featured in Spanish graphic design activism blog:<a href="http://www.grafous.com/no-me-gusta/"> Grafous</a>, and the non-profit marketing website<a href="http://osocio.org/message/no_me_gusta_i_dislike_this/"> Osocio</a> for its creative use of 'slacktivism' to mirror the young citizen's attitude towards poverty.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;" class="callout"><strong>Slacktivism</strong>: "actions performed via the Internet in support of a political or social cause but regarded as requiring little time or involvement, e.g. liking or joining a campaign group on a social networking website"</p>
<p align="center"><img src="http://editors.cis-india.org/digital-natives/blog/TECHO1.jpg/image_preview" alt="Techo 1" class="image-inline image-inline" title="Techo 1" /></p>
<p align="center"><img src="http://editors.cis-india.org/digital-natives/blog/TECHO2.jpg/image_preview" alt="Techo 2" class="image-inline image-inline" title="Techo 2" /><br /><span id="docs-internal-guid-3c3e8713-307f-8c4d-a5bf-1b5269c5701e">No Me Gusta campaign, Un Techo para mi Pais. Photo courtesy of Grafous: <a class="external-link" href="http://www.grafous.com/no-me-gusta/">http://www.grafous.com/no-me-gusta/</a>.</span></p>
<p align="justify">The images juxtapose pictures of slums and an adaptation of the Facebook Like button - a familiar symbol of affirmation and approval among youth- into a Dislike button: enabling expression of discontent. This is coupled with the phrase: “<em>if you dislike this, you can help by logging onto (...)</em>”, channeling this disapproval into a plan of action. The campaign shows a thorough understanding of its target audience: including the visual culture of social media users, their digital habits and their satisfaction driven behavior (embodied by the like button). It ridicules the user by facing him with two realities: the ineludible situation of poverty versus his redeemable slacktivist idleness. This strategy proved to be effective and attracted the attention of potential volunteers; asserting the middle class, tech-savvy identity of the TECHO volunteer throughout Latin America.</p>
<blockquote style="float: left;">
<p align="center"><strong>Nonviolent methods and <br />Civic Participation</strong></p>
<ul>
<li>Capture attention.</li>
<li>Increase visibility of activism.</li>
<li>Reduce the stake of participation <br />for citizens</li>
<li>Attracts 'risk-averse' citizens and<br />creates 'safety in numbers'.</li>
<li>Success of campaign is more likely<br />(if 3.5% of population participates)</li></ul>
</blockquote>
<p align="justify">The use of familiar symbols is one of the <a href="http://www.starhawk.org/activism/trainer-resources/198ways.html">198 strategies</a> listed by Gene Sharp in Part Two of <a href="http://www.aeinstein.org/books/the-politics-of-nonviolent-action-part-2/">The Politics of Nonviolent Action</a> (explored in a<a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/digital-natives/blog/digitally-enhanced-civil-resistance"> past post</a>). In the same spirit, Tactical Technology’s project <a href="https://archive.informationactivism.org/">10 tactics</a> provides “original and artful” wide communication non-violent methods to capture attention and disseminate information. This includes slogans, caricatures, symbols, posters and media presence, which besides from grabbing attention also reduces the stake of participation for citizens. According to Erica Chenoweth and Maria Stephan, these methods increase the visibility of activist efforts, because they create a sense of ‘safety in numbers” and hence draw the “risk-averse” into the movements. Furthermore, their study shows that if a campaign manages to capture the active and sustained participation of only 3.5% of the total population, it is likely to succeed (2008).</p>
<p align="justify">While this statistic shows that enhancing the visibility of social change campaigns is an extremely resource-efficient strategy, on the other hand, it confirms information is in the hands of a privileged minority. The information-poor activist is completely reliant on the values and symbols the middle class chooses to downstream, unless information is designed by grassroots organizations who can localize it -one of the main objectives of Tactical Technology. The flow of ideas and conversations among the middle class, though not inclusive, is already stimulating the spirit of information dissemination. However, representations of data are not enough to trigger cognitive associations between the citizen and the issues. We must also consider the design and aesthetic features of these representations and how they inspire civic engagement.</p>
<h3>II. (Graphic) Design</h3>
<p><strong>Communication, stylizing and problem-solving through the use of type, space and image. </strong></p>
<blockquote>
<p id="docs-internal-guid-3c3e8713-3345-6c35-9147-f1533da6a2fe" style="text-align: justify;" class="callout" dir="ltr"><strong>MG</strong>: Presentation continues to be a problem. We have focused a lot on this, but it continues to be an issue when people have and are using information. You can’t assume people will get it and you need to think about what kind of information you have and what kind of audiences you want to see it, etc.</p>
</blockquote>
<p style="text-align: justify;">Liz Mcquiston, author of the 1995 and the 2004 editions of Graphic Agitation explored how art and design brings political and social issues to the fore. She argues that the increasing ubiquity of digital technology since the 90s, plus a popular ‘do-it-yourself’ culture, is creating a new environment of political protest that empowers individuals to take ownership of the creation and consumption of information. This is in line with Richard Wurman’s argument on the rise of the <strong>prosumer: </strong>digital users who are not only consuming but are also producing an unprecedented amount of information, which states that larger volumes of information, coupled with the expressive potential of art and design, makes personalized relationships with data possible, having it cater to our interests, needs and contexts (2001).</p>
<pre style="text-align: justify;" dir="ltr">Example 2:<br />Design for Protest by Hector Serrano (University Cardenal Herrera)<br /></pre>
<div style="text-align: justify;" class="pull quote" dir="ltr">Information design is creating ready-made avenues for civic engagement by breaking data down and providing step by step guides for implementation. For instance, students from the University Cardenal Herrera in Spain collaborated together in the project: “<a href="http://designforprotest.wordpress.com/proyectos/">Design for Protest”</a>, led by <a href="http://www.hectorserrano.com/">Hector Serrano</a>, graphic designer and activist. The concept was to design “effective and functional” tools of demonstration, rooted in the rising number of protests around the world during the economic crisis. The students created communication tools: from foldable banners to protest umbrellas that allow protesters in Spain (and around the world) to convey their messages in creative, quick and affordable ways. This is the perfect conflation between consuming information proposals and producing new information from the grassroots to intervene in the public space.</div>
<p align="center" style="text-align: justify;" dir="ltr"><br /><img src="http://designforprotest.files.wordpress.com/2012/03/10.jpg?w=920" alt="" height="450" width="665" align="middle" /></p>
<p align="center">Paraguas (Umbrella). Photo courtesy and How-to: <a href="http://designforprotest.wordpress.com/2012/03/30/paraguas/">Design For Protest: Paraguas<br /></a></p>
<p align="center"><img src="http://designforprotest.files.wordpress.com/2012/03/4_01.jpg?w=920" alt="" height="450" width="665" align="middle" /><br /> Light Banner. Photo courtesy and How-to: <a href="http://designforprotest.wordpress.com/2012/03/30/light-banner/">Design For Protest: Light Banner</a></p>
<p align="center"><a href="http://designforprotest.wordpress.com/2012/03/30/paraguas/"><br /></a></p>
<div align="center"><img src="http://designforprotest.files.wordpress.com/2012/03/2_05.jpg?w=920" alt="" height="558" width="397" align="middle" /></div>
<p align="center" style="text-align: center;" dir="ltr">Pocket Protest. Photo courtesy and How-to: <a href="http://designforprotest.wordpress.com/2012/03/30/protesta-de-bolsillo/">Design for Protest: Protesta de Bolsillo</a></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;" dir="ltr">The field of information design is creating ready-made avenues for civic engagement. It is breaking down data and providing step-by-step guides for implementation. Although the Design for Protest project is not creating a permanent source of information, it is providing feasible alternatives to display information both in short-lived protests as much as in long-term campaigns, facilitating action-taking and abiding to the second feature of Bennett's hypothesis: providing action options to aid decision-making. Ganesh commented how these tool kits are also a mean Tactical Tech uses to secure sustainability and continuity:</p>
<blockquote>
<p style="text-align: justify;" class="callout"><span id="docs-internal-guid-4b925b2a-3424-bea4-cc67-94b3cb5dc47a"><strong>MG:</strong> We have many available resources: from tools and guides (mobile in a box, security in a box, etc.), to the website. It is very focused on the digital tools that support what you want to do with your campaigning. You have a plethora of websites telling you what tools to use but not how to use it or how to think about how you want to use them for campaigning. As a result you have campaigns that are not well thought or that don’t use the appropriate type of technology, or driven by the technology first than what they want to do. This is one of the ways in which it continues.</span></p>
</blockquote>
<h3></h3>
<h3>III. (Culture) Design</h3>
<p><strong>Localizing information design</strong></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">The <strong>‘prosumer’ model </strong>aligns with an active model of citizenship we describe in a <a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/digital-natives/making-change/blank-noise-active-citizen-dissonance">previous post.</a> It fits citizens who are active and willing to find resources, and create and disseminate information that resonates within their context. Yochai Benkler’s work on information production (2006) Also touches on how cultural production enhances democratic practices in network societies. He argues that creating cultural meaning of the world has two important effects:</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;" dir="ltr">a) Sustains values of individual freedom of expression.<br />b) Provides opportunities of participation and cultural reassertion.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;" dir="ltr">Ganesh’s account of the experience of Tactical Technology in the Middle East also highlights how cultural remix is a form political and creative empowerment:</p>
<blockquote>
<p style="text-align: justify;" class="callout" dir="ltr"><strong>MG:</strong> It is interesting how the Arab version has evolved. We had support to extend Ten Tactics in the Arabic region, but we didn’t want to do translations and tell people what to do. We wanted to see how people are thinking about information activism in their region, what kind of products would be useful to them. We’ve already printed 2000 copies and we are left only with 140. It is really popular because people really want to do this. We’ve met with 5-7 groups in the Arab region we’ve known for a long time. We said: here’s money (originally meant for translations) take our resources, anything you’ve found that we’ve published and: customize it, remix it, break it up and put it back together again; turn it into a resource that you can feel you can use with your communities. Partnering up, you must keep in mind their mandates and their communities.</p>
</blockquote>
<p style="text-align: justify;" dir="ltr">Localizing design and aesthetics is essential to keep the connections between data-citizen relevant. This is explored from the perspective of post-colonial computing by Irani et. al; a project that aims to understand how ‘good design’ must be consistent with cultural identities and the transformative nature of cultural formation between the context and the individual (2010).</p>
<pre style="text-align: justify;" dir="ltr"><strong>Example 3:</strong><br />Proudly African and Transgender by Gabrielle Le Roux (In collaboration with Amnesty International and IGLHRC)</pre>
<p style="text-align: justify;" dir="ltr">An interesting example of this is the work done by Gabrielle Le Roux, in collaboration with African trans and intersex activists (<a href="http://www.iglhrc.org">IGLHRC</a>). A showcase of portraits and uncovered narratives of transgendered Africans in East and Southern Africa: that reasserts interesex and transgender identity in a society were these issues remain taboo and hence under the radar.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;" dir="ltr"><img style="float: left;" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/f1HV0NnuLqLOP-N36QGFbr-eXSILqtz0vFXA6OrSTqPuqiniOe89xiyxhJqnlD2wRLgcOtPQYZf3po7biJGQZ9gCAwROMbywL9xyjO6OkyzcK3jNzIqWwT8J4Q" alt="" height="427px;" width="303px;" /> <img style="float: right;" dir="ltr" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/vCK1YHfG-_rOjr8VS8dRv4GVGE7AmrsalUMhIgMNP4Io6Th8IVHg4h5syGa0-NRrEMKhRjtpFPB877ssMJwtncjtM_w8YTt-gCiDpEgh64kbZlAuunQ-hvwrvw" alt="" height="431" width="303" /></p>
<p align="center" style="text-align: justify;" dir="ltr"><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /></p>
<p align="center" style="text-align: justify;" dir="ltr"> </p>
<p align="center" style="text-align: justify;" dir="ltr">These visuals were exhibited in Europe by Amnesty International, and showcased in the <a href="http://www.blacklooks.org">Black Looks </a>community (who participated in Tactical Tech’s 2009 <a href="http://camp2013.tacticaltech.org">InfoCamp</a>) as well as in the WITS Centre for Diversity Studies research on <a href="http://incudisa.wordpress.com/">Politics of Engagement:</a> an interactive collaboration on social change through art-activism and research.</p>
<pre><strong>Example 4:</strong>
Camp Acra et Adoquin Delmas 33 - Haiti</pre>
<p align="justify">An example less inclined on aesthetics but focused on visual documentation is the <a href="http://chanjemleson.wordpress.com/">Camp Acra et Adoquin Delmas 33</a> blog, from Haiti. A site in which Camp Acra members are documenting their settlement and growth after the 2010 earthquake through essential information and images, fostering community building and communal identity reassertion.</p>
<p align="center"><img id="docs-internal-guid-4b925b2a-33b7-4c5f-4371-534d21958e0f" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/JaZwKtfIODw6LQuJOdRlEofLtr9tEZox9mw9WMTDJJxLnlJaX6RCmxjGbNggtgF2pD0B706J1kShumAImBWJ7X0Po44ktKjs5SmMh402BmjjNB4whfLowh1ixw" alt="" height="377px;" width="486px;" /></p>
<div align="right" class="pullquote">“visual representations of information gives context to numbers, uncovers relationships and engages the viewers in ways that raw information could never do”<br /> David McCandless</div>
<p align="justify">As <a href="http://www.davidmccandless.com/">David McCandless</a>,data journalist, information designer and author of <a href="http://www.informationisbeautiful.net/2009/the-visual-miscellaneum/">The Visual Miscellaneum</a> points out: “visual representations of information gives context to numbers, uncovers relationships and engages the viewers in ways that raw information could never do” (2009). Having these representations mingle with culturally specific undertones provides opportunities to create solidarity ties between the citizen and its culture, as well as the add of “individual glosses” through action, critical reflection and participation (Benkler, 2006). However is this need for an aesthetic approach to information and culture representation a result of our consumer behaviour? Is it problematic that activism is catering to a model of promotion and presentation of information to incite participation? The next section will look shortly at the consumption culture in information activism.</p>
<h3 align="justify">IV. Consumption (Culture)</h3>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Is information design catering to consumption habits instead of citizen needs?</strong><br />As seen, information design is grounded on the premise that the representation of data must create deep connections with its audience in order to incite a reaction. However, is this the result of a culture of consumption? Let’s not forget the citizens targeted by visual campaigns are also consumers in constant interaction with the market. Kozinet’s study of virtual communities of consumption (1999), is in line with Wurman's description of the behavior of a prosumer:</p>
<h3 align="center" style="text-align: center;" dir="ltr"><strong>Behaviour of consumer vs. information prosumer</strong></h3>
<table class="plain" align="center">
<thead>
<tr>
<th><strong>Kozinet - Virtual communities of consumption</strong></th>
<th align="center"><strong>Wurman - The prosumer</strong></th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>Discerning consumer</td>
<td>Displays curiosity in information</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Less accessible for one-to-one processes</td>
<td>Suspicion over information gate-keepers</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Producers of large amounts of cultural information</td>
<td>“New-found hunger” to find information related to its interests</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<p>Moreover, the Kozinet suggests a few strategies of how to interact with the consumer that also fit the strategies presented by Bennett at the beginning of this analysis:</p>
<h3 align="center">How to connect with the consumer vs. citizen</h3>
<table class="plain">
<thead>
<tr>
<th>Kozinet - Virtual communities of consumption</th>
<th align="center">Bennett - Features of information for civic engagement</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>Segmentation of consumers<br id="docs-internal-guid-4b925b2a-3456-5d05-0f33-04a2bd0b87b2" /></td>
<td>Tailor information to values and activities familiar to the citizen</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>More interaction with consumer</td>
<td>Suggest action options to facilitate decision-making and participation</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Create loyal networks of consumption</td>
<td><br /></td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<p>With this parallel in mind, we asked Ganesh the extent to which info-activism resembles market consumption models:</p>
<blockquote>
<p style="text-align: justify;" class="callout" dir="ltr"><strong>MG:</strong> You need to think strategically about how it’s going to get picked up, where you want to promote your information, how you want to publish, present it; and push it. The problem with NGO, activists and independent individuals is that they are not as empowered financially [...]. If you look at the corporate section, journalism, etc; you have huge institutions and a lot of more finances behind this stuff. NGOs have one shot to make it work. That’s when people like us come in, to demystify, give people training and create platforms.</p>
</blockquote>
<p style="text-align: justify;" dir="ltr">Comparing activists with ‘virtual consumption communities’ questions the extent to which corporate and social impact models are feeding of each other to present information and succeed. A deeper analysis of this relationship falls out of the scope of this post, but it is worth mentioning when exploring activism in information network societies. As Ganesh clarified, info-activism is not related to marketing, but visualizing information in attractive and interesting ways is crucial not only to persuade, but to make activism accessible and enticing. Today, ten years after it was founded, Tactical Tech maintains a critical approach to their work. It is now moving on to a next stage, beyond the mere representation of data and paying closer attention to the type of information that enhances impact and influence of their tactics.</p>
<blockquote>
<p style="text-align: justify;" class="callout" dir="ltr"><strong>MG</strong>: We have definitely moved on thinking about interesting ways of looking at this. Our questions are more critical and political right now. The nature of platforms, the nature of information sharing, what is the true face of social media? There is so much information and data right now. Once information is out there how do you actually make it evidence for evidence-based advocacy. We are trying to play with that idea a little bit. It's not only about having impact but also influence.</p>
</blockquote>
<h2>Conclusion:</h2>
<p style="text-align: justify;" dir="ltr">Part 1 and 2 of this analysis have explored the process of transforming data into civic action. In part 1 we re-visited the question of information communities. We found that diversity in political opinion democratizes the debate in the public space. Information strategies must focus on making information from the grassroots visible and strengthening offline networks that facilitate information dissemination. In part 2, we explored the strategies behind the presentation and representation of this information.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;" dir="ltr">Three main findings came from this analysis:</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;" dir="ltr">a) Non-violent visual advocacy is more likely to reduce the stakes of participation for the common citizen making political engagement more likely.<br /> b) The role of design for short or long-term advocacy is to simplifythe process of civic action, facilitate decision-making and makethese projects self-sustainable. <br />c) Our consumption habits in the market are shaping how we process and interact with information in the public space. The possibility of consumer behavior permeating modalities of activism reinforces the need to explore the most interesting strategies for information dissemination.</p>
<p align="justify">From the perspective of the <strong>Making Change</strong> project’ it is interesting to explore this method to social change as a breach from the ‘spectacle’ criticism outlined by Shah. He argues that in contemporary activism, only a limited production of images enter the network - images in many cases detached from the material realities and experiences that shape the change process in the first place. This tendency results in paraphernalia over the visual, disregarding the crises that led to the inception of protests. The findings from this analysis indicate that visual persuasion is essential to capture the attention of citizens, and hence, the need for a pinch of ‘spectacle’ in data presentation cannot be overlooked. The challenge info-activism now faces is making data’s dissemination self-sustainable in offline communities through the strategy and design of its campaigns.</p>
<p align="justify">Furthermore, the data, stories and narratives Tactical Tech is working to uncover can only be effectively transformed into action through a reconfiguration of the data-citizen relationship. Information strategies, besides from focusing on how to make data enticing, must also focus on the recognition of a status quo of idleness around how we consume, produce, question or interact with information. Tactical Tech has gone a far way at spearheading this line of thought and spreading graphic resistance through civil society, however this is not sufficient unless this recalibration occurs at the individual citizen level.</p>
<h2 align="justify">Sources:</h2>
<ol>
<li style="text-align: justify;">Bennett, W. Lance. "Changing citizenship in the digital age." Civic life online: Learning how digital media can engage youth 1 (2008): 1-24.</li>
<li style="text-align: justify;">
<div id="gs_cit2" class="gs_citr">Benkler, Yochai. <em>The wealth of networks: How social production transforms markets and freedom</em>. Yale University Press, 2006.</div>
</li>
<li style="text-align: justify;">
<div id="gs_cit2" class="gs_citr">Bimber, Bruce, Andrew J. Flanagin, and Cynthia Stohl. "Reconceptualizing collective action in the contemporary media environment." Communication Theory 15, no. 4 (2005): 365-388.</div>
</li>
<li style="text-align: justify;">Brundidge, J.S. & Rice, R.E. (2009). Political engagement online: Do the information rich get richer and the like-minded more similar? In Chadwick, A. and Howard, N.H. (eds.), Routledge Handbook of Internet Politics (pp. 144-156). New York: Routledge </li>
<li style="text-align: justify;">Kozinets, Robert V. "E-tribalized marketing?: The strategic implications of virtual communities of consumption." European Management Journal 17, no. 3 (1999): 252-264. </li>
<li style="text-align: justify;">McCandless, David. The Visual Miscellaneum: A Colorful Guide to the World's Most Consequential Trivia. Collins Design, 2009.</li>
<li style="text-align: justify;">Shah, Nishant “Whose Change is it Anyways? Hivos Knowledge Program. April 30, 2013.</li>
<li style="text-align: justify;">Wurman, Richard Saul, Loring Leifer, David Sume, and Karen Whitehouse. Information anxiety 2. Vol. 6000. Indianapolis, IN: Que, 2001.</li></ol>
<p>
For more details visit <a href='http://editors.cis-india.org/digital-natives/making-change/tactical-technology-design-activism-1'>http://editors.cis-india.org/digital-natives/making-change/tactical-technology-design-activism-1</a>
</p>
No publisherdenisseResearchers at WorkWeb PoliticsMaking ChangeDigital Natives2015-04-17T10:34:22ZBlog EntryNovember 2013 Bulletin
http://editors.cis-india.org/about/newsletters/november-2013-bulletin
<b>Our newsletter for the month of November 2013 can be accessed below. </b>
<p style="text-align: justify; ">The Centre for Internet and Society (CIS) welcomes you to the eleventh issue of its newsletter (November) for the year 2013:</p>
<h2>Highlights</h2>
<ul style="text-align: justify; ">
<li>CIS is pleased to announce the second "Institute on Internet and Society" to be held in Yashada, Pune from February 11 to 17, 2014. Any members from the civil society (students, research scholars, academicians, scientists, legal professionals, etc.) who engage in issues concerning Internet and Society are encouraged to apply.</li>
<li>The National Resource Kit team is pleased to bring you its research for the states of Tripura, Nagaland and Chattisgarh.</li>
<li>CIS-A2K team signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Christ University in Bangalore to introduce Wikipedia in classrooms. </li>
<li>The Access to Knowledge narrative report capturing the work done by CIS-A2K team in the first ten months of the grant along with its strategy for the next 1 year is published.</li>
<li>Last month we organised the Seventh Privacy Round-table in collaboration with FICCI, DSCI, and Privacy International in Delhi. The developments are captured in a report by Elonnai Hickok.</li>
<li>Along with Wikimedia India and Acharya Narendra Dev College, we organised the Relaunch of Creative Commons in India. Dr. Shashi Tharoor was the chief guest.</li>
</ul>
<h2><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/accessibility">Accessibility and Inclusion</a></h2>
<p style="text-align: justify; ">As part of our project (under a grant from the Hans Foundation) on creating a national resource kit of state-wise laws, policies and programmes on issues relating to persons with disabilities in India, we bring you draft chapters for the states of Madhya Pradesh and Arunachal Pradesh, and the union territory of Daman and Diu. With this we have completed compilation of draft chapters for 27 states and 5 union territories. Feedback and comments are invited from readers for the following chapters:</p>
<p style="text-align: justify; ">► National Resource Kit Chapter</p>
<ul style="text-align: justify; ">
<li>The Tripura Chapter (by CLPR, November 13, 2013): <a href="http://bit.ly/1bCFPwq">http://bit.ly/1bCFPwq</a>. </li>
<li>The Nagaland Chapter (by CLPR, November 13, 2013): <a href="http://bit.ly/1cmKzq0">http://bit.ly/1cmKzq0</a>. </li>
<li>The Chattisgarh Chapter (by Anandhi Viswanathan, November 30, 2013): <a href="http://bit.ly/1cSczSt">http://bit.ly/1cSczSt</a>. </li>
</ul>
<p style="text-align: justify; ">Note: <i>All of these are early drafts and will be reviewed and updated</i>.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify; ">► Other Accessibility Update</p>
<p style="text-align: justify; "># Events Participated In</p>
<ul style="text-align: justify; ">
<li>E-Accessibility Workshop 2013 (organised by Directorate of Information Technology, Government of Maharashtra, Mahaonline Limited and National Internet Exchange of India, November 19-20, 2013): <a href="http://bit.ly/1cQ0wd8">http://bit.ly/1cQ0wd8</a>. CIS was one of the trainer organisations for the event.</li>
<li>National Conference on Harnessing Technology for the Empowerment for Persons with Visual Impairments (organized by NAB Centre for Blind Women & Disability Studies, Indian Islamic Cultural Centre, New Delhi, November 19, 2013). Dr. Nirmita Narasimhan participated as a speaker: <a href="http://bit.ly/IzLOty">http://bit.ly/IzLOty</a>. </li>
</ul>
<h2><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/a2k">Access to Knowledge</a></h2>
<p style="text-align: justify; ">The Access to Knowledge programme addresses the harms caused to consumers and human rights, and critically examines Open Government Data, Open Access to Scholarly Literature, and Open Access to Law, Open Content, Open Standards, and Free/Libre/Open Source Software.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify; ">The following has been done under grant from the Wikimedia Foundation (<a href="http://bit.ly/SPqFOl">http://bit.ly/SPqFOl</a>). As part this project (<a href="http://bit.ly/X80ELd">http://bit.ly/X80ELd</a>), we held 8 workshops, signed a MoU with Christ University for teaching Wikipedia to students, published a detailed narrative report of activities done during the initial period of the Wikimedia grant.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify; ">►Wikipedia</p>
<p style="text-align: justify; "># Articles</p>
<ul style="text-align: justify; ">
<li>ಅಂತರ್ಜಾಲದಲ್ಲಿ ನೆಟ್ಟ ಸಸಿಗೆ ಈಗ ಹತ್ತು ವರ್ಷ (by Dr. U.B. Pavanaja, Kannada Prabha, November 1, 2013): <a href="http://bit.ly/17LOw4O">http://bit.ly/17LOw4O</a>. The article highlights 10 years of Kannada Wikipedia, the current status of the Kannada Wikipedia vis-a-vis number of articles, number of editors, active editors, and page views per month.</li>
<li>Train The Trainer Programme for Wikipedians (by Subhashish Panigrahi, DNA, November 14, 2013): <a href="http://bit.ly/1ehr8kz">http://bit.ly/1ehr8kz</a>. The article was edited by Rohini Lakshane of DNA. </li>
</ul>
<p style="text-align: justify; "># Announcement</p>
<ul style="text-align: justify; ">
<li>CIS Signs MoU with Christ University, Bangalore (November 20, 2013): The Access to Knowledge team signed a MoU as part of which CIS-A2K and Christ University will impart Wikipedia education in Indian classrooms: <a href="http://bit.ly/1ehr8kz">http://bit.ly/1ehr8kz</a>. </li>
</ul>
<p style="text-align: justify; "># Report</p>
<ul style="text-align: justify; ">
<li>CIS-A2K Narrative Report (September 2012 – June 2013) (by T. Vishnu Vardhan, Nitika Tandon and Subhashish Panigrahi, November 29, 2013): <a href="http://bit.ly/1dFyjpO">http://bit.ly/1dFyjpO</a>. The report throws some light on the CIS-A2K program strategy in the next one year.</li>
</ul>
<p style="text-align: justify; "># Blog Entries</p>
<p style="text-align: justify; "><i>Note: A couple of the below blog entries were carried in the Access to Knowledge newsletter last month</i>.</p>
<ul style="text-align: justify; ">
<li>Konkani Vishwakosh Digitization Project (by Nitika Tandon, November 13, 2013): <a href="http://bit.ly/1dodyuK">http://bit.ly/1dodyuK</a>. </li>
<li>Konkani Vishwakosh Under CC-BY-SA (by Nitika Tandon, November 13, 2013): <a href="http://bit.ly/1cm9wBH">http://bit.ly/1cm9wBH</a>. </li>
<li>Train the Trainer Program (by Subhashish Panigrahi, November 18, 2013): <a href="http://bit.ly/18hjw0n">http://bit.ly/18hjw0n</a>.</li>
</ul>
<p style="text-align: justify; "># Event Co-organised</p>
<ul style="text-align: justify; ">
<li>The Relaunch of Creative Commons India (co-organised by Wikimedia India, Acharya Narendra Dev College and CIS, India Islamic Cultural Centre, November 12, 2013): <a href="http://bit.ly/HPxrAO">http://bit.ly/HPxrAO</a>. Dr. Shashi Tharoor, Minister of State for Human Resource Development was the chief guest at the event.</li>
</ul>
<p style="text-align: justify; "># Events Organised</p>
<ul style="text-align: justify; ">
<li>Wikipedia Orientation Programme for MA Students (Christ University, Bangalore, November 12, 2013): <a href="http://bit.ly/ItxAtu">http://bit.ly/ItxAtu</a>. Syed Muzammiluddin was the trainer. Twenty students participated. </li>
<li>Wikipedia Orientation Programme for the Second Language Students (Christ University, Bangalore, November 12, 13, 16 and 19, 2013): <a href="http://bit.ly/1bxsOYF">http://bit.ly/1bxsOYF</a>. T. Vishnu Vardhan, Syed Muzammiluddin and Dr. U.B.Pavanaja were the trainers. About 1200 second language students participated in the programme. </li>
<li>Documentation and Wikipedia Contribution — A One Day Workshop (Kalinga Institute of Social Studies, Bhubaneswar, November 14, 2013). The workshop was conducted by Subhashish Panigrahi: <a href="http://bit.ly/1fSvl1v">http://bit.ly/1fSvl1v</a>.</li>
<li>Documentation and Wikipedia Workshop (Kalinga School of Management, Bhubaneswar, November 16, 2013): <a href="http://bit.ly/Imf0DV">http://bit.ly/Imf0DV</a>. Subhashish Panigrahi conducted the workshop. </li>
<li>Konknni Wikipedia Workshop (organised by Dalgado Konknni Akademi and CIS-A2K, Goa Central State Library, November 16 and 17, 2013): <a href="http://bit.ly/1fSwiH5">http://bit.ly/1fSwiH5</a>.</li>
<li>Tenth Anniversary of Wikipedia (H N Multimedia Hall, National College, Basavanagudi, Bangalore, November 17, 2013): <a href="http://bit.ly/1eJ6da9">http://bit.ly/1eJ6da9</a>. Dr. U R Ananthamurthy, Prof. G. Venkatasubbiah and Ravi Hegde were the guests of honour. Dr. U.B. Pavanaja conducted the workshop.</li>
<li>First Phase of Odia Wikipedia Workshop (Indian Institute of Mass Communication, Bhubaneswar, November 18, 2013): <a href="http://bit.ly/18doDer">http://bit.ly/18doDer</a>. Subhashish Panigrahi conducted the workshop.</li>
<li>Konkani Wikipedia Workshop (Nirmala Institute of Education, Goa, November 19, 2013): <a href="http://bit.ly/1fSAUwT">http://bit.ly/1fSAUwT</a>. Nitika Tandon conducted the event. </li>
</ul>
<p style="text-align: justify; "># Event Participated In</p>
<ul style="text-align: justify; ">
<li>Wikimedia Diversity Conference (organized by German Wikipedia Community, GLS Campus, Berlin): <a href="http://bit.ly/Ixr9W8">http://bit.ly/Ixr9W8</a>. </li>
</ul>
<p style="text-align: justify; "># Media Coverage</p>
<p style="text-align: justify; ">CIS gave its inputs for the following media coverage:</p>
<ul style="text-align: justify; ">
<li>Kannada Wikipedia and its Tenth Anniversary (RadioCity, November 2, 2013): <a href="http://bit.ly/1dHEwBI">http://bit.ly/1dHEwBI</a>. </li>
<li>10th anniversary of Kannada wikipedia (The Times of India, November 15, 2013): <a href="http://bit.ly/IxqDr7">http://bit.ly/IxqDr7</a>.</li>
<li>Tenth Anniversary of Kannada Wikipedia (Udayavani, November 15, 2013): <a href="http://bit.ly/1aFwqF1">http://bit.ly/1aFwqF1</a>. </li>
<li>ಕನ್ನಡ ವಿಕಿಪೀಡಿಯಕ್ಕೆ ಈಗ ದಶಮಾನೋತ್ಸವ. ಅದರ ಪ್ರಯುಕ್ತ ಒಂದು ಆಚರಣೆ (Avadhi Website, November 16, 2013): <a href="http://bit.ly/ImiBSy">http://bit.ly/ImiBSy</a>. </li>
<li>ಕನ್ನಡ ವಿಕಿಪೀಡಿಯಗೆ 10, ಬೆಳವಣಿಗೆ ಸಾಲದು : ಪ್ರೊ .ಜಿವಿ (OneindiaKannada, November 17, 2013): <a href="http://bit.ly/1fSAUwT">http://bit.ly/1fSAUwT</a>.</li>
<li>Tenth Anniversary of Kannada Wikipedia (Vijayavani, November 17, 2013): <a href="http://bit.ly/1b7exSa">http://bit.ly/1b7exSa</a>. </li>
<li>ಕನ್ನಡ ವಿಕಿಪೀಡಿಯಕ್ಕೆ ದಶಮಾನೋತ್ಸವ ಸಂಭ್ರಮ (Prajavani, November 18, 2013): <a href="http://bit.ly/1hWtt9v">http://bit.ly/1hWtt9v</a>.</li>
<li>ಕನ್ನಡದ ಆನ್ಲೈನ್ ವಿಶ್ವಕೋಶ ದುರ್ಬಲ (Vijaya Karnataka, November 19, 2013): <a href="http://bit.ly/1hWtsCy">http://bit.ly/1hWtsCy</a>. </li>
<li>Panaji: DKA organizes two day Konkani Wikipedia workshop (Daijiworld, November 18, 2013): <a href="http://bit.ly/1inoi03">http://bit.ly/1inoi03</a>. </li>
</ul>
<p style="text-align: justify; ">Note: The following are not a part of the Wikimedia Grant:</p>
<p style="text-align: justify; ">► Other</p>
<p style="text-align: justify; "># Blog Entries</p>
<ul style="text-align: justify; ">
<li>History of Creative Commons in India (by Priyank Dwivedi, November 13, 2013): <a href="http://bit.ly/17txcH7">http://bit.ly/17txcH7</a>.</li>
<li>How Can We Make Open Education Truly Open? (by Dr. Nishant Shah, DML Central, November 22, 2013): <a href="http://bit.ly/1ezsAyj">http://bit.ly/1ezsAyj</a>. </li>
</ul>
<p style="text-align: justify; "># Events Participated In</p>
<ul style="text-align: justify; ">
<li>Conference on e-Governance for India: Opportunities, Challenges and Policy Alternatives (organised by OECD Korea Policy Centre in partnership with the Centre for Good Governance, Hyderabad, November 6-7, 2013): <a href="http://bit.ly/1cGP13c">http://bit.ly/1cGP13c</a>. Sunil Abraham was a panelist in the session on OECD Principles on eGovernment and their applicability to the developing world and India. </li>
<li>Indo-European Conference on the Role of the Patent System in Fostering Innovation and Technology Transfer (organized by European Patent Office, FICCI and European Business & Technology Centre, November 29, 2013, New Delhi). Nehaa Chaudhari participated in this conference.</li>
</ul>
<h2><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/internet-governance">Internet Governance</a></h2>
<p style="text-align: justify; ">CIS is doing a project (under a grant from Privacy International and International Development Research Centre (IDRC)) on conducting research on surveillance and freedom of expression (SAFEGUARDS). So far we have organised seven privacy round-tables and drafted the Privacy (Protection) Bill. This month we bring you a report from the seventh privacy round-table held in Delhi, and an analysis on why Facebook is more dangerous than government spying. As part of its project (funded by Citizen Lab, Munk School of Global Affairs, University of Toronto and support from the IDRC) on mapping cyber security actors in South Asia and South East Asia we did an interview with Namita A Malhotra, a researcher and lawyer from Alternative Law Forum. With this we have completed a total of 12 video interviews:</p>
<p style="text-align: justify; ">►Privacy</p>
<p style="text-align: justify; "># Event Report</p>
<ul style="text-align: justify; ">
<li>Seventh Privacy Round-table (organised by FICCI, DSCI, Privacy International and CIS, October 19, 2013): <a href="http://bit.ly/187pFOO">http://bit.ly/187pFOO</a>. The report was published in the month of November. </li>
</ul>
<p style="text-align: justify; "># Newspaper Columns</p>
<ul style="text-align: justify; ">
<li>Open Secrets (by Nishant Shah, Indian Express, October 27, 2013): <a href="http://bit.ly/1b5uvK0">http://bit.ly/1b5uvK0</a>.</li>
<li>I Just Pinged to Say Hello (by Nishant Shah, Indian Express, November 24, 2013): <a href="http://bit.ly/183H34t">http://bit.ly/183H34t</a>. </li>
</ul>
<p style="text-align: justify; "># Blog Entries</p>
<ul style="text-align: justify; ">
<li>An Interview with Caspar Bowden (by Maria Xynou, November 6, 2013): <a href="http://bit.ly/17LQqFX">http://bit.ly/17LQqFX</a>. </li>
<li>India's Response to WGEC Questionnaire (by Snehashish Ghosh, November 13, 2013): <a href="http://bit.ly/HX0r96">http://bit.ly/HX0r96</a>. </li>
<li>Why 'Facebook' is More Dangerous than the Government Spying on You (by Maria Xynou, November 19, 2013): <a href="http://bit.ly/HWLFzi">http://bit.ly/HWLFzi</a>. </li>
<li>CIS Supports the UN Resolution on “The Right to Privacy in the Digital age” (by Elonnai Hickok, November 30, 2013): <a href="http://bit.ly/1c2A89q">http://bit.ly/1c2A89q</a>. </li>
</ul>
<p style="text-align: justify; "># Events Organised</p>
<ul style="text-align: justify; ">
<li>IDEX Impact Assessment Workshop (organised by IDEX, CIS, Bangalore, November 16, 2013): <a href="http://bit.ly/1bxRfFm">http://bit.ly/1bxRfFm</a>. </li>
<li>The Evolving Cyber Threat and How to Address It (CIS, Bangalore, November 22, 2013): <a href="http://bit.ly/1cEkUZY">http://bit.ly/1cEkUZY</a>. </li>
<li>Panel on Privacy, Surveillance & the UID in the post-Snowden era (Institution of Agricultural Technologists, Bangalore, November 30, 2013): <a href="http://bit.ly/1ctSHW3">http://bit.ly/1ctSHW3</a>. </li>
</ul>
<p style="text-align: justify; "># Events Participated In</p>
<ul style="text-align: justify; ">
<li>Chances and Risks of Social Participation (organised by Alexander von Humboldt Institute for Internet and Society and Friedrich Ebert Foundation, Berlin, November 22, 2013). Dr. Nishant Shah gave the keynote: <a href="http://bit.ly/18PcMXN">http://bit.ly/18PcMXN</a>. </li>
<li>Expert Committee Meeting on Human DNA Profiling Bill (organised by the Ministry of Science & Technology, Government of India, New Delhi). Sunil Abraham participated in the meeting: <a href="http://bit.ly/19CpDbD">http://bit.ly/19CpDbD</a>. </li>
</ul>
<p style="text-align: justify; "># Upcoming Event</p>
<ul style="text-align: justify; ">
<li>Big Democracy: Big Surveillance - A Talk by Maria Xynou (CIS, Bangalore, December 3, 2013): <a href="http://bit.ly/1j4mzgu">http://bit.ly/1j4mzgu</a>. </li>
</ul>
<p style="text-align: justify; ">► Cyber Security</p>
<p style="text-align: justify; ">Laird Brown, a strategic planner and writer with core competencies on brand analysis, public relations and resource management and Purba Sarkar who in the past worked as a strategic advisor in the field of SAP Retail are working in this project:</p>
<p style="text-align: justify; "># Video Interview</p>
<ul style="text-align: justify; ">
<li>Part 12: An Interview with Namita A. Malhotra (November 15, 2013): <a href="http://bit.ly/1j8MCjN">http://bit.ly/1j8MCjN</a>.</li>
</ul>
<p style="text-align: justify; "># Documentary Film</p>
<ul style="text-align: justify; ">
<li>First Look: Cyber Security Film (by Purba Sarkar, November 18, 2013): <a href="http://bit.ly/1alHhVu">http://bit.ly/1alHhVu</a>. The trailer was presented by Laird Brown recently at the IGF.</li>
</ul>
<p style="text-align: justify; "># Upcoming Event</p>
<ul style="text-align: justify; ">
<li>DesiSec: Episode 1 - Film Release and Screening (December 11, 2013): Screening of the first documentary film on cyber security in India.</li>
</ul>
<h3><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/news">News & Media Coverage</a></h3>
<p>CIS gave its inputs to the following media coverage:</p>
<ul style="text-align: justify; ">
<li>EC guidelines on social media: Welcome move, but not enough (by Shruti Dhapola, FirstPost, November 1, 2013): <a href="http://bit.ly/1c3fNkt">http://bit.ly/1c3fNkt</a>. </li>
<li>NSA leaks helping India become 'Big Brother' state? (British Broadcasting Corporation, November 1, 2013): <a href="http://bit.ly/1b7ftDG">http://bit.ly/1b7ftDG</a>. </li>
<li>Spy agencies, IB and RAW, put spanner in proposed privacy law (by Nagender Sharma and Aloke Tikku, Hindustan Times, November 2, 2013): <a href="http://bit.ly/1aox4HP">http://bit.ly/1aox4HP</a>.</li>
<li>India must support UN's e-snooping move: Human rights activists (by Indu Nandakumar, Economic Times, November 11, 2013): <a href="http://bit.ly/18LrI5s">http://bit.ly/18LrI5s</a>. </li>
<li>Social media promotions can backfire, too (by Ratna Bhushan and Varuni Khosla, The Times of India, November 11, 2013): <a href="http://bit.ly/1gMj7rg">http://bit.ly/1gMj7rg</a>. </li>
<li>YouTube is the answer to what has changed in India (by Moulishree Srivastava, Livemint, November 20, 2013): <a href="http://bit.ly/1fg214A">http://bit.ly/1fg214A</a>. </li>
<li>When the virtual world wakes up the real one (by Malini Nair, November 24, 2013): <a href="http://bit.ly/1hovyd3">http://bit.ly/1hovyd3</a>. </li>
</ul>
<h2><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/digital-natives">Digital Natives</a></h2>
<p style="text-align: justify; ">CIS is doing a research project titled “Making Change”. The project will explore new ways of defining, locating, and understanding change in network societies. Having the thought piece 'Whose Change is it Anyway' as an entry point for discussion and reflection, the project will feature profiles, interviews and responses of change-makers to questions around current mechanisms and practices of change in South Asia and South East Asia.:</p>
<p style="text-align: justify; ">► Making Change</p>
<p style="text-align: justify; "># Blog Entries</p>
<ul style="text-align: justify; ">
<li>Methods to Conceive and Condense Social Change (by Denisse Albornoz, November 30, 2013): <a href="http://bit.ly/1ezrBhw">http://bit.ly/1ezrBhw</a>.</li>
<li>Blank Noise and the Active Citizen Dissonance (by Denisse Albornoz, November 30, 2013): <a href="http://bit.ly/IwOHu9">http://bit.ly/IwOHu9</a>. </li>
</ul>
<p style="text-align: justify; ">► Other</p>
<p style="text-align: justify; "># Blog Entry</p>
<ul style="text-align: justify; ">
<li>Digitally Enhanced Civil Resistance (by Denisse Albornoz, November 20, 2013): <a href="http://bit.ly/18ndc7p">http://bit.ly/18ndc7p</a>. </li>
</ul>
<h2><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/telecom">Telecom</a></h2>
<p style="text-align: justify; ">Shyam Ponappa, a Distinguished Fellow at CIS is a regular columnist with the Business Standard. The articles published on his blog Organizing India Blogspot is mirrored on our website:</p>
<p style="text-align: justify; ">► Newspaper Column</p>
<ul style="text-align: justify; ">
<li>Predictability in Infrastructure (by Shyam Ponappa, Business Standard, November 6, 2013 and Observer India Blogspot, November 10, 2013): <a href="http://bit.ly/1dLZ0Fp">http://bit.ly/1dLZ0Fp</a>. </li>
</ul>
<h2><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/telecom/knowledge-repository-on-internet-access">Knowledge Repository on Internet Access</a></h2>
<p style="text-align: justify; ">CIS in partnership with the Ford Foundation is executing a project to create a knowledge repository on Internet and society. This repository will comprise content targeted primarily at civil society with a view to enabling their informed participation in the Indian Internet and ICT policy space. The repository is available at the Internet Institute website: <a href="http://bit.ly/1iQT2UB">http://bit.ly/1iQT2UB</a>.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify; ">►Upcoming Event</p>
<ul style="text-align: justify; ">
<li>Institute on Internet and Society (organised by Ford Foundation and CIS, Yashada, Pune, February 11-17, 2014): <a href="http://bit.ly/180mQi9">http://bit.ly/180mQi9</a>. The application form is available at <a href="http://internet-institute.in/form">http://internet-institute.in/form</a>. Registrations close on December 15, 2013. </li>
</ul>
<p style="text-align: justify; ">► Modules</p>
<ul style="text-align: justify; ">
<li>Internet Engineering Task Force (by Anirudh Sridhar, November 30, 2013). The Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) is an open standards body with no requirements for membership and does not have a formal membership process either: <a href="http://bit.ly/1c4aOQr">http://bit.ly/1c4aOQr</a>. </li>
<li>World Summit on Information Society (WSIS) (by Anirudh Sridhar, November 30, 2013). The World Summit on Information Society was first proposed by the International Telecommunication Union in 1998. The main focus of the WSIS was to address issues related to the global digital divide. However, the scope of the WSIS was broadened later to include internet related public policy issues: <a href="http://bit.ly/186dbnV">http://bit.ly/186dbnV</a>. </li>
</ul>
<h2><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/raw/digital-humanities">Digital Humanities</a></h2>
<p style="text-align: justify; ">CIS is building research clusters in the field of Digital Humanities. The Digital will be used as a way of unpacking the debates in humanities and social sciences and look at the new frameworks, concepts and ideas that emerge in our engagement with the digital. The clusters aim to produce and document new conversations and debates that shape the contours of Digital Humanities in Asia:</p>
<p style="text-align: justify; ">► Event Participated In</p>
<ul style="text-align: justify; ">
<li>From Seemingly Transparent to Definitely Opaque (organised by University of St. Gallen, Switzerland, November 4-7, 2013): <a href="http://bit.ly/19b6IW1">http://bit.ly/19b6IW1</a>. Nishant Shah taught this course and also presented on a panel on 'Secrets of Digital Culture'.</li>
</ul>
<h2><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/">About CIS</a></h2>
<p style="text-align: justify; ">The Centre for Internet and Society is a non-profit research organization that works on policy issues relating to freedom of expression, privacy, accessibility for persons with disabilities, access to knowledge and IPR reform, and openness (including open government, FOSS, open standards, etc.), and engages in academic research on digital natives and digital humanities.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify; ">► Follow us elsewhere</p>
<ul style="text-align: justify; ">
<li>Twitter:<a href="https://twitter.com/CISA2K"> </a><a href="https://twitter.com/CISA2K">https://twitter.com/CISA2K</a></li>
<li>Facebook group: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/cisa2k">https://www.facebook.com/cisa2k</a></li>
<li>Visit us at:<a href="https://cis-india.org/"> </a>https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/India_Access_To_Knowledge</li>
<li>E-mail: <a href="mailto:a2k@cis-india.org">a2k@cis-india.org</a></li>
</ul>
<p style="text-align: justify; ">► Support Us</p>
<p style="text-align: justify; ">Please help us defend consumer / 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.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify; ">► Request for Collaboration:</p>
<p style="text-align: justify; ">We invite researchers, practitioners, and theoreticians, both organisationally and as individuals, to collaboratively engage with Internet and society and improve our understanding of this new field. To discuss the research collaborations, write to Sunil Abraham, Executive Director, at <a href="mailto:sunil@cis-india.org">sunil@cis-india.org</a> or Nishant Shah, Director – Research, at <a href="mailto:nishant@cis-india.org">nishant@cis-india.org</a>. To discuss collaborations on Indic language wikipedia, write to T. Vishnu Vardhan, Programme Director, A2K, at <a href="mailto:vishnu@cis-india.org">vishnu@cis-india.org</a>.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify; "><i>CIS is grateful to its donors, Wikimedia Foundation, Ford Foundation, Privacy International, UK, Hans Foundation and the Kusuma Trust which was founded by Anurag Dikshit and Soma Pujari, philanthropists of Indian origin, for its core funding and support for most of its projects</i>.</p>
<p>
For more details visit <a href='http://editors.cis-india.org/about/newsletters/november-2013-bulletin'>http://editors.cis-india.org/about/newsletters/november-2013-bulletin</a>
</p>
No publisherpraskrishnaAccess to KnowledgeDigital NativesTelecomAccessibilityInternet GovernanceDigital HumanitiesOpenness2014-01-04T04:38:08ZPageWhat it means to be a child today
http://editors.cis-india.org/news/a-child-today
<b>They move seamlessly between reality and virtual reality. The digital landscape they inhabit comprises generations — not of family — but of technology such as Web 2.0, 3G, PS4 and iPhone5. Their world has moved beyond their neighbourhood, school and childhood friends to encompass a 500-channel television universe, the global gaming village, the endless internet. These are the children born in the last decade and half — possibly the first generation that has never known a world without hi-tech.</b>
<p>These tweens and teens were born with dial-up internet, learnt to crawl alongside the PC and practiced writing the alphabet on the desktop. To them, a world without keypads, joysticks, digicams, headphones and LCD is unimaginable. For them, the Dark Ages are the time when television was black and white.</p>
<blockquote>
<p>Nishant Shah, director of research at the Centre for Internet and Society in <a class="external-link" href="http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/topic/Bangalore">Bangalore</a>, says, "We are living with digital natives — populations that do not know the ins and outs of analogue technologies but they do often instinctively take to the world of digital and internet technologies. They view the world differently, connect with each other in unprecedented fashions and often question the authority structures developed by analogue technologies."</p>
</blockquote>
<p>But no one is born into or with technology, Shah points out, and it's still the older generation that is shaping the new technologies.</p>
<p>Even so Indian childhood in 2010 is markedly different from ever before, he says, in that "the younger generations growing up with digital and internet technologies are using them for things that were not integral to the technologies. For example, Facebook was only meant to be a social networking site. Twitter was merely a microblogging platform. And yet, we now see the young users using these spaces for political participation, social transformation and mobilization of resources."</p>
<p>A survey of 14,000 children aged between 12 and 18 in 12 Indian cities by <a class="external-link" href="http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/topic/Tata-Consultancy-Services">Tata Consultancy Services</a> last year found that 63% of urban students spend an hour online daily; more than 80% have access to mobile phones and one in four have laptops. They do their homework and assignments online, access report cards, chat, blog, game, download, SMS and send photos via Bluetooth. The internet is becoming friend, philosopher and guide for the 'screenagers', supplying them with endless friendship requests, enlisting them for social causes and sometimes offering emotional solace.</p>
<p>Delhi student Manil Chhabra, 13, who swears by his mobile, desktop and PS2, supports many causes on Facebook, including the welfare of street dogs and gay rights. He also bonds with friends online. "My mother gets angry that I 'waste' too much time on the cell phone and online but I do try to make family time. It is not like I don't want to go out with my parents anymore. But I have a busy schedule and have free time only on Sundays. I would rather spend it with friends than my parents who I meet every day."</p>
<p>That said, this doesn't always translate into 'real' friendship of the physical sort. Mumbai businessman Anoop Sharma says of his 14-year-old daughter Aruhi, "My daughter has friends she chats with on Facebook but does not even say 'hi' to when she meets them!"</p>
<p>Admittedly, many young Indians today limit their friendships to the slightly antiseptic interaction possible on the Net. In Mumbai, Amara Mustan, 10, is constantly busy with his iPhone, an iPod with a "state-of-the-art" docking station and a Macbook. She says, "I don't think I have the time to be in touch with any of my friends except on Facebook."</p>
<p>Does this change social interaction? Clinical psychologist and student counsellor Dr Etishree Bhati agrees that the way children now use technology redefines the way they judge themselves and interact with everyone else. "Earlier, children turned to parents and siblings for emotional support. Today, they are checking up personality, IQ and other tests online themselves. Coming to me is the last option. Sometimes, they even crosscheck whether what I tell them tallies with these test results," says Bhati.</p>
<p>So yes, children in 2010 are more knowledgeable and aware. The downside is the "superiority complex and stress" says Bhati wryly.</p>
<p>For urban children then, if both parents are at work, the school day ends with returning to an empty home and the 'human' contact of the internet. Manil's mother, Simar Chhabra, says she is sad to note that today's children "do not understand and realize the joy of solitude. My son has absolutely no time for himself. Even when he is in bed, he is messaging till the time he falls asleep. They are disconnected from themselves and with their families."</p>
<p>Bhati says the impact of increasing exposure to technology is yet to be understood. "Cognitive learning can get affected. Some schools have barred students from joining Facebook. But what do you do when teachers are themselves interacting with the whole class on Facebook?"</p>
<p>As children routinely Google for answers to class quizzes, skipping books and encyclopaedias altogether, scientists worry that they are in danger of developing 'magpie minds' — flitting between web pages and losing the ability to analyze.</p>
<p>Is technology at fault? No, says Nishant Shah. "Technology in itself cannot be good or bad. It is we, the users, who make the decisions on our usage of it and what we can do with it. Children as young as two are also getting introduced to books. Is exposure to books at much younger ages necessarily bad?"</p>
<p>Shah believes that young users of technology are exactly like the generations that went before — only different. "Each generation has used the technologies that they are most familiar with, in order to bring about change."</p>
<p>He believes that the era of individualism seems to be ending and the future lies in networks and how we work, live and play within networked societies.</p>
<p>Is the 'twitch speed' or the rate at which networked children adapt to newer technologies the number every parent and school teacher needs to know? Keeping pace may be the only way to stay connected with the networked generation.</p>
<p>Read the news in the <a class="external-link" href="http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/home/sunday-toi/special-report/What-it-means-to-be-a-child-today/articleshow/6922578.cms">Times of India</a></p>
<p>
For more details visit <a href='http://editors.cis-india.org/news/a-child-today'>http://editors.cis-india.org/news/a-child-today</a>
</p>
No publisherpraskrishnaDigital Natives2011-04-02T07:42:34ZNews Item科技改變社會數位原生代掀波
http://editors.cis-india.org/news/digital-natives-china
<b>The Chinese press published an article on Digital Natives.</b>
<p>8月16日到18日,原生代工作坊(Digital Natives)將在中研院舉辦數位,關注年輕世代如何運用科技改變社會,荷蘭的國際發展組織、印度的網路與社會研究中心,以及台灣關心資訊社會實踐的研究機構與民間組織,將一起探索數位原生代的全球現象。<br /><br />數位原生代工作坊的主要提問是,為何數位原生代變成理解當代的一個重要的範疇?我們認為什麼樣的人是數位原生代?我們認為數位原生代在浮現的資訊社會中,扮演著什麼樣的角色?我們該如何將科技實踐,整合到我們這個時代的政治關懷中?<br /><br />年輕世代的力量<br />荷蘭Hivos人道發展合作組織(the Humanist Institute for Development Cooperation)知識計畫召集人史傳密拉(Josine Stremmelaar)表示,Hivos知識計畫的目的,是希望結合在地與全球力量,關注社會與災害議題。<br /><br />史傳蜜拉認為,過去沒有足夠的知識,讓在地與全球的組織作分享,如果無法處理知識快速流通及傳播,無法面對層出不窮的全球問題。<br /><br />Hivos數位原生代計畫主持人簡森(Fieke Jansen)指出,全球年輕人運用科技,為社會做出貢獻,有些年輕人運用Facebook串連社會力量,表達年輕人對社會議題的憤怒與重視,她希望藉由工作坊,讓年輕人有更深入的討論,以及為過去行動作整理與分享。<br /><br />科技與社會的關係<br />印度網際網路社會中心研究主任尼善‧沙(Nishant Shah),希望透過數位原生代計畫,讓年輕人瞭解自己,認識人際關係,也瞭解自己在社會上的位置。<br /><br />尼善‧沙認為,數位原生代涵蓋就學的年輕人,也包括進入產官學界的年輕人,不同的領域透過科技促成社會的改變。2010 年,全世界的年輕人將達到12億人,其中有85%居住在開發中國家。這些年輕人潛能的開發,彼此的互相串連,將帶來社會的重組。<br /><br />在中研院即將舉辦的工作坊將有16個國家,28 位與會者從微觀家庭到政治的各種脈絡中,來討論「數位原生代回應」的政治、影響與歷程,以及瞭解年輕人如何用科技改變現況,科技如何形塑人與人的新關係。<br /><br />Pad.ma公共近用數位媒體典藏計畫共同創辦人馬荷卓(Namita A. Malhotra),她同時也是facilitator工作坊引導員。馬荷卓經營數位媒體典藏計畫,她希望透過紀錄片或影片的方式,來紀錄社會變動,也紀錄民眾如何用社會力量來對抗法律、社會跟言論審查。馬荷卓跑過的國家包括泰國、緬甸、印尼、印度等,透過影片紀錄不同國家情況,這次工作坊也會播出其中一部紀錄片。<br /><br />開拓文教基金會李士傑表示,開拓文教基金會致力於讓資訊科技變成社會改變的關鍵力量,積極推廣全球資訊網給公民社會、非政府組織使用,這次與荷蘭、印度一同舉辦國際數位原生代工作坊,希望分享經營網路論壇,構想民間議題與對話的經驗,這次工作坊結合數位原生代國際浪潮,將國際關注的焦點與支持力量與台灣分享交流。<br /><br />Pad.ma公共近用數位媒體典藏計畫共同創辦人馬荷卓(Namita A. Malhotra),將在數位原生代工作坊放映關於民眾力量對抗全球的影片。 </p>
<p><a class="external-link" href="http://news.pchome.com.tw/living/lihpao/20100816/index-12819069977943104009.html">Read the original</a></p>
<p> </p>
<p>
For more details visit <a href='http://editors.cis-india.org/news/digital-natives-china'>http://editors.cis-india.org/news/digital-natives-china</a>
</p>
No publisherpraskrishnaDigital Natives2011-04-02T10:22:26ZNews Item科技改變社會 數位原生代計畫
http://editors.cis-india.org/news/digital-natives-chinese-press
<b>The Chinese language press covered the Digital Natives workshop in Taipei.</b>
<p>8月16日到18日,原生代工作坊(Digital Natives)將在中研院舉辦數位,關注年輕世代如何運用科技改變社會,荷蘭的國際發展組織、印度的網路與社會研究中心,以及台灣關心資訊社會實踐的研究機構與民間組織,將一起探索數位原生代的全球現象。<br /><br />荷蘭Hivos人道發展合作組織(the Humanist Institute for Development Cooperation)知識計畫召集人史傳密拉(Josine Stremmelaar)表示,Hivos知識計畫的目的,是希望結合在地與全球力量,關注社會與災害議題。<br /><br />史傳蜜拉認為,過去沒有足夠的知識,讓在地與全球的組織作分享,如果無法處理知識快速流通及傳播,無法面對層出不窮的全球問題。<br /><br />Hivos數位原生代計畫主持人簡森(Fieke Jansen)指出,全球年輕人運用科技,為社會做出貢獻,有些年輕人運用Facebook串連社會力量,表達年輕人對社會議題的憤怒與重視,她希望藉由工作坊,讓年輕人有更深入的討論,以及為過去行動作整理與分享。<br /><br />尼善‧沙認為,數位原生代涵蓋就學的年輕人,也包括進入產官學界的年輕人,不同的領域透過科技促成社會的改變。2010 年,全世界的年輕人將達到12億人,其中有85%居住在開發中國家。這些年輕人潛能的開發,彼此的互相串連,將帶來社會的重組。<br /><br />在中研院即將舉辦的工作坊將有16個國家,28 位與會者從微觀家庭到政治的各種脈絡中,來討論「數位原生代回應」的政治、影響與歷程,以及瞭解年輕人如何用科技改變現況,科技如何形塑人與人的新關係。<br /><br />Pad.ma公共近用數位媒體典藏計畫共同創辦人馬荷卓(Namita A. Malhotra),她同時也是facilitator工作坊引導員。馬荷卓經營數位媒體典藏計畫,她希望透過紀錄片或影片的方式,來紀錄社會變動,也紀錄民眾如何用社會力量來對抗法律、社會跟言論審查。馬荷卓跑過的國家包括泰國、緬甸、印尼、印度等,透過影片紀錄不同國家情況,這次工作坊也會播出其中一部紀錄片。<br /><br />開拓文教基金會李士傑表示,開拓文教基金會致力於讓資訊科技變成社會改變的關鍵力量,積極推廣全球資訊網給公民社會、非政府組織使用,這次與荷蘭、印度一同舉辦國際數位原生代工作坊,希望分享經營網路論壇,構想民間議題與對話的經驗,這次工作坊結合數位原生代國際浪潮,將國際關注的焦點與支持力量與台灣分享交流。<br /><br />Pad.ma公共近用數位媒體典藏計畫共同創辦人馬荷卓(Namita A. Malhotra),將在數位原生代工作坊放映關於民眾力量對抗全球的影片。</p>
<p>Read the original in <a class="external-link" href="http://www.echinanews.com.tw/shownews.asp?news_id=131060">echinanews.com</a></p>
<p>
For more details visit <a href='http://editors.cis-india.org/news/digital-natives-chinese-press'>http://editors.cis-india.org/news/digital-natives-chinese-press</a>
</p>
No publisherpraskrishnaDigital Natives2011-04-02T10:22:00ZNews ItemDigital them about yourself?
http://editors.cis-india.org/news/digital-yourself
<b>If you’re on Facebook or have a blog, you could be a digital native, says Akhila Seetharaman. The article was published in TimeOut Bengaluru.</b>
<p>In the offline world 23-year-old Srikeit Tadepalli is a media student; online he is among the first few Indian administrators for Wikipedia. Twenty-six-year-old Rajneesh Bolia is a media entrepreneur who carries his office with him in the form of his BlackBerry, usually spending only a couple of hours a day in his “real” office; in his online avatar he spearheads a Facebook page to promote adoption.</p>
<p>Given the way both Bolia and Tadepalli have embraced digital media and the internet, they were ideal candidates for an ongoing survey by the Centre for Internet and Society that attempts to map the behaviour of techno-savvy individuals who navigate seamlessly across online media, also called “digital natives”.</p>
<p>To truly be a digital native the internet has to be integral to the way you think, communicate or socialise. But even if you aren’t that seasoned a web navigator, an established pattern of behaviour online, a routine of going through different avenues of online media such as Facebook, twitter, email accounts and blogs (often in a particular order) could make you a potential candidate.</p>
<p>“It’s about being ‘native’ to or at home in the online world,” said Tadepalli, whose experience with Wikipedia helped him secure his college admission. “I’ve found internships through Facebook, and before I entered college, I formed an online group for prospective students and found my roommate there.”</p>
<p>With interactivity at its core, Web 2.0 provides more opportunities than ever before for identities online and offline to merge, said Tadepalli. “So at times you live an online identity in the physical world, and at other times you’re playing your offline identity online.”</p>
<p>The CIS survey is described by Nishant Shah, their head of research, as the first ever attempt out of India to get statistical data on how people across the world use the internet. “We’re going to be looking at time spent online, services people access online and how they identify themselves as part of groups and communities online,” said Shah. According to the CIS website, the findings of the survey will be presented at a “multi-stakeholder conference in the Netherlands later in 2010” and will also be “consolidated into a report which will be made available for free distribution and download”.</p>
<p>The project also includes a series of regional workshops in Taipei, Johannesburg and Santiago, aimed at bringing digital natives between the ages of 14 and 30 together, and making them aware of the possibilities offered by the platforms they use.</p>
<p>According to Shah, the proliferation of online communities has resulted in new ways of addressing grievances. As an example, he pointed out that when the city’s name changed from Bangalore to Bengaluru, there were fierce debates online about whether the name should be changed on its Wikipedia entry. The city’s name remained resolutely unchanged on Wiki. “Online communities are fiercely local and extremely global at the same time. And the internet paves the way for alternative voices to be heard, and for mobilisation and collaboration,” he said.</p>
<p>Twenty-six-year-old Divya Vijay Iyer, another participant of the survey, has been online since she was 13, and has had a blog for eight years now. She’s sworn off traditional media and believes the way forward is mobile internet. “If you know how to leverage Facebook as a networking tool, there’s very little you can’t accomplish,” said Iyer. She doesn’t read the newspapers; instead, she gets RSS feeds on her mobile. Iyer, who’s passionate about rescuing homeless cats and finding them domicile, believes social media can also pack a punch when it comes to promoting a cause. “It’s not that I think that you can find an animal a home just by adding yourself to a group, but you can definitely spread awareness and information more effectively than through traditional media,” she said.</p>
<p>But although, according to the CIS, most digital natives are people born after 1980, Shah clarified that it isn’t about a generation as much as it is about people of any age who are comfortable using digital technology and are aware of its creative potential for networking and bringing about social change.<br /><br />Elaborating on the way digital natives make use of the reach of digital media and the internet, Bolia said, “We’re in an era when anything can be disseminated to a very large extent. Take the [success of the] Pink Chaddi campaign, for example. It goes to show how, for the right cause, people can be mobilised in large numbers online.”</p>
<p>Click on for the original story in <a class="external-link" href="http://www.timeoutbengaluru.net/aroundtown/aroundtown_preview_details.asp?code=53">TimeOut Bengaluru</a></p>
<p>
For more details visit <a href='http://editors.cis-india.org/news/digital-yourself'>http://editors.cis-india.org/news/digital-yourself</a>
</p>
No publisherpraskrishnaDigital Natives2012-01-03T11:07:45ZNews Item Digital Natives with a Cause? - Workshop in Chile seeks participants
http://editors.cis-india.org/news/dn-workshop-in-chile
<b>The third and final workshop in the Digital Natives with a Cause? research project will take place in Santiago, Chile, from the 8 to 10 February. An open call for participation follows. </b>
<p>As the Internet and digital technologies become more widespread, the world is shrinking: we are constantly connected to our contexts, our people, our cultures and our networks. And you, yes YOU are a part of this change. In fact, as a digital native– someone to whom digital technologies are central to life – you are directly affecting the lives of many, sometimes even without knowing about it.</p>
<p>The Centre for Internet and Society and Hivos in collaboration with Rising Voices is calling out to young users of technology to join a global conversation. The 3-day workshop titled “From Face to Interface” will focus on how youth utilize new platforms, media and spaces of communication and expression in the digital age. If you have used digital technologies to make your voice heard, to express your opinion in creative ways or to create new knowledge online, we want to hear from you. These can be stories where you have used a mobile phone, GPS or PDA to access the Internet and reduce the online-offline divide, stories where you accessed interactive platforms like user-generated content websites, stories where the use of technology has become part of your identity, or stories where you have been part of a collaborative method of research, production, shared learning process, participation network etc.</p>
<p>We invite you to share your perspectives in an informal conversation along people with similar approaches from neighboring communities. The workshop is open to applicants from, in and around Latin America and the Caribbean who are interested in an interactive and engaging dialogue that marks the beginning of the “Digital Natives with a Cause?” research inquiry into the region.</p>
<p>Read the original <a class="external-link" href="http://www.bahamaislandsinfo.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=7523:digital-natives-with-a-cause-workshop-in-chile-seeks-particpants&catid=35:Press%20releases%20of%20interest&Itemid=148">here</a></p>
<p>
For more details visit <a href='http://editors.cis-india.org/news/dn-workshop-in-chile'>http://editors.cis-india.org/news/dn-workshop-in-chile</a>
</p>
No publisherpraskrishnaDigital Natives2011-04-01T16:50:30ZNews ItemBright lights, geek city
http://editors.cis-india.org/news/geek-city
<b>Bangalore serves as my anchor because this is where the geek is, says Nishant Shah. The news was published in the Hindu on April 28, 2011.</b>
<p>I have spent the last couple of years on the fly, measuring life in cups of coffee consumed in transit at airports, working largely with young people in the Global South about their use of digital technologies for social change and political transformation. </p>
<p>It was interesting to live in non-localised time zones and out of suitcases, treating Bangalore as some sort of a laundermat where I largely came to get fresh clothes. But, in this year, as I spend more time in the city, I have started rediscovering the reason why I came to Bangalore eight years ago and decided to call it home.</p>
<p>I realise now, that despite my geographically distributed lifestyle, Bangalore serves as my anchor because this is where the Geek is! And I use the word ‘geek' not only to refer to the (largely male) technology population of the city, but to the people who, in their own quest for knowledge, have made a supportive, symbiotic and inclusive ecosystem of interventions, interests and interactions. </p>
<p>Over the years, many small and big spaces and organisations, collectives and meet-ups have made the city into a mashup that willingly or unwittingly, is a consequence of the digital technologies which are often held responsible for the ‘ruin and decline' of ‘good old Bangalore'.</p>
<p>Here are my three favourite such spaces: one, the experimental make-shift curatorial space Jagaa that ‘makes things happen' in the crowded topography of Shanthinagar. Over time, I have been a part of a bar-camp on digital archiving, audience to an electronic music remix concert, and learned about Dutch Colonial history at Jagaa, making it the official Geek Centre for those who want to be a part of things as they happen. </p>
<p>Two, the Blank Noise Project (BNP) that has now made substantial interventions in discourse on safety on our streets and gender. Using digital technologies and capital, BNP constantly involves young people in and outside the city to reclaim the public spaces through performances and writing. </p>
<p>Three, Kiran ‘Jace' Jonallagadda, who should be in a travel book for Geeks. Jace started the first bar-camps in Bangalore so that geeks of a feather could flock together. His technology-based, community-based venture called HasGeek is all set to become the only way of capturing the burgeoning tech interest and talent in the city. </p>
<p>I realise, as I write this, that this list of ‘Geeks' Up!' in Bangalore is almost exhaustive. I run through the fun, the excitement and the energy that digital and internet technologies have brought the city and I feel recharged. And I am glad that the Centre for Internet and Society, which I co-founded and work with, is in this city, with all these exciting people, just a click or a corner away.</p>
<p>Read the original news published in the Hindu <a class="external-link" href="http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-features/tp-neighbourhood/article1775066.ece">here</a></p>
<p>
For more details visit <a href='http://editors.cis-india.org/news/geek-city'>http://editors.cis-india.org/news/geek-city</a>
</p>
No publisherpraskrishnaDigital Natives2011-05-01T02:41:34ZNews ItemKnowledge Warriors
http://editors.cis-india.org/news/guerrieri-del-sapere
<b>Dieci anni fa, quando Jimmy "Jumbo" Wales lanciò l'idea di una piattaforma della conoscenza partecipativa e plurilingue, di tipo enciclopedico, basata sul web, pochi erano pronti a raccoglierla. L'industria della conoscenza era rigidamente divisa tra chi la produceva, chi la fruiva e chi mediava tra i due gruppi.</b>
<p>Scostarsi da questa struttura sembrava assurdo. Eppure Wikipedia è uno dei siti web più grandi del mondo, con oltre 17 milioni di articoli e 365 milioni di lettori in 262 lingue. Basata sulla semplice idea che la conoscenza sia un patrimonio comunitario piuttosto che individuale, Wikipedia ha invitato chiunque avesse accesso a internet a contribuire a rafforzare le proprie conoscenze attraverso un processo di discussione, costruzione del consenso e collaborazione. A differenza di una normale enciclopedia, forte del suo battaglione di "guerrieri del sapere", Wikipedia si affida ai normali utenti, che utilizzano il potere dell'informazione online per «totalizzare la somma della conoscenza umana».</p>
<p>A un decennio dal suo inizio, la battaglia nata intorno a Wikipedia non si placa. I suoi partigiani esaltano la democratizzazione del sapere e la sfida al regime capitalista dei diritti di proprietà intellettuale che Wikipedia rappresenta. I suoi detrattori, invece, la identificano con nuove concentrazioni di potere, un'ingiusta rappresentazione delle voci alternative e l'appiattimento delle complesse relazioni tra l'umanità e l'informazione. Seguiamo queste guerre-Wiki per vedere quali lezioni possiamo trarne per il futuro del nostro mondo sempre più Wikificato. </p>
<p>01 – stabilire un punto di vista critico</p>
<p>La neutralità del punto di vista (Npv) è uno dei capisaldi teorici attraverso cui Wikipedia garantisce la solidità delle sue informazioni e la governance delle sue comunità. Anziché cercare la "Verità", Wikipedia promuove la "Verificabilità", per cui solo quelle idee che sono già state documentate altrove, e che possono essere addotte come prova, hanno diritto di esistere nel suo universo. Le ricerche originali, le nuove idee, le incursioni artistiche e le risposte emotive non trovano spazio in questo scenario di informazione quasi piatto. La Npv mira a eliminare l'intenzione umana, il desiderio e l'investimento nella conoscenza, a favore di quanto è già documentato. Benché questo si sia dimostrato utile per risolvere dibattiti su argomenti particolarmente delicati o provocatori, non può essere una soluzione sostenibile a lungo termine.</p>
<p>Gli esseri umani non hanno un rapporto neutrale con la conoscenza. Come sostiene appassionatamente il guru della rete Geert Lovink, direttore dell'Institute of Network Cultures di Amsterdam: «La conoscenza, specialmente nella società dell'informazione, è potere e denaro. Wikipedia può professarsi neutrale, ma si tratta di una neutralità costruita e falsa. Cerca di nascondere i complessi meccanismi di potere che alla fine determinano quali tipi di conoscenza sono validi». A dispetto della sua prospettiva di completa inclusione e della sua ambizione, spesso Wikipedia viene definita cabalistica, basata su rituali, priva di una riflessione critica sul suo stesso rapporto con la conoscenza. Occorre riflettere criticamente sugli sforzi di rafforzare la conoscenza umana per individuare criteri che vadano oltre la neutralità e la verificabilità.</p>
<p>02 – superare la saggezza delle masse</p>
<p>Wikipedia resta uno dei più visitati siti a contenuto elaborato dagli utenti a livello mondiale. La sua struttura "Open Wiki" invita diversi attori umani e non umani (i "robot") a collaborare nella produzione e nella documentazione della conoscenza. L'esperimento condotto dalla rivista «Nature», che ha confrontato gli articoli scientifici dell'Enciclopedia Britannica con quelli di Wikipedia, ha evidenziato un livello di accuratezza e un tasso di "errori seri" simili.</p>
<p>Lo scienziato informatico e artista Jaron Lanier, nel libro Tu non sei un gadget, sostiene che il collettivismo online non è la soluzione giusta per documentare il sapere umano a lungo termine. Lanier afferma che l'ethos collettivista alla base di nuovi fenomeni culturali come Wikipedia in realtà riduce la qualità del prodotto finale. Parte dal principio che il design del software di piattaforme del tipo di Wikipedia produce «regole non modificabili» che portano a nuove forme di esclusione. Considera la saggezza delle masse uno strumento che dovrebbe essere usato strategicamente. Lanier contesta a Wikipedia di promuovere «il culto del dilettantismo», che rende le singole voci non essenziali – persino quelle degli esperti – e considera la saggezza collettiva più affidabile che non i tentativi rigorosi di trovare la verità e il significato.</p>
<p>Negli anni a venire bisognerà sottrarre la saggezza delle masse alle piattaforme che condizionano la partecipazione attraverso il design del software e dell'interfaccia. Bisognerà usarla come uno strumento piuttosto che come fine a se stessa.</p>
<p>03 – una svolta verso l'inclusione</p>
<p>Wikipedia, come incarnazione dello zeitgeist Free/Libre/Open Source (Floss), teoricamente abbraccia una cultura di apertura, inclusione e pluralismo. Il suo design tecnologico neutrale, che assicura il diritto di contribuire a chiunque abbia accesso a internet, trascura il fatto che il numero di persone che accedono a internet, globalmente, è molto basso. La mancanza di altre interfacce utilizzabili, tramite cellulari o altre forme di portable computing, fa sì che i contributori restino concentrati in specifiche parti del mondo. Johanna Niesyto, dell'Università di Seigen, nella sua tesi di dottorato afferma: «Il profilo demografico medio di un redattore di Wikipedia è quello di un maschio bianco appassionato di internet con una visione del mondo monoculturale e limitata, basata sulla razionalità occidentale». Le contributrici donne che si sono sentite silenziate dalla cultura tech maschile di Wikipedia hanno già creato spazi alternativi, come Wikichix.org.</p>
<p>Nonostante la sua ricerca di pluralismo, Wikipedia palesemente esclude quei processi, idee, culture e stili di vita che non rientrano nella mentalità razionale occidentale. Rifiuta altre forme di conoscenza tradizionali, effimere e orali. La popolarità di altre enciclopedie collaborative online come Baidu Baike in Cina, testimonia le implicite esclusioni del mondo di Wikipedia.</p>
<p>Perché Wikipedia diventi davvero inclusiva, dovrà dissociarsi dai monolitici standard culturali, morali e politici della civiltà dominante e imparare ad arricchirsi di sfumature, diventando più sensibile e pluralista per facilitare davvero la partecipazione e la diversità, a livello di contenuto, design e governance.</p>
<p>04 – aprirsi alla resistenza</p>
<p>Wikipedia è l'incarnazione del grido di guerra, scaturito dall'euforia tecnologica, per una società aperta che dovrebbe mettere l'individuo in condizioni di sfuggire alla tirannia dello stato e dei mercati. Tuttavia il cyber-realista Evgeny Morozov, dell'Università di Stanford, nel suo ultimo libro, The Net Delusion, afferma che tale cyber-utopia è frutto di «una fede naif nella natura emancipativa della comunicazione online, fondata su un ostinato rifiuto di riconoscere il suo lato negativo».</p>
<p>Nel quadro tracciato da Morozov, il "mainstreaming" di progetti tipo Wikipedia costituisce la fine del vero dibattito pubblico e dell'impegno politico. Con Wikipedia il dissenso è difficile. Qualsiasi intervento che violi le "Condizioni di Servizio" e dunque sfidi i presupposti fondamentali di Wikipedia, viene immediatamente "bannato" o contrastato legalmente.</p>
<p>Il progetto "Wikipedia Art", avviato dagli artisti Nathaniel Stern e Scott Kildall, si è scontrato con un problema simile. È iniziato come voce di Wikipedia supportata da una serie di blog e articoli scritti da un gruppo di collaborazione che appoggiava l'iniziativa. Il progetto artistico intendeva criticare e utilizzare le stesse strutture di autorità che davano autenticità alle voci di Wikipedia. Eppure l'iniziativa è stata rapidamente rimossa, all'inizio dalla comunità e successivamente dalle azioni legali intraprese dalla Fondazione Wikimedia, che gestisce Wikipedia.</p>
<p>Benché Wikipedia sostenga di essere uno spazio che sovverte i processi dominanti, non riesce ad accettare la resistenza e le sfide che muovono dalla più grande sfera digitale. Se vuole aderire alle originarie ideologie di internet, che avrebbe dovuto costruire un mondo di conoscenze libere e aperte, dovrà evolvere con il web, imparando ad accogliere e facilitare tali sovvertimenti.</p>
<p>Wikipedia resta un autentico fenomeno storico che ha cambiato il modo in cui ci confrontiamo con l'informazione e la conoscenza nel quotidiano. Ha contribuito a mettere radicalmente in discussione la logica del tardo capitalismo e della proprietà intellettuale che ha governato l'industria della conoscenza, producendo strutture di esclusione e dominio. Tuttavia, nel celebrare il suo decimo compleanno, è ora di evolvere verso un futuro in cui la Wikificazione del mondo si confronti realisticamente con le necessità di equità, pluralismo e apertura rappresentate da progetti come Wikipedia. (traduzione di Elisa Comito)</p>
<p>Read the original <a class="external-link" href="http://www.ilsole24ore.com/art/cultura/2011-01-16/guerrieri-sapere-082124.shtml?uuid=AaZ0FG0C&fromSearch#continue">here</a></p>
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For more details visit <a href='http://editors.cis-india.org/news/guerrieri-del-sapere'>http://editors.cis-india.org/news/guerrieri-del-sapere</a>
</p>
No publisherpraskrishnaDigital Natives2011-04-01T16:50:07ZNews ItemInformation, the world's new capital - Digital Natives
http://editors.cis-india.org/news/information
<b>Information is the new capital and currency of the world, Nishant Shah, of the India-based Digital Natives with a Cause, told Bizcommunity.com yesterday, 10 November 2010, as the three-day workshop on digital and internet technologies that brought together young delegates from nine African countries ended in Johannesburg, South Africa.
"If the 20th century was the age of the industrial revolution, the 21st century is now actually the age of the knowledge information," Shah said. </b>
<p>The workshop, hosted in collaboration with the Netherlands-based Hivos Centre for Internet and Society, aimed at analysing how young Africans use the digital tools and platforms at their disposal to create social change in their environments. Delegates came from countries such as South Africa, Morocco, Zimbabwe, Rwanda, Egypt, Uganda, Nigeria and Kenya.</p>
<h3>Youth need to be more involved</h3>
<p>However, despite the power of this newly-found capital and currency, there is a general impression out there that not everyone is getting access to the information or being part of the discussion of how that information is produced. Fieke Jansen, of Hivos, said research shows most of the young people growing in the south are not being part of the discussion, as policymakers, academics and practitioners act on their behalf, thus influencing their lives.</p>
<p>Jansen said: "We told ourselves we should break this cycle and include them in this discussion, as we strongly believe that there is a need for young people to grow up and intersect with technology in the aim to create social change."</p>
<p>Shah said: "Look, worldwide there is a huge pressure on young people to become economically active. You can see how governments all over the world are putting more resources into pushing populations to get access to the digital.</p>
<p>"Excluding the youth by, for instance trying to censor the internet, could only mean that there is a lack of understanding of how internet works.</p>
<p>"Older people can no longer ignore the youth in this age of digital revolution because exposing young people to digital technology can give them more voice that could help bring change, for example they can get involved in issues such as government accountability and transparency."</p>
<h3>Gap between academic, practice</h3>
<p>Furthermore, Jansen said research also shows that a huge gap exists between academic and practice, something she said her organisation and its partners were working hard to address. "We need to bridge that gap because academic and practice need each other," she pointed out.</p>
<p>Digital Natives with a Cause, which is based in Bangalore, is a research company specialised in the intersection of internet into society. The two organisations organised another workshop in August this year in Taipei, Taiwan, attended by young delegates from several Asian countries. A third workshop is due to take place in early December in Santiago, Chile's capital city.</p>
<p>It is estimated that the global youth population now stands at 1.2 billion this year, 85% of which live in developing countries.</p>
<p>Jansen said: "There is no limit on what young people can do with digital. And age doesn't matter in technology, it is the way you approach technology that matters."</p>
<h3>Youth, agents of change</h3>
<p>Shah said nobody can produce change in isolation. "It is time the world saw young people not only as beneficiaries of change, but also as agents of change. So it is time we start listening to them. While the older generation needs to teach the youth, young people also need to tell them if you don't build a new army, society will be in trouble."</p>
<p>The Johannesburg workshop was also made possible with the help of their local partner, South Africa-based The African Commons Project.</p>
<p>Download and read <a class="external-link" href="http://www.cis-india.org/publications/cis/nishant/dnrep.pdf/view">Digital Natives with a Cause? A Report</a>.</p>
<p>For more information, contact the Hivos Centre for Internet and Society at <a class="external-link" href="http://www.hivos.net/">www.hivos.net</a>, the African Commons Project at <a class="external-link" href="http://www.africancommons.org/">www.africancommons.org</a> or go to <a class="external-link" href="http://www.digitalnatives.in/africa">www.digitalnatives.in/africa</a>.</p>
<p>Read the original article <a class="external-link" href="http://www.bizcommunity.com/Article/410/16/54205.html">here</a></p>
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For more details visit <a href='http://editors.cis-india.org/news/information'>http://editors.cis-india.org/news/information</a>
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No publisherpraskrishnaDigital Natives2011-04-02T07:41:31ZNews ItemNative plays
http://editors.cis-india.org/news/native-plays
<b>Online activist groups are helping change perceptions about the internet generation, says Shweta Taneja, Time Out Bengaluru.</b>
<p>In May 2008, Anivar Aravind, a Bangalore-based software consultant, came up with a strategy to petition for the release of Binayak Sen, the human rights activist who had been jailed by the Chhattisgarh government exactly a year before, in May 2007. Sen, who is known for his efforts in defending the rights of tribal and underprivileged people, had been held for alleged unlawful activities, and the detention was declared in breach of international Amnesty laws. Aravind’s ploy, to hasten Sen’s release, was entirely based in the online sphere. He created the website www.binayeksen.net, where he sought to bring together different groups of people protesting against the arrest. “By that time, it had been a year since Sen had been in jail,” said the 26-year-old, “and activists had exhausted all strategies to no avail. The movement needed to be reintroduced imaginatively.”</p>
<p>The website, said Aravind, was a way of using the digital space and creating an information channel to reactivate people towards the cause of freeing Sen. The website’s team went on to populate pages on social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter, to call for nationwide protests on specific dates. “We even provided posters and updates on local protests to facilitate people getting together,” said Aravind. Two years after the activist’s arrest, the online movement had resulted in over 60 different protest events. Sixteen of these protests were held outside the country, observed by NRIs outside various Indian embassies. On May 25 this year, Sen was released on bail. “It was the combination of mobilisation of audiences on the web and taking that protest offline and onto the streets that worked,” reflected Aravind.</p>
<p>For <a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/about/people/staff/nishant-shah" class="internal-link" title="Nishant Shah">Nishant Shah</a>, director of research at the city’s Centre for Internet and Society, Aravind is one among a strain of online users who fall under the banner of “digital natives”. “People like Aravind, who claim to live within, on, through and by the internet and digital technologies are [called] digital natives,” explained Shah. “You might be connected online, but still not be a person whose crucial social, cultural, political and economic activities, as well as imaginations, are informed by new technologies.” </p>
<p>In an attempt to unravel the concept, the CIS recently conducted an extensive research on the subject. “The available definitions of the term ‘digital native’ were simply based on age – children born after the ’80s, or young power-users of technology from a particular class-bracket,” explained Shah. But that was clearly not the case, realised Shah. To help with the study, CIS collaborated with The Knowledge Programme, led by the Humanist Institute for Development Cooperation, a Dutch organisation. The study aimed to examine the identity of digital natives and to understand the manner in which these natives had turned into “e-agents” of change, constantly finding new ways of engaging with different socio-cultural and political crises through digital technologies.</p>
<p>To explore concerns of such web usage in India, CIS recently conducted a workshop at Ranga Shankara, which involved school children, parents, teachers, activists and artists, before releasing a paper titled “Digital Natives with a Cause?” While the study attempts at busting the perception that digital users are a privileged, upper-class, English-speaking group of people who use the internet only for pleasure, it also helped subvert the idea of a generation that is believed to be largely disconnected from reality and lives in bubbles of social networks and online groups. “This new generation is not being taken seriously enough,” said Shah. </p>
<p>CIS has now announced an international conference – to be held next year – that will invite scholars, academics, NGOs, practitioners, policy makers and activists to explore the various contexts occupied by digital natives. The plan also includes a book that will document various successful campaigns of the kind from across the globe. “The study is a first resource tool that hopes to help researchers and practitioners formulate projects that work on youth-technology relationships,” explained Shah.</p>
<p>The paper “<a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/publications/cis/nishant/dnrep.pdf" class="internal-link" title="Digital Natives with a Cause? A Report">Digital Natives with a Cause?”</a> is available as a free download at www.cis-india.org. </p>
<p><a class="external-link" href="http://bit.ly/7LEq26">Link to the original article</a></p>
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For more details visit <a href='http://editors.cis-india.org/news/native-plays'>http://editors.cis-india.org/news/native-plays</a>
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No publisherradhaDigital Natives2012-01-03T11:08:46ZNews Item