The Centre for Internet and Society
http://editors.cis-india.org
These are the search results for the query, showing results 141 to 155.
Alliance aimed at reducing internet cost launched
http://editors.cis-india.org/news/times-of-india-october-7-2013-alliance-aimed-at-reducing-internet-cost-launched
<b>A number of government bodies, non-government organizations and private players have joined hands to create a coalition aimed at reducing the cost of internet access worldwide. The coalition -- Alliance for Affordable Internet (A4AI) -- will advocate policy and regulatory reforms to push down the cost of bandwidth in developing and poor countries, where cost of internet access remains very high.</b>
<p style="text-align: justify; ">This article was <a class="external-link" href="http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2013-10-07/internet/42793468_1_affordable-internet-alliance-international-telecommunication-union">published in the Times of India</a> on October 7, 2013. Sunil Abraham is quoted.</p>
<hr />
<p style="text-align: justify; ">"By advocating for open, competitive and innovative broadband markets, A4AI aims to help access prices fall to below 5% of monthly income worldwide, a target set by the UN Broadband Commission. Reaching this goal can help to connect the two-thirds of the world that is presently not connected to the internet and make universal access a reality," the alliance said in a press note, citing figures provided International Telecommunication Union (ITU).</p>
<p style="text-align: justify; ">According to ITU, by 2012, fixed-broadband prices represented 1.7% of monthly gross national income in developed countries. In developing countries, the cost of broadband connection accounts for 30.1% of average monthly income.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify; ">The A4AI has the backing of World Wide Web Foundation, which was started by the inventor of the web, <a href="http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/topic/Tim-Berners-Lee">Tim Berners-Lee</a>. Sonia Jorge, executive director of the Alliance for Affordable Internet told TOI, "The Web Foundation hosts the A4AI's secretariat and both teams collaborate to benefit from natural synergies among the programmes."</p>
<p style="text-align: justify; ">Berners-Lee explained, "The reason for the alliance is simple - the majority of the world's people are still not online, usually because they can't afford to be. In Mozambique, for example, a recent study showed that using just 1GB of data can cost well over two months' wages for the average citizen... The real bottleneck now is anti-competitive policies that keep prices unaffordable. The alliance is about removing that barrier and helping as many as possible get online at reasonable cost."</p>
<p style="text-align: justify; ">The global sponsors of the A4AI are Google, UK Department for International Development, US Agency for International Development and Omidyar Network, an firm that often invests in non-profit entities. But <a href="http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/topic/Intel">Intel</a>, Microsoft, Facebook, Cisco, Commonwealth Telecommunications Organisation, the <a href="http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/topic/US-State-Department">US State Department</a> and several other regional and international bodies are also members of A4AI.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify; ">From India, Bangalore-based Centre for Internet and Society (CIS) is part of the alliance. Sunil Abraham, director of CIS, told TOI his group "hopes to learn from policy work carried out by the alliance and apply the lessons in India where access to good quality broadband services remains prohibitively expensive".</p>
<p style="text-align: justify; ">For now there are not many details on how the A4AI is going to achieve its goals. Sonia said it had two telecom companies -- Digicel and Main One - as its members and talks were going on with some other telecom firms for their involvement.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify; ">The alliance will begin in-country engagements with three to four countries by the end of 2013, expanding to at least 12 countries by the end of 2015. "We would be very glad to have the opportunity to engage and work in collaboration with the government of India," said Sonia.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify; ">A4AI will also produce an annual 'affordability report'. The first edition is expected to come out in December 2013.</p>
<p>
For more details visit <a href='http://editors.cis-india.org/news/times-of-india-october-7-2013-alliance-aimed-at-reducing-internet-cost-launched'>http://editors.cis-india.org/news/times-of-india-october-7-2013-alliance-aimed-at-reducing-internet-cost-launched</a>
</p>
No publisherpraskrishnaTelecom2013-10-29T09:08:10ZNews ItemSeptember 2013 Bulletin
http://editors.cis-india.org/about/newsletters/september-2013-bulletin
<b>Our newsletter for the month of September 2013 can be accessed below. </b>
<p style="text-align: justify; ">The Centre for Internet and Society (CIS) welcomes you to the ninth issue of its newsletter for the year 2013. During this month we signed an MoU with the Goa University to enhance digital literacy in Konkani language, submitted a report on Inclusive Disaster and Emergency Management for persons with disabilities to the National Disaster Management Authority, published an updated version of the Privacy Protection Bill, 2013 based on feedback collected from the Privacy Round Table held on August 24, and published an analysis of the Crucifixion Protests in Paraguay. Further, updates on our upcoming events and media coverage are brought in this newsletter.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify; ">Our policies on Ethical Research Guidelines, Non-Discrimination and Equal Opportunities, Privacy, Terms of Website Use, and Travel can be <a class="external-link" href="http://bit.ly/19dQSOV">accessed here</a>.</p>
<h3 style="text-align: justify; ">Accessibility</h3>
<p style="text-align: justify; ">As part of our project on creating a national resource kit of state-wise laws, policies and programmes on issues relating to persons with disabilities in India with the Hans Foundation, we bring you a new draft chapter on the union territory of Andaman and Nicobar. With this we have completed compilation of draft chapters for 21 states and 4 union territories. Feedback and comments are invited from readers for this chapter:</p>
<p style="text-align: justify; "><b>National Resource Kit Chapter</b></p>
<ul>
<li>The <a class="external-link" href="http://bit.ly/18knnIq">Andaman and Nicobar Chapter</a> (by CLPR, September 30, 2013)<a href="http://bit.ly/18knnIq"></a>.</li>
</ul>
<p><b>Reports</b></p>
<ul>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a class="external-link" href="http://bit.ly/1ccMz7R">Inclusive Disaster and Emergency Management for Persons with Disabilities</a> (by Deepti Samant Raja and Nirmita Narasimhan, September 17, 2013). It was submitted to the National Disaster Management Authority of India (NDMA) on September 17 for their action. </li>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a class="external-link" href="http://bit.ly/18E7Tjc">The ICT Opportunity for a Disability-Inclusive Development Framework</a> (by leading international organisations such as G3ict, ITU, Microsoft, UNESCO, et.al.) was released on September 24. CIS gave its inputs to this report.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Access to Knowledge and Openness</h3>
<p style="text-align: justify; ">The Access to Knowledge team at CIS is working on <a class="external-link" href="http://bit.ly/SPqFOl">expanding the Indic language Wikipedia in partnership with the Wikimedia Foundation</a><a href="http://bit.ly/SPqFOl"></a>. As <a class="external-link" href="http://bit.ly/X80ELd">part this project</a>, we held seven Wikipedia workshops. Our project on Pervasive Technologies examines the relationship between production of pervasive technologies and intellectual property and we have produced a column in EuroScientist as part of our efforts of promoting openness including open government data, open standards, open access, and free/libre/open source software:</p>
<p style="text-align: justify; "><b><span>Open Access </span></b><br /><b>Column</b></p>
<ul>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a class="external-link" href="http://bit.ly/1bdPdup">Open Access: An Opportunity for Scientists around the Globe</a> (by Subbiah Arunachalam, Euro Scientist, September 25, 2013).</li>
</ul>
<p><b>Blog Entries</b></p>
<ul>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a class="external-link" href="http://bit.ly/1f5xdBG">e - DIRAP Google+ Hangout: Open Government</a> (by Christine Apikul, September 18, 2013). </li>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a class="external-link" href="http://bit.ly/1fWE6Wr">The Indian Council of Agricultural Research Adopts an Open Access Policy</a> (by Nehaa Chaudhari, September 30, 2013). </li>
</ul>
<p style="text-align: justify; "><span><b>Wikipedia</b></span><br />Wikipedians from various communities can request for outreach programmes, technical bugs, logistics-merchandize and media, public relations and communications <a class="external-link" href="http://bit.ly/TOcXId">here</a>.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify; "><b>Announcements<br /></b></p>
<ul>
<li style="text-align: justify; ">CIS Signs MoU with Goa University: The A2K team at CIS has signed an MoU with the Goa University to digitize the “Konkani Vishwakosh” under the Creative Commons license and build a digital knowledge partnership to enhance digital literacy in Konkani language. See <a class="external-link" href="http://bit.ly/1fBZXlR">here for more details</a>.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a class="external-link" href="http://bit.ly/15Idlh7">Konkani Vishwakosh Digitization Project</a>: The Centre for Internet and Society in collaboration with the University of Goa invites you to a two-month project on digitization of Konkani Vishwakosh. Please send in your applications by October 5, 2013.</li>
</ul>
<p><b>Video</b></p>
<ul>
<li style="text-align: justify; ">Wikipedians Speak: Piotr Konieczny: This episode brings you a <a class="external-link" href="http://bit.ly/16jYsBF">conversation with Piotr Konieczny</a>, a veteran Wikipedian from Poland. He has contributed to over 514 DYK articles on Wikipedia.</li>
</ul>
<p><b>Columns and Blog Entries</b></p>
<ul>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a class="external-link" href="http://bit.ly/19KtIwo">Recap on Konkani Wikipedia Workshop</a> (by Subhashish Panigrahi, Startup Goa Blog, September 9, 2013). </li>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a class="external-link" href="http://bit.ly/14QQkIo">ଅବସର ପରର ଦ୍ବିତୀୟ ଜୀବନ, ଅବସର ପରେ ସକ୍ରିୟ ଭାବେ ଓଡ଼ିଆ ଉଇକିପିଡ଼ିଆରେ ଲେଖାଲେଖି ଜାରୀ ରଖିଥିବା ଜଣେ ଡାକ୍ତରଙ୍କ ସହ ଭାବାଲୋଚନା</a> (by Subhashish Panigrahi, Odiapua, September 10, 2013)<a href="http://bit.ly/14QQkIo"></a>. </li>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a class="external-link" href="http://bit.ly/1fU7Ikl">Selection of Programme Officer — Pilot Projects, CIS-A2K</a> (by Nitika Tandon, September 10, 2013)<a href="http://bit.ly/1fU7Ikl"></a>. </li>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a class="external-link" href="http://bit.ly/18f9n1o">Wikipedia reaches Classrooms in Hyderabad</a> (by Syed Muzammiluddin, September 20, 2013).</li>
</ul>
<p><b>Events Organised</b></p>
<ul>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a class="external-link" href="http://bit.ly/15LPoKZ">A Kannada Wikipedia Workshop in Mysore</a> (University of Mysore, August 6, 2013): This is a report of the workshop conducted last month. Dr. Pavanaja conducted the workshop<a href="http://bit.ly/15LPoKZ"></a>. </li>
<li style="text-align: justify; ">Wikipedia Introductory Workshop (Department of Computer Science and Technology, University of Goa, September 28, 2013). Nitika Tandon conducted this workshop. <i>The details will be posted soon</i>.</li>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a class="external-link" href="http://bit.ly/1f1KOvm">Train the Trainer — Four-day long Residential Training Workshop in Bangalore</a> (organised by CIS-A2K, Bangalore, October 3 – 6, 2013). </li>
</ul>
<p><b>Events Co-organised</b></p>
<ul>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a class="external-link" href="http://bit.ly/174pugy">Digital Resources in Telugu: A Workshop for Research Scholars</a> (co-organised by CIS-A2K and the English and Foreign Languages University, Hyderabad, September 13, 2013). T. Vishnu Vardhan participated in this event. </li>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a class="external-link" href="http://bit.ly/18SsChu">Re-releasing Konkani Vishwakosh & Building Konkani Wikipedia</a> (organised by CIS-A2K and the University of Goa, Conference Hall, Goa University, Taleigao, September 26, 2013). </li>
<li style="text-align: justify; ">Wikipedia Introductory Workshop (co-organised by CIS-A2K and wikipedians John Noronha and Supriya Kankumbikar, September 27, 2013). Nitika Tandon participated in this workshop.</li>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a class="external-link" href="http://bit.ly/15NsTjM">Odisha: Wikipedia workshop at IIMC, Dhenkanal</a> (co-organised by CIS-A2K and Odia Wikimedia community, September 30, 2013). Subhashish Panigrahi coordinated the entire event along with members of Odia Wikipedia, Dr Subas Chandra Rout, Mrutyunjaya Kar and Sasanka Sekhar Das. This was covered by Odisha Diary (<a href="http://bit.ly/1bna9zd">http://bit.ly/1bna9zd</a>), and eOdisha Samachar (<a href="http://bit.ly/1aNJvv4">http://bit.ly/1aNJvv4</a>).</li>
</ul>
<p><b>Events Participated In</b></p>
<ul>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a class="external-link" href="http://bit.ly/16HNZpy">Workshop on e-Content Development</a> (organised by Centre for Staff Training and Development, Dr. B.R. Ambedkar Open University, Hyderabad, September 4 – 6, 2013). Vishnu Vardhan gave a guest lecture on Open Source to Open Knowledge, Building Knowledge Bases and Platforms via Mass Collaboration on the Internet, e-Content in Indian languages – History, Challenges and Opportunities, Wikipedia Users to Wikipedia Authors – Exploring Wikipedia as an OER Tool, and e-Content, e-Student, e-Faculty – Reimagining classroom in the digital Age. </li>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a class="external-link" href="http://bit.ly/183Atq0">Kannada Wikipedia Workshop</a> (organised by Department of Journalism and Mass Communication, SDM College, Ujire, September 15, 2013). Dr. U.B.Pavanaja participated in this workshop<a href="http://bit.ly/183Atq0"></a>. </li>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a class="external-link" href="http://bit.ly/1eGviTY">Konkani Wikipedia Workshop</a> (organised by St. Aloysius College, AIMIT, St Aloysius College (Autonomous), Beeri, Mangalore, September 13, 2013). Dr. U.B. Pavanaja participated in this<a href="http://bit.ly/1eGviTY"></a>.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
</ul>
<ul>
</ul>
<ul>
</ul>
<p style="text-align: justify; "><b>Media Coverage</b></p>
<ul>
<li style="text-align: justify; ">'<a class="external-link" href="http://bit.ly/152vA0g">Help Konkani Wikipedia come out of incubation</a>' (Deccan Herald, September 13, 2013): The article talks about the relative lack of content in Konkani Wikipedia. “To get it out of incubation, many should write Konkani articles for Wikipedia,” Dr. Pavanaja was quoted as having said. </li>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a class="external-link" href="http://bit.ly/18VgnEN">Konkani Vishwakosh relaunch tomorrow</a> (The Hindu, September 26, 2013). A coverage of the re-release of the Konkani encyclopaedia under Creative Commons license. </li>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a class="external-link" href="http://bit.ly/18VgnV8">Goa university re-releasing Konkani encyclopaedia on Sept 26</a> (The Times of India, September 24, 2013): Goa University and CIS-A2K re-released the four volume 3632 page Konkani Vishwakosh (encyclopaedia) in Goa. </li>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a class="external-link" href="http://bit.ly/174rmpA">Goa University announces plan to upload Konkani encyclopedia on Wikipedia</a> (Navhind Times, September 27, 2013)<a href="http://bit.ly/174rmpA"></a>. </li>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a class="external-link" href="http://bit.ly/19EYl5T">Konkani Wikipedia from Goa University in 6 months</a> (The Times of India, September 27, 2013): Goa University becomes the first varsity in India to allow data produced and copyrighted by an Indian university to be used by internet users. Professors, students and anyone with expertise or love for Konkani can come forward to help with the project for which training will be provided, says Vishnu Vardhan. </li>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a class="external-link" href="http://bit.ly/18jiG1B">Konkani Wikipedia in the making</a> (by Prakash Kamat, The Hindu, September 29, 2013): Goa University re-launched a four-volume Konkani encyclopaedia and will upload it on Wikipedia. The process will be completed in six months times, says Vishnu Vardhan<a href="http://bit.ly/18jiG1B"></a>. </li>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a class="external-link" href="http://bit.ly/1bV5XWH">For the love of Konkani: Preserving Goa's official language</a> (by Joanna Lobo, DNA, September 29, 2013): Konkani has 24 lakh speakers as per the Census Department of India 2001 but online documentation is limited. CIS-A2K wants to strengthen the Konkani Wikipedia, says Nitika Tandon<a href="http://bit.ly/1bV5XWH"></a>. </li>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a class="external-link" href="http://bit.ly/18ROmfb">Goa University to make available online Konkani Wikipedia, within 6 months</a> (by Jagran Josh, September 30, 2013). </li>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a class="external-link" href="http://bit.ly/1bsZW4u">Goa University Partners CIS India to Build Konkani Wikipedia</a> (by Apurva Chaudhary, Medianama, September 30, 2013)<a href="http://bit.ly/1bsZW4u"></a>. </li>
</ul>
<h3>Access to Knowledge (Copyright and Pervasive Technologies)</h3>
<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 style="text-align: justify; "><b>Event Participated In</b></p>
<ul>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a class="external-link" href="http://bit.ly/17J3g55">The Law and Economics of Copyright Users Rights</a> (organised by the American University Washington College of Law, Massachusetts Ave., NW, Washington DC, September 26, 2013). Sunil Abraham presented the Pervasive Technologies project. </li>
</ul>
<h3>Internet Governance</h3>
<p style="text-align: justify; ">We are doing a project on conducting research on surveillance and freedom of expression (SAFEGUARDS) with Privacy International and IDRC. So far we have organised six privacy round tables and drafted the Privacy (Protection) Bill. This month we bring you the latest version of the Privacy (Protection) Bill and an analysis of the six privacy round tables. We are also doing a project on mapping cyber security actors in South Asia and South East Asia with the Citizen Lab, Munk School of Global Affairs, University of Toronto and IDRC. We did an interview with Lawrence Liang on privacy and free speech:</p>
<p><span><b>SAFEGUARDS Project<br /></b></span><b>Bill</b></p>
<ul style="text-align: justify; ">
<li><a class="external-link" href="http://bit.ly/14WAgI7">Privacy (Protection) Bill, 2013</a>: Updated Third Draft (by Bhairav Acharya, September 30, 2013): CIS has been researching privacy in India since 2010 with the objective of raising public awareness around privacy, completing in depth research, and driving a privacy legislation in India. As part of this work, we drafted the Privacy (Protection) Bill, 2013. This is the latest version with changes based on feedback from the Privacy Round Table held on August 24. </li>
</ul>
<p><b>Event Reports</b></p>
<ul>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a class="external-link" href="http://bit.ly/15Fj6vY">A Privacy Meeting with the Federal Trade Commission</a> (co-organised by CIS and the Federal Trade Commission, Imperial Hotel, Janpath, New Delhi, September 20, 2013). Elonnai Hickok participated in this meeting. </li>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a class="external-link" href="http://bit.ly/158ayNW">The National Privacy Roundtable Meetings</a> (by Bhairav Acharya, September 19, 2013). Bhairav provides an analysis of the six round table meetings held in the cities of New Delhi, Bangalore, Chennai, Mumbai, and Kolkata.</li>
</ul>
<p><b>Interview</b></p>
<ul>
<li><a class="external-link" href="http://bit.ly/15AutoE">An Interview with Suresh Ramasubramanian</a> (by Elonnai Hickok, September 6, 2013): Suresh Ramasubramanian from IBM speaks about cyber security and issues in the cloud. </li>
</ul>
<p><b>Articles and Blog Entries</b></p>
<ul>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a class="external-link" href="http://bit.ly/1g5QbZj">India: Privacy in Peril</a> (by Bhairav Acharya, Frontline, July 12, 2013). <i>The article was published in Frontline in July but was mirrored only recently on our website</i>. </li>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a class="external-link" href="http://bit.ly/19DNYjs">Privacy Law Must Fit the Bill</a> (by Sunil Abraham, Deccan Chronicle, September 9, 2013). </li>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a class="external-link" href="http://bit.ly/19NYTal">Transparency Reports — A Glance on What Google and Facebook Tell about Government Data Requests</a> (by Prachi Arya, September 12, 2013). </li>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a class="external-link" href="http://bit.ly/16yLYFq">The National Cyber Security Policy: Not a Real Policy</a> (by Bhairav Acharya, Observer Research Foundation's Cyber Security Monitor Vol. I, Issue.1, August 2013). </li>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a class="external-link" href="http://bit.ly/1fln2vu">The Central Monitoring System: Some Questions to be Raised in Parliament</a> (by Bhairav Acharya, September 19, 2013). </li>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a class="external-link" href="http://bit.ly/18oOTDk">CIS and International Coalition Calls upon Governments to Protect Privacy</a> (by Elonnai Hickok, September 25, 2013).</li>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a class="external-link" href="http://bit.ly/16dKyoo">An Analysis of the Cases Filed under Section 46 of the Information Technology Act, 2000 for Adjudication in the State of Maharashtra</a> (by Bhairav Acharya, September 30, 2013): This is a brief review of some of the cases related to privacy filed under section 46 of the Information Technology Act, 2000 seeking adjudication for alleged contraventions of the Act in the State of Maharashtra.</li>
</ul>
<p><b>Media Coverage</b></p>
<ul>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a class="external-link" href="http://bit.ly/1bys2I1">Gmail ban looms for Indian gov't workers</a> (by Beatrice Thomas, Arabian Business.com, September 1, 2013): The article says that government would ban Gmail for official communication in light of cyber spying by the US. Sunil Abraham agrees with the ban. </li>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a class="external-link" href="http://bit.ly/1dJiSvF">Indien: Regierung will Nutzung von US-Mailprovidern in Verwaltungen verbieten</a> (Netzpolitik, September 3, 2013). Sunil Abraham was quoted in this German newspaper. </li>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a class="external-link" href="http://bit.ly/19KvQV7">A dangerous trend: social media adds fire to Muzaffarnagar clashes</a> (by Zia Haq, The Hindustan Times, September 9, 2013). The article speaks about censorship in wake of publication of malicious content. In such cases the government has a legitimate reason to censor speech, says Sunil Abraham<a href="http://bit.ly/19KvQV7"></a>. </li>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a class="external-link" href="http://bit.ly/18VgnVe">Three Years Later, IPaidABribe.com Pays Off</a> (by Jessica McKenzie, TechPresident, September 23, 2013): The article talks about IPaidABribe.com, an online portal focusing on civic engagement and improving governance. But the real problem in India is “high ticket bribes...at the top of the pyramid,” Sunil Abraham was quoted as having said. </li>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a class="external-link" href="http://bit.ly/174yjHr">Indian biometric ID plan faces court hurdle</a> (by John Ribeiro, Computer World, September 25, 2013): The article talks about Aadhar (India’s biometric system). The Aadhaar number now allows different agencies including private organizations to collect and exchange data between them, says Pranesh Prakash. </li>
</ul>
<ul>
</ul>
<ul>
</ul>
<ul>
</ul>
<p style="text-align: justify; "><b>Upcoming Event</b></p>
<ul>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a class="external-link" href="http://bit.ly/GAsStr">Privacy Round Table, New Delhi</a> (co-organised by FICCI, DSCI and CIS, FICCI Federation House, Tansen Marg, New Delhi, October 19, 2013). </li>
</ul>
<p><b>Event Organised</b></p>
<ul>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a class="external-link" href="http://bit.ly/GAGLXL">Public Law and Jurisprudential Issues of Privacy</a> (CIS, Bangalore, September 27, 2013): Abhayraj Naik, a graduate from the National Law School of India University, Bangalore, and the Yale Law School gave a talk on public law and jurisprudential issues related to privacy.</li>
</ul>
<p><b>Events Participated In</b></p>
<ul>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a class="external-link" href="http://bit.ly/1byqRZg">Young Scholar Tutorials</a> (organised by Communication Policy Research South, September 3-4, 2013). Nehaa Chaudhari participated in this event. </li>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a class="external-link" href="http://bit.ly/1eqxUb1">Privacy and Surveillance in India</a> (organised by the Centre for Culture, Media and Governance, Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi, September 18, 2013). Sunil Abraham gave a talk. </li>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a class="external-link" href="http://bit.ly/1dJT43q">Syllabus: “Policy and regulation conducive to rapid ICT sector growth in Myanmar: An introductory course”</a> (organised by LIRNEasia in collaboration with Myanmar ICT Development Organization, and with support from the Open Society Foundation and the International Development Research Centre of Canada, September 28 – October 5, 2013). Sunil Abraham is supporting Prof. Samarajiva on the last optional day of this course in Yangon.</li>
<li style="text-align: justify; ">Congress on Privacy and Surveillance (organised by Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, Lausanne, September 30, 2013). Maria Xynou participated in this event.</li>
</ul>
<p><span><b>Cyber Security Project</b></span><b><br />Video Interview</b><span><b> </b></span></p>
<ul>
<li>Part 10: <a class="external-link" href="http://bit.ly/17TMNsT">Interview with Lawrence Liang</a> (September 10, 2013): In the ecology of online communication it is crucial for us to look at right to privacy and right to free speech as inseparable.</li>
</ul>
<p><b>Forthcoming Events</b></p>
<ul>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a class="external-link" href="http://bit.ly/16KOTvA">11th India Knowledge Summit 2013</a> (organised by ASSOCHAM India, Hotel Shangri-La, New Delhi, October 14-15, 2013). CIS is one of the organisations supporting this event. </li>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a class="external-link" href="http://bit.ly/19HyyIZ">CYFY 2013: India Conference on Cyber Security and Cyber Governance</a> (organised by Observer Research Foundation and the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry, Oberoi Hotel, New Delhi, October 14-15, 2013). Sunil Abraham will participate in this event as a speaker. </li>
</ul>
<p style="text-align: justify; "><span><b>Knowledge Repository on Internet Access</b></span><br />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 <a href="http://www.internet-institute.in">www.internet-institute.in</a>.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify; "><b>Modules</b></p>
<ul>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a class="external-link" href="http://bit.ly/193RPYr">International Telecommunication Union</a> (by Snehashish Ghosh and Anirudh Sridhar, September 30, 2013).</li>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a class="external-link" href="http://bit.ly/16MiB9u">Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers</a> (ICANN) (by Snehashish Ghosh and Anirudh Sridhar, September 30, 2013).</li>
</ul>
<h3>Telecom</h3>
<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; "><b>Newspaper Column<br /></b></p>
<ul>
<li><a class="external-link" href="http://bit.ly/18RcDCm">Regrouping for Growth - Interest Rates – III</a> (originally published in the Business Standard on September 4, 2013 and mirrored in Organizing India Blogspot on September 6, 2013). </li>
</ul>
<h3>Digital Natives</h3>
<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:<br /><b>Event Report</b></p>
<ul>
<li><a class="external-link" href="http://bit.ly/188MWfr">Bangalore + Sustainability Summit</a> (organized by Ashoka India, Green Lungi and IDEX, September 21, 2013, CIS, Bangalore): Denisse Albornoz has summarised the happenings in this report.</li>
</ul>
<p><b>Media Coverage</b></p>
<ul>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a class="external-link" href="http://bit.ly/1dIA9Cv">Youths brainstorm at social summit</a> (The Times of India, September 21, 2013): A coverage of the Bangalore + Sustainability Summit hosted at CIS.</li>
</ul>
<p><b>Blog Entry + Video</b></p>
<ul>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a class="external-link" href="http://bit.ly/16tulHY">Revealing Protesters on the Fringe: Crucifixion Protest in Paraguay</a> (by Denisse Albornoz, September 20, 2013): Denisse provides an analysis of the crucifix protest in Paraguay in the light of Nishant Shah’s piece: Whose Change is it Anyway?.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Digital Humanities</h3>
<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; "><b>Interview</b></p>
<ul>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a class="external-link" href="http://bit.ly/1e5hDai">Thinking Digital Beyond Tools: Interview with Dr. Nishant Shah</a> (by Noopur Raval, HASTAC, September 10, 2013): Nishant speaks about his interest in digital studies, the future of humanities, and his HASTAC experience. </li>
</ul>
<p><b>Event Participated In</b></p>
<ul>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a class="external-link" href="http://bit.ly/1dIA6GV">Reclaim Open Learning Symposium</a> (organized by the Digital Media and Learning Research Hub, University of California Humanities Research Institute, UC Irvine, September 26-27, 2013): Nishant Shah participated in this event as a panelist. </li>
</ul>
<hr />
<p style="text-align: justify; "><b>About CIS</b><br />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><b>Follow us elsewhere</b></p>
<p><b> </b></p>
<ul>
<li>Twitter:<a href="https://twitter.com/CISA2K"> </a><a href="https://twitter.com/CISA2K">https://twitter.com/CISA2K</a></li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Facebook group: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/cisa2k">https://www.facebook.com/cisa2k</a></li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Visit us at:<a href="https://cis-india.org/"> </a>https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/India_Access_To_Knowledge</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>E-mail: <a href="mailto:a2k@cis-india.org">a2k@cis-india.org</a></li>
</ul>
<p style="text-align: justify; "><b>Support Us</b><br />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; "><b>Request for Collaboration</b>:<br />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 sunil@cis-india.org or Nishant Shah, Director – Research, at nishant@cis-india.org. To discuss collaborations on Indic language wikipedia, write to T. Vishnu Vardhan, Programme Director, A2K, at vishnu@cis-india.org</p>
<p><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>
<ul>
</ul>
<ul>
</ul>
<ul>
</ul>
<p class="normal"><b> </b></p>
<ul>
</ul>
<ul>
</ul>
<ul style="text-align: justify; ">
</ul>
<ul>
</ul>
<ul>
</ul>
<ul>
</ul>
<ul>
</ul>
<ul>
</ul>
<ul>
</ul>
<p>
For more details visit <a href='http://editors.cis-india.org/about/newsletters/september-2013-bulletin'>http://editors.cis-india.org/about/newsletters/september-2013-bulletin</a>
</p>
No publisherpraskrishnaAccess to KnowledgeTelecomAccessibilityInternet GovernanceOpennessResearchers at Work2013-10-24T06:48:33ZPageRegrouping for Growth - Interest Rates - III
http://editors.cis-india.org/telecom/blog/organizing-india-blogspot-shyam-ponappa-september-6-2013-regrouping-for-growth
<b>Aside from muddling along, the choices are to try to grow and retain capital to staunch the gap temporarily, or to settle for low growth and capital flight.</b>
<hr />
<p style="text-align: justify; ">This article by Shyam Ponappa was originally published in the <a class="external-link" href="http://www.business-standard.com/article/opinion/shyam-ponappa-regrouping-for-growth-113090401149_1.html">Business Standard</a> on September 4, 2013 and mirrored in <a class="external-link" href="http://organizing-india.blogspot.in/2013/09/regrouping-for-growth-interest-rates-iii.html">Organizing India Blogspot</a> on September 6, 2013.</p>
<hr />
<p style="text-align: justify; ">What are possible ameliorative steps for India's economy? Taking stock, are we overreacting to our economic woes? Second, do our problems have global origins? To the extent they are home-grown, what were the missteps? How can they be corrected?</p>
<p style="text-align: justify; ">The answers to the first and third (overreaction, policy errors) depend on whether one takes a "static" or "dynamic" view. Static views compare measures at points in time to arrive at an assessment of better or worse. Dynamic views, by contrast, emphasise system-wide flows and consequences, as in financial simulation models, with the focus on outcomes. The real question is whether we can grow sufficiently so that foreign and domestic funds cover imports and build manufacturing, or shrink and risk a deluge.</p>
<h3 style="text-align: justify; ">Risk assessment</h3>
<p style="text-align: justify; ">From a static perspective, the present situation is nowhere near the dangers of 1991. Flows, however, highlight the potential for danger of slow growth: a demographic bulge with high aspirations and low opportunities; and a large, low-skilled population. What's worse is that foreign investment-fuelled growth rode a wave of imports without sufficient development in direct manufacturing. This imbalance is heightened by the stoppage of iron ore exports and the slump in coal production because of mining scandals, aggravated by high coal and gold imports. The problems - in telecom, mining, aggressive environmentalism, retrograde tax impositions, inadequate manufacturing - are all self-generated except for oil prices and the Syrian crisis. They stem from abdication of governance, overreach, or greed, compounded by judicial and citizen backlash. Only the triggers are external - from capital flowing in to the signal of a cutback.</p>
<h2 style="text-align: justify; ">Policy missteps 1: Interest and profits</h2>
<p style="text-align: justify; ">The left side of the chart below shows interest expenses and profits for several thousand listed companies over the last four quarters. In terms of flows, higher interest rates curtailed demand as intended, so lower revenues and higher costs reduced profits - all while supply-constrained inflation continued.</p>
<table class="plain">
<tbody>
<tr>
<th><img src="http://editors.cis-india.org/home-images/copy2_of_c1.png" alt="chart" class="image-inline" title="chart" /></th>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Above: chart depicting the rising interest and declining profit. Picture by <a class="external-link" href="http://organizing-india.blogspot.in/2013/09/regrouping-for-growth-interest-rates-iii.html">Organizing India Blogspot</a></td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<p style="text-align: justify; ">Some experts maintain that rate cuts won't affect growth, citing the lack of a clear correlation; or the insignificant share of interest in total costs (reportedly three per cent); or that rates drive savings or consumption, but not investment. Clear correlations are unavailable because credible research must cover all major variables and interrelationships; simplifying them can distort conclusions. The research must also include how the effects of changes vary for rising or falling, large or small economies at different stages of development. The other reasons appear to ignore aspects of flows like momentum and turbulence - or even the data. And aggregates and averages can be misleading, as detailed below.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify; "><span>Interest costs in 850 non-financial companies went up by 40 per cent as a share of earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortisation over three years. While Ebitda roughly doubled, interest costs nearly tripled(<a href="http://articles.economictimes.indiatimes.com/2012-10-25/news/34729789_1_inflation-control-potential-growth-rate-capital-formation">http://articles.economictimes.indiatimes.com/2012-10-25/news/34729789_1_inflation-control-potential-growth-rate-capital-formation</a>).</span></p>
<p style="text-align: justify; "><span>Interest costs in 2,242 companies reportedly doubled from 2.3 per cent to 4.2 per cent of revenues over two years. Costs two years earlier were 16 per cent of Ebitda, whereas in the quarter ending December 2012, costs were 34 per cent of Ebitda. Analysts attributed this to low demand, and expect worse in 2013-14 unless demand improves (<a href="http://articles.economictimes.indiatimes.com/2013-02-18/news/37160258_1_interest-outgo-rise-in-interest-expenses-interest-cost">http://articles.economictimes.indiatimes.com/2013-02-18/news/37160258_1_interest-outgo-rise-in-interest-expenses-interest-cost</a>).</span></p>
<p style="text-align: justify; "><span>In July 2013, earnings of 85 out of 600 listed non-financial companies did not cover interest payments, up from 61 the year before; another 43 were at risk compared with 36 a year earlier, and non-performing loans were increasing (<a href="http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/companies/debt-traps-india-inc-as-profits-fail-to-cover-interest-outgo/article4889184.ece">http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/companies/debt-traps-india-inc-as-profits-fail-to-cover-interest-outgo/article4889184.ece</a>).</span></p>
<p style="text-align: justify; "><span>Aggregate costs and averages sometimes conceal problems. Credit Suisse reports that the aggregate interest cover for 10 large, overleveraged industrial groups has dropped from 1.6 last year (borderline) to 1.4 (inadequate). For four of these groups, interest costs exceed profits. Rejoicing in the woes of "profligates" is inadvisable, however, because a collapse affects everyone.</span></p>
<h2 style="text-align: justify; ">Policy missteps 2: Sustainable profits and stability</h2>
<p style="text-align: justify; "><span><span>Profits are essential for savings, investment, stability and order. This is why sustained profitability is of paramount importance for India. Provided industrial relations are harmonious and demand is resilient, that is, momentum is positive, lower interest costs within reason can sustain positive sentiment, resulting in higher profits up to a point (<span>see chart - right</span></span><span>). This has been a matter of incomprehension or denial for government (central and states), the Reserve Bank of India, the judiciary, and many citizens.</span></span></p>
<p style="text-align: justify; "><span><span>Instead, we have populist handouts to capture treasuries, and irresponsibility in replenishing them. What started with cheap rice in the 1980s has degenerated into a free-for-all, promising a distribution from the treasury contingent on capturing it for aspirants, or recapturing it for incumbents: vote us in, and you'll get these spoils.</span></span></p>
<h3 style="text-align: justify; ">Plausible remedies</h3>
<ul>
<li style="list-style-type: disc; text-align: justify; "><span>Lower rates: A number of experts in India and abroad recommend a reversal of monetary tightening and reduced interest rates. Some aver that the biggest risk is stifling growth by raising rates, eg, Paul Krugman and Ryan Avent (<a href="http://krugman.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/08/22/generation-b-for-bubble/">http://krugman.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/08/22/generation-b-for-bubble/</a>). Others, unfortunately, suggest confusing strategies, including raising rates to contain inflation, despite this not having worked and been shown to be detrimental.<br /> </span></li>
<li style="list-style-type: disc; text-align: justify; "><span>Fiscal responsibility: A second requirement is fiscal responsibility in trade-offs for resources, betrayed by all parties in the impractical Bills on food security and land acquisition. This is a crucial requirement from both the government and the Opposition. For example, an effective step would be to raise diesel prices by Rs 5 a month for three months (which the government could evaluate using simulations).<br /> </span></li>
<li style="list-style-type: disc; text-align: justify; "><span>Manufacturing: Another requirement is action supporting manufacturing. A National Manufacturing Plan has been mentioned for years, but only coherent action will change the perception of yet another plan on the shelf. For instance, the government has resiled on the preferential marketing access for telecom equipment, which will increase imports.<br /> </span></li>
<li style="list-style-type: disc; text-align: justify; "><span>Stalled projects: There have been future-oriented announcements, eg, on fuel supply for power projects, but no demonstrable actions and results.</span></li>
</ul>
<p><span><span>In sum, a </span>rate cut<span> combined with consistent actions on fiscal responsibility, disentangling projects, manufacturing, and stop-gap measures like swap facilities for oil companies and "stretching" imported coal may provide a breather. These could have a stabilising effect on the rupee, improve sentiment, and re-establish India's growth potential.</span></span></p>
<ul>
</ul>
<p>
For more details visit <a href='http://editors.cis-india.org/telecom/blog/organizing-india-blogspot-shyam-ponappa-september-6-2013-regrouping-for-growth'>http://editors.cis-india.org/telecom/blog/organizing-india-blogspot-shyam-ponappa-september-6-2013-regrouping-for-growth</a>
</p>
No publisherShyam PonappaTelecom2013-10-03T05:13:17ZBlog EntryTRAI Consultation Paper on Spectrum
http://editors.cis-india.org/telecom/blog/trai-consultation-paper-on-spectrum
<b>Shyam Ponappa and A.B.Beliappa worked on this submission to Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) on their spectrum consultation paper. The submission was made on August 21, 2013.
</b>
<p>Q.1. What method should be adopted for refarming of the 900 MHz band so that the TSPs whose licences are expiring in 2014 onwards get adequate spectrum in 900/1800 MHz band for continuity of services provided by them?</p>
<p><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Comments on Spectrum Refarming</span></p>
<p style="text-align: justify; ">1. Arbitrary Policies & Their Consequences<br />The proposed manner of refarming the 900 MHz spectrum is perceived to be as arbitrary as, for instance, the tax claims against Vodafone after the courts upheld its refutation of these claims. Such actions contribute to India’s very low rating on contracts (184 out of 185 countries in enforcing contracts in 2013: <a href="http://www.doingbusiness.org/data/exploreeconomies/india/">http://www.doingbusiness.org/data/exploreeconomies/india/</a>), and for being a very difficult place to do business.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify; ">2. Legitimacy Of Terminating 900 MHz Holdings Starting 2014<br />One question is whether a refusal to renew existing spectrum holdings in the ordinary course is legitimate, or if it needs to be tested for breach of contract in the courts. This proposed manner of withholding access to assigned spectrum is also contrary to prevalent practice, as well as to the logic of spectrum being essential to the delivery of services of a wireless operator as a going concern.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify; ">3. Must All Spectrum Be Auctioned?<br />a) Another question is whether the Supreme Court order requires that all spectrum must in fact be auctioned. If this is so, the auction of all spectrum is necessary when it becomes available.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify; ">b) This is so damaging to the public interest, however, that all reasonable efforts must be made once again to inform the Supreme Court of the facts, i.e., the technological reasons against splintering bandwidth, and the financial reasons against extracting payments that would otherwise be invested in the essential infrastructure of broadband. If the facts are presented clearly and persuasively, there may be a reconsideration of the ruling to auction all spectrum in the light of these facts, as against continuing with this ruling based on miscommunication or misinformation.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify; ">c) If there is no alternative to auctions, to succeed, the reserve price needs to be relatively low, and bidders in difficult financial circumstances must be convinced they have no better option. Perhaps one way of ensuring this is to auction for a shorter period, e.g., five years, while simultaneously laying out the path for transitioning to shared spectrum. This is because parallel developments in spectrum sharing for Authorized Shared Access and Licensed Shared Access that are being pursued in the US and the EU are likely to be deployed by then.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify; ">4. Net Benefits of Refarming<br />Given the stage of evolution and coverage of networks in India, their technological level and usage, refarming should be held in abeyance until our markets are in a position to benefit from them. This is because the detrimental effects if the 900 MHz band is cleared in the proposed manner are likely to far outweigh the benefits, as explained below.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify; ">5. Purpose of Refarming<br />What is the purpose of refarming? If the answer is the potential benefits of services from 4G technologies and products, consider the likely nature of these benefits in India. The purpose of refarming in OECD countries is to use 900 MHz for 3G and LTE for high-speed data. This is appropriate for developed economies that have large numbers of data users. In India, high-end users comprise only a niche segment (15.09 million broadband users in April 2013, despite over 725 million active wireless subscribers). Developed economies have refarmed the 900 MHz band because 3G and 4G assume widespread use of data services in the entire network. In other words, if India had a large base of high-data users, 4G networks would be required to deliver high-speed traffic. Also, such users would presumably be (a) willing and (b) able to pay [for the expensive equipment required] for these services.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify; ">6. No Economic Basis for Refarming in India<br />a) The reality is that there are insufficient data users with the willingness and ability to pay for the higher level of throughput. The present state of the economy and its trajectory pose additional constraints. More important, existing technologies are capable of delivering data services at lower cost. The priority is for access networks at lower cost, e.g., wireless middle-mile and last-mile that will enable large numbers of users to access data services at a reasonable price (“reasonable” in the cost structure of India comparable to TV services, and not in cents/minute comparable with OECD countries).</p>
<p style="text-align: justify; ">b) That said, a possible consideration is whether and how certain advanced technologies, such as “supplemental downlink” or “carrier aggregation” for augmenting capacity, may be made usable in our circumstances, and whether if certain bands are earmarked for them, such solutions can be introduced here.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify; ">7. Need: Low-Cost Last-Mile & Aggregation/Backhaul Capacity<br />How can networks be built at reasonable cost that have the capacity to deliver data services more comprehensively in India? By providing much more wireless access for the last-mile, and more middle-mile capacity (in combination with existing wired networks). This is where policies can facilitate network build-out and service delivery at lower cost. The nature of required reforms are: reduced front-end charges for wireless last mile access; reduced microwave charges (administered prices) for aggregation and backhaul; incentives for broadband delivery, and perhaps higher incentives for rural broadband delivery. Also, a whole host of initiatives can be orchestrated, as in South Korea, for instance, or Sweden, which contribute to the development of broadband services and usage.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify; ">a) South Korea*<br />South Korea’s digital economy resulted from a combination of macroeconomic, supply-side and demand-side policies and programs, with the government stimulating broadband adoption, particularly in the early years. For example, Korea’s response to the financial crisis of 1997-1998 was to increase the export strength of key sectors such as electronics. There was also a thrust on consumer credit, facilitating the purchase of consumer goods and electronics-related services such as broadband. The initiatives to push broadband deployment and adoption included tax incentives, rural deployment and R&D grants, building certification incentives, and applications support. There were also mistakes, as in the government’s choice of WiBro technology.</p>
<p>By way of illustration, a set of Korean initiatives are detailed below:</p>
<p>Table 5: Selected Korean Supply-Side Broadband Subsidy Programs</p>
<p><b>Infrastructure Deployment</b></p>
<p><b> </b></p>
<ul>
<li style="text-align: justify; ">Tax benefits (credits, accelerated depreciation, exemptions, etc.) for broadband deployment</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li style="text-align: justify; ">Backbone provision or subsidy for broadband deployment (KII-Government program providing funding for operators to reach 40,000 govt. locations as well as rural districts) </li>
</ul>
<p><b>Technology Support</b></p>
<ul>
<li>R&D grants and tax credits</li>
<li style="text-align: justify; ">Applications support (KOREN—Korean Advanced Research Network or KII-Testbed) Building Certification & Codes</li>
<li style="text-align: justify; ">Requiring or encouraging the pre-equipping of new buildings with fibre and/or broadband access points (e.g. DSLAM)</li>
<li style="text-align: justify; ">Institution of certification programs for broadband readiness of MDUs (multi-dwelling units, based on three classes of transmission speed)</li>
</ul>
<p style="text-align: justify; ">Source: Kalba International, Inc., 2012. Ovum Consulting,<i> Broadband Policy and Development in the Republic of Korea</i></p>
<p style="text-align: justify; ">b) Sweden*<br />Sweden's regulator demonstrated a strong commitment to cover low-density areas, and one of the ways was to foster network sharing. The government promotes a broadband strategy with incentives for all stakeholders. State authorities are actively involved in the Digital Agenda for Sweden, a national initiative. In education, for instance, about 25% of all students rely to some extent on distance education. Open access policies and competition have had a significant impact on the development of broadband.</p>
<p>* Source: Digital Scotland 2020</p>
<p style="text-align: justify; ">Achieving World-Class Digital Infrastructure<br />21st December 2012<a href="http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Resource/0041/00414982.pdf"><br />http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Resource/0041/00414982.pdf</a></p>
<p style="text-align: justify; ">8. Shared Facilities<br />One way that delivery costs can be reduced is if operators share networks, so that all operators can access these networks where they are licensed to do so. This would be feasible if there were practical ways of structuring “common-carrier” or network-neutral access (as in roads, rail, flight paths and airports, ports, oil pipelines, etc.). This would require a buy-in by service providers for radical changes in approach and policies, followed by radical changes in operating networks. It is possible that open consultation with TSPs, other stakeholders, and specialists, done with the help of one or more expert facilitator/s, could yield such a solution. If this were to happen, the process of organizing structures at (a) the wholesale (network services) level, and (b) the retail (user access level) could be addressed collectively.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify; ">9. Extend Voluntary Infrastructure Sharing to Mandatory Sharing<br />We already have consortiums for passive sharing of wireless towers. This needs to be extended from voluntary commercial associations to mandatory, “common-carrier” access, after putting in place suitable commercial arrangements through negotiation. Such commercial arrangements exist for oil pipelines and for oil exploration and production, and can be structured in like manner for facilities and spectrum. They need the appropriate financial structuring with the help of financial specialists, in addition to the engineering solutions.</p>
<p>10. Shared Spectrum: Pool New Spectrum</p>
<p style="text-align: justify; ">a) An evolutionary step in this direction is to pool all available, unallocated [unassigned] spectrum, so that it can be shared by [existing] service providers. This is being pioneered in the so-called TV White Space bands in the USA, the EU, the UK, and Singapore. It can be extended to other bands here. This could be a transitional step in evolving a shared facilities model. Provided the stakeholders agree, and an equitable structure and process is devised, this will relieve the present constraints on spectrum availability by providing a common pool of spectrum.<br /><br />b) Shared spectrum is an alternative that is technically feasible and economically far more viable than fragmenting available spectrum for the exclusive use of our many operators. This also provides for complete transparency, as well as much lower capital and operating costs for society as a whole. The implication is that broadband could be made available more widely at lower cost, leading to much better productivity and payoffs. <br /><br />c) Many of the questions and associated problems would be resolved. For instance, open access would allow for each operator to choose any technology that is compatible and that does not create interference. Fees could be determined in the same manner as for taxes in inducing investment for manufacturing, as was done in South Korea. It would need a whole range of supportive measures as in the case of South Korea, and if done right, could result in tremendous gains as an organizing force in society.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify; ">11. Some 900 MHz Access (Common-Carrier) For All TSPs<br />If a portion of the 900 MHz band is set aside for shared access, it may resolve one of the most contentious problems between the GSM and CDMA operators, of access to the highly advantageous 900 MHz for its low-cost equipment and ability to penetrate buildings, i.e., better delivery. This step may create conditions that allow for stakeholder engagement for an overall resolution, including ultimately, shared infrastructure.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify; ">12. Revenue-Sharing & Consumer Surplus From Shared Spectrum/Networks<br />India’s experience with revenue-sharing after NTP-99 has shown that collections are far in excess of up-front revenues forgone. Building a sound broadband service with a combination of incentives and forbearance will lead to much greater economic benefits overall, as well as much higher collections by the government over time. The sector can once again prosper and be an engine of productivity.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify; ">Shyam Ponappa<br />Centre for Internet and Society<br />August 21, 2013</p>
<p>
For more details visit <a href='http://editors.cis-india.org/telecom/blog/trai-consultation-paper-on-spectrum'>http://editors.cis-india.org/telecom/blog/trai-consultation-paper-on-spectrum</a>
</p>
No publisherShyam Ponappa and A.B. BeliappaTelecom2013-09-18T06:36:11ZBlog EntryAugust 2013 Bulletin
http://editors.cis-india.org/about/newsletters/august-2013-bulletin
<b>Our newsletter for the month of August 2013 can be accessed below. </b>
<hr />
<p style="text-align: justify; ">The Centre for Internet & Society (CIS) welcomes you to the eighth issue of its newsletter for the year 2013. In this issue we are glad to bring you the final report on <a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/accessibility/blog/banking-and-accessibility-in-india-report">banking and accessibility</a> submitted to the Ministry of Finance, Government of India, a <a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/a2k/blog/bilateral-inhibiting-treaty-investigating-challenges-that-bilateral-investment-treaties-pose-to-compulsory-licensing-of-pervasive-technology-patent-pools">research paper</a> on India’s obligations under bilateral investment treaties, a <a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/openness/blog/konkani-wikipedia-advances-in-four-days">report from a Wikipedia workshop</a> held at the Konkani Department in Goa University, a <a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/internet-governance/blog/report-on-the-sixth-privacy-roundtable-meeting-new-delhi">report on the sixth privacy roundtable</a> held in New Delhi, recent <a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/news">news coverage</a>, and updates on our upcoming events.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify; ">Archives of our newsletters are <a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/about/newsletters/">here</a>. Our policies on Ethical Research Guidelines, Non-Discrimination and Equal Opportunities, Privacy, Terms of Website Use and Travel can be<a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/about/policies"> accessed here</a>.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify; "><b>Jobs</b><br /> CIS is inviting applications for the posts of <a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/jobs/vacancy-for-developer">Developer</a> (NVDA Screen Reader Project). To apply for this post, send in your resume to Nirmita Narasimhan (<a href="mailto:nirmita@cis-india.org">nirmita@cis-india.org</a>). CIS is also seeking applications for the post of <a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/jobs/policy-associate-internet-governance">Policy Associate</a> (Internet Governance). To apply send your resume to Sunil Abraham (<a href="mailto:sunil@cis-india.org">sunil@cis-india.org</a>) and Pranesh Prakash (<a href="mailto:pranesh@cis-india.org">pranesh@cis-india.org</a>).</p>
<h3 style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/accessibility" class="external-link">Accessibility</a></h3>
<p style="text-align: justify; ">As part of its project on creating a national resource kit of state-wise laws, policies and programmes on issues relating to persons with disabilities in India with the Hans Foundation, we bring you three new draft chapters on Assam, Manipur and Puducherry. With this we have completed compilation of draft chapters for 21 states and 3 union territories. Feedback and comments are invited from readers for the below chapters:</p>
<ul>
<li><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/accessibility/blog/national-resource-kit-assam-chapter-call-for-comments">The Assam Chapter</a> (by CLPR, August 28, 2013)</li>
<li><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/accessibility/blog/national-resource-kit-manipur-chapter-call-for-comments">The Manipur Chapter</a> (by CLPR, August 29, 2013)</li>
<li><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/accessibility/blog/ational-resource-kit-puducherry-chapter-call-for-comments">The Puducherry Chapter</a> (by Anandhi Viswanathan, August 31, 2013)</li>
</ul>
<p>Note: <i>All the chapters published on the website are early drafts and will be reviewed and updated</i>.</p>
<p><b>Reports</b></p>
<p><b> </b></p>
<ul>
<b> </b>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/accessibility/blog/banking-and-accessibility-in-india-report">Banking and Accessibility in India: A Report by CIS</a> (by Vrinda Maheshwari, August 12, 2013). This is the final report submitted to the Ministry of Finance, Government of India.</li>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/accessibility/blog/opening-new-avenues-for-empowerment">Opening New Avenues for Empowerment</a> (by UNESCO, August 31, 2013). UNESCO has published a global report on higher education titled “Opening New Avenues for Empowerment”. Nirmita Narasimhan was the coordinating author for the Asia Pacific region.</li>
</ul>
<h3><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/about/a2k">Access to Knowledge</a> and <a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/openness">Openness</a></h3>
<p style="text-align: justify; ">As part of its <a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/a2k/access-to-knowledge-program-plan">project on developing the growth of Indic language communities</a> with Wikimedia Foundation, <a href="http://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/India_Access_To_Knowledge/Programme_Plan">CIS-A2K</a> held six Wikipedia workshops. CIS is also doing a project (Pervasive Technologies) on examining the relationship between production of pervasive technologies and intellectual property. CIS also promotes openness including open government data, open standards, open access, and free/libre/open source software through its Openness programme.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/a2k"><b>Access to Knowledge</b></a><b><br />Research Paper</b></p>
<p style="text-align: justify; "><b> </b></p>
<ul style="text-align: justify; ">
<b> </b>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/a2k/blog/bilateral-inhibiting-treaty-investigating-challenges-that-bilateral-investment-treaties-pose-to-compulsory-licensing-of-pervasive-technology-patent-pools">India's Obligations under Bilateral Investment Treaties (Part A): “Bilateral Inhibiting Treaty?” — Investigating the Challenges that Bilateral Investment Treaties pose to the Compulsory Licensing of Pervasive Technology Patent Pools</a> (by Gavin Pereira, August 31, 2013).</li>
</ul>
<p style="text-align: justify; "><b>Column</b></p>
<p style="text-align: justify; "><b> </b></p>
<ul style="text-align: justify; ">
<b> </b>
<li><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/a2k/blog/yojana-august-2013-pranesh-prakash-copyrights-and-copywrongs-why-the-govt-should-embrace-the-public-domain">Copyrights and Copywrongs Why the Government Should Embrace the Public Domain</a> (by Pranesh Prakash, Yojana, Issue: August 2013).</li>
</ul>
<p style="text-align: justify; "><b>Media Coverage</b></p>
<p style="text-align: justify; "><b> </b></p>
<ul style="text-align: justify; ">
<b> </b>
<li><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/news/livemint-august-26-2013-ch-unnikrishnan-dictionary-words-in-software-patent-guidelines-puzzle-industry">Dictionary words in software patent guidelines puzzle industry</a> (by C.H. Unnikrishnan, Livemint, August 26, 2013). CIS work on Access to Knowledge is mentioned.</li>
</ul>
<p style="text-align: justify; "><b>Blog Entries</b></p>
<ul style="text-align: justify; ">
<li><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/a2k/blog/are-indian-consumers-laws-ready-for-digital-age">Are Indian Consumer Laws Ready for the Digital Age?</a> (by Vipul Kharbanda, August 8, 2013).</li>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/a2k/blog/do-you-have-right-to-unlock-your-smart-phone">Do You Have the Right to Unlock Your Smart Phone?</a> (by Puneeth Nagaraj, August 7, 2013).</li>
</ul>
<h3>Access to Knowledge (Wikipedia)</h3>
<p style="text-align: justify; ">The <a href="http://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Access_To_Knowledge/Team" title="Access To Knowledge/Team">A2K team</a> consists of four members based in Bangalore: <a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/about/people/our-team">T. Vishnu Vardhan</a>, <a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/about/people/our-team">Dr. U.B. Pavanaja</a>, <a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/about/newsletters/people/our-team">Subhashish Panigrahi</a> and <a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/about/people/our-team">Syed Muzammiluddin</a>, and one team member <a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/about/newsletters/people/our-team">Nitika Tandon</a> who works from Delhi.</p>
<p><b>Event Reports</b></p>
<p><b> </b></p>
<ul>
<b> </b>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/openness/blog/a-kannada-wikipedia-workshop-at-krishnarajapet">A Kannada Wikipedia Workshop at Krishnarajapet</a> (by Dr. U.B. Pavanaja, August 14, 2013). The workshop was co-organized by the CIS-A2K team along with Kannada Sahitya Parishat of KR Pet.</li>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/openness/blog/odia-wikipedia-workshop-sambalpur">An Odia Wikipedia Workshop at Sambalpur</a> (by Gorvachove Pothal, August 27, 2013). This workshop was held at Veer Surendra Sai University of Technology, Burla, Sambalpur on July 26 and 27, 2013. Odia Wikipedian Gorvachove Pothal organized this workshop with financial support from the CIS-A2K programme.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/a2k/blog/konkani-wikipedia-climbing-up-the-indian-language-ladder">Konkani Wikipedia — Climbing up the Indian Language Ladder?</a> (by Subhashish Panigrahi, August 31, 2013). CIS-A2K team organized this event at the Konkani Department, Goa University from August 21 to 24, 2013.</li>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/openness/blog/konkani-wikipedia-advances-in-four-days">Konkani Wikipedia Advances in 4 Days — From 90 Articles to 130 Articles!</a> (by Nitika Tandon, August 31, 2013). CIS-A2K team organized this event at the Konkani Department, Goa University from August 21 to 24, 2013. Thirty-eight students took part in the wiki editing workshop.</li>
</ul>
<p><b>Events Co-organised</b></p>
<p><b> </b></p>
<ul>
<b> </b>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/openness/events/digitization-of-books-for-indic-language-wikisource">Digitization of Books for Indic Language WikiSource</a> (organised by Wikimedia India and CIS-A2K, CIS, Bangalore, August 18, 2013).</li>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/openness/events/workshop-on-editing-wikipedia-in-mumbai">A Workshop on Editing Wikipedia in Mumbai</a> (organised by the Centre for Indian Languages in Higher Education and CIS-A2K, Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Mumbai, August 24, 2013). The workshop was aimed at assisting students to take part in the Indian Languages Mela at the Tata Institute of Social Sciences (September 20-21, 2013) which is hosting a competition for best Indian language entries on Wikipedia.</li>
</ul>
<p><b>Event Hosted</b></p>
<p><b> </b></p>
<ul>
<b> </b>
<li><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/openness/events/mobile-training-workshop">Mobile Training Workshop @ CIS</a> (CIS, Bangalore, August 29, 2013). Rachita and Keerthana Chandrashekar gave a talk on mobile campaigns.</li>
</ul>
<p><b>Events Participated</b></p>
<p><b> </b></p>
<ul>
<b> </b>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://wikimania2013.wikimedia.org/wiki/Main_page">Wikimania 2013: The International Wikimedia Conference</a> (organised by Wikimedia Foundation, Hong Kong Polytechnic University, August 7 – 11, 2013). T. Vishnu Vardhan and Subhashish Panigrahi participated in the event.</li>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/news/wikimedia-asia-meeting">Wikimedia Asia Meeting</a> (organised by Wikimedia community, Hong Kong, August 10, 2013). T. Vishnu Vardhan and Subhashish Panigrahi participated in the meeting. <a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/openness/blog/wikimedia-asia-meeting.txt">Unedited transcript</a> of the entire conversation is posted online.</li>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/news/telugu-wiki-meet-up-hyderabad-august-2013">వికీపీడియా:సమావేశం/హైదరాబాద్/ఆగష్టు</a> (Hyderabad, August 25, 2013). T.Vishnu Vardhan participated for the meeting through Skype.</li>
</ul>
<p><b>Media Coverage</b></p>
<p><b> </b></p>
<ul>
<b> </b>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/news/beforeitnews-august-1-2013-wikipedia-gains-massive-traffic-thanks-to-vernacular-languages">Wikipedia Gains Massive Traffic Thanks To Vernacular Languages</a> (Before It’s News, August 1, 2013). T. Vishnu Vardhan is quoted.</li>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/news/times-of-india-august-1-2013-sandhya-soman-wikipedia-boom-in-marathi-malayalam-other-desi-languages">Wikipedia boom in Marathi, Malayalam and other desi languages</a> (by Sandhya Soman, The Times of India, August 1, 2013). T. Vishnu Vardhan is quoted.</li>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/news/dna-august-1-2013-divya-saboo-wikipedia-boom-in-vernacular-languages">Wikipedia boom in vernacular languages</a> (by Divya Saboo, August 1, 2013). The Centre for Internet and Society is mentioned.</li>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/news/hindu-r-krishna-kumar-august-2-2013-stress-on-posting-articles-on-kannada-wikipedia">Stress on posting articles on Kannada Wikipedia</a> (by R. Krishna Kumar, Hindu, August 2, 2013). Dr. U.B.Pavanaja is quoted.</li>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/news/techcrunch-august-6-2013-mahesh-sharma-indias-indigenous-languages-drive-wikipedias-growth">India’s Indigenous Languages Drive Wikipedia’s Growth</a> (by Mahesh Sharma, TechCrunch, August 6, 2013). T. Vishnu Vardhan is quoted.</li>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/news/prajavani-august-12-2013-krishnarajapet-workshop">Krishnarajapet Wikipedia Workshop Coverage</a> (Prajavani, August 12, 2013).</li>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/news/vijaya-vani-august-12-2013-krishnarajapet-wikipedia-workshop">Krishnarajapet Wikipedia Workshop Coverage</a> (Vijaya Vani, August 12, 2013).</li>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/news/suvarna-times-of-karnataka-august-12-2013-krishnarajapet-workshop">Krishnarajapet Wikipedia Workshop Coverage</a> (Suvarna Times of Karnataka, August 12, 2013).</li>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/news/thegoan-joyce-dias-august-24-2013-wikipedia-writes-a-new-script">Wikipedia writes a new script</a> (by Joyce Dias, August 24, 2013, The Goan). CIS-A2K workshop held in Goa is mentioned extensively. Nitika Tandon and Subhashish Panigrahi are quoted.</li>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/news/epaperoheraldo-august-24-2013-diana-fernandes-konkani-wikipedia-makes-headway-">Konkani Wikipedia makes headway</a> (by Diana Fernandes, OHeraldO, August 24, 2013). Nitika Tandon is quoted.</li>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://www.goanvoice.org.uk/?ref=Guzels.TV">Konkani Wikipedians Speak</a> (Goan Voice Daily Newsletter, September 4, 2013). Konkani Wikipedia workshop organized in Goa from August 21 – 24, 2013 is mentioned in this newsletter.</li>
</ul>
<p><b>Ongoing / Upcoming Events<br /></b></p>
<ul>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/openness/events/wikipedia-training-in-telugu-for-b-r-ambedkar-open-university">Wikipedia Training in Telugu for Dr. B.R. Ambedkar Open University, Hyderabad</a> (Dr. B.R. Ambedkar Open University, Hyderabad, September 5-6, 2013). T. Vishnu Vardhan is teaching a module on "Knowledge and Openness in the Digital Era".</li>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/openness/events/you-too-can-write-on-wikipedia">You too can write on Wikipedia</a>! — Orientation Workshop (co-organised by CIS-A2K and the Centre for Contemporary Studies, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, September 15, 2013). </li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/openness/events/train-the-trainer">Train the Trainer — Four-day long Residential Training Workshop in Bangalore</a> (organised by CIS-A2K, Bangalore, October 1 – 5, 2013). <i>The programme will be held in the first week of October</i>.</li>
</ul>
<p><b>Blog Entries</b></p>
<ul>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/openness/blog/voices-from-goa">Voices from Goa: Frania Pereira tells Why She Writes Articles on Konkani Wikipedia</a> (by Subhashish Panigrahi, August 27, 2013). </li>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/openness/blog/voices-from-goa-wikipedia-editor-rusita-paryekar">Voices from Goa: Wikipedia Editor Rusita Paryekar</a> (by Subhashish Panigrahi, August 27, 2013).</li>
</ul>
<h3>Openness</h3>
<p><b>Event Hosted </b></p>
<ul>
<b> </b>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/openness/open-hardware-lab">Open Hardware Lab: Play & Invent + Bonus Film Screening</a> (CIS, Bangalore, August 4, 2013). A hangout was done with CIS Lab Community and with members of the Computer Club of India and Arduino enthusiasts.</li>
</ul>
<p><b>Event Participated</b></p>
<p><b> </b></p>
<ul>
<b> </b>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/news/e-dirap-google-hangout-on-open-government">e-DIRAP Google+ Hangout on Open Government</a> (organised by Google, July 25, 2013). Sunil Abraham was a panelist. </li>
</ul>
<p><b>Media Coverage</b></p>
<p><b> </b></p>
<ul>
<b> </b>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/news/tech-president-august-6-2013-david-eaves-beyond-property-rights-thinking-about-moral-definitions-openness">Beyond Property Rights: Thinking About Moral Definitions of Openness</a> (by David Eaves, Tech President, August 6, 2013). Sunil Abraham is quoted.</li>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/news/techdirt-august-14-2013-glyn-moody-extending-spectrum-openness-to-include-moral-right-to-share">Extending The Spectrum Of Openness To Include The Moral Right To Share</a> (by Glyn Moody, Techdirt, August 19, 2013). Sunil Abraham is quoted.</li>
</ul>
<h3><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/about/internet-governance">Internet Governance</a></h3>
<p style="text-align: justify; ">CIS began two projects earlier this year. The first one on facilitating research and events on surveillance and freedom of expression is with Privacy International and support from the International Development Research Centre, Canada. The second one on mapping cyber security actors in South Asia and South East Asia is with the Citizen Lab, Munk School of Global Affairs, University of Toronto and support from the International Development Research Centre, Canada:</p>
<h3>SAFEGUARDS Project</h3>
<p><b>Event Report</b></p>
<ul>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/internet-governance/blog/report-on-the-sixth-privacy-roundtable-meeting-new-delhi">Sixth Privacy Roundtable</a> (co-organised by CIS, FICCI and DSCI, New Delhi, August 24, 2013). Bhairav Acharya and Prachi Arya participated in this event. The discussions and recommendations from the six round table meetings will be presented at the Internet Governance meeting in October 2013.</li>
</ul>
<p><b>Newspaper / Magazine Columns</b></p>
<ul>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/internet-governance/blog/forbesindia-article-august-21-2013-sunil-abraham-freedom-from-monitoring">Freedom from Monitoring: India Inc Should Push For Privacy Laws</a> (by Sunil Abraham, Forbes India Magazine, August 21, 2013).</li>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/internet-governance/blog/indian-express-august-25-2013-nishant-shah-out-of-the-bedroom">Out of the Bedroom</a> (by Nishant Shah, Indian Express, August 25, 2013).</li>
</ul>
<p><b>Blog Entries</b></p>
<p><b> </b></p>
<ul>
<b> </b>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/internet-governance/blog/saket-modi-calls-for-stronger-cyber-security-discussions">'Ethical Hacker' Saket Modi Calls for Stronger Cyber Security Discussions</a> (by Kovey Coles, August 5, 2013).</li>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/internet-governance/blog/ethical-issues-in-open-data">Ethical Issues in Open Data</a> (by Kovey Coles, August 7, 2013).</li>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/internet-governance/blog/fin-fisher-in-india-and-myth-of-harmless-metadata">FinFisher in India and the Myth of Harmless Metadata</a> (by Maria Xynou, August 13, 2013).</li>
</ul>
<p><b>Events Organised</b></p>
<p><b> </b></p>
<ul>
<b> </b>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/internet-governance/the-hackers-way-of-reshaping-policies">The Hackers Way of Reshaping Policies</a> (CIS, Bangalore, August 2, 2013). Bernadette Langle gave a talk on different ways to reshape policies.</li>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/internet-governance/cryptoparty-chennai">Chennai: Learn to Protect your Online Activities!</a> (Asian College of Journalism, Taramani, Chennai, August 7, 2013). A Crypto Party was organised.</li>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/internet-governance/events/the-phishing-society-a-talk-by-maria-xynou">The Phishing Society: Why 'Facebook' is more dangerous than the Government Spying on You - A Talk by Maria Xynou</a> (CIS, Bangalore, August 7, 2013). Maria Xynou gave a talk on phishing society.</li>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/internet-governance/cryptoparty-chennai">Learn to Protect your Online Activities!</a> (ACJ - Asian College of Journalism, Second Main Road (Behind M.S. Swaminathan Research Foundation), Taramani, Chennai, August 7, 2013).</li>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/internet-governance/events/privacy-meeting-brussels-bangalore">Privacy Meeting: Brussels – Bangalore</a> (CIS, Bangalore, August 14, 2013). Gertjan Boulet and Dariusz Kloza gave a talk on privacy.</li>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/internet-governance/cryptoparty-bangalore">Learn to Protect your Online Activities!</a> (CIS, Bangalore, August 17, 2013). A Crypto Party was held at CIS.</li>
</ul>
<p><b>Events Participated In</b></p>
<p><b> </b></p>
<ul>
<b> </b>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/news/repeat-remix-remediate-summer-school-2013">Summer School 2013</a> (organized by the Research Center of Media and Communication at the University of Hamburg, Germany, July 29 – August 2, 2013). Dr. Nishant Shah was a panelist in the session on "Guilty until Proven Innocent: Pirates, Pornographers, Terrorists and the IT Act in India".</li>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/news/meeting-of-sub-committee-on-dna-profiling-bill">Meeting of a Sub-committee on DNA Profiling Bill</a> (Hyderabad, August 6, 2013). Sunil Abraham participated in this meeting for discussing the draft bill.</li>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/news/foundation-for-media-professionals-august-17-2013-surveillance-privacy-v-security">Surveillance: Privacy Vs Security</a> (organized by the Foundation for Media Professionals, India International Centre, New Delhi, August 17, 2013). Pranesh Prakash was a panelist.</li>
</ul>
<p><b>Media Coverage</b></p>
<p><b> </b></p>
<ul>
<b> </b>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/news/caravan-magazine-august-1-2013-rahul-m-crypto-night">Crypto Night</a> (by Rahul M., Caravan, August 1, 2013). Pranesh Prakash and Bernadette Langle are quoted.</li>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/news/the-times-of-india-aug-1-2013-kim-arora-facebook-limiting-access-to-social-media-can-restrict-freedom-of-speech">Facebook: Limiting access to social media can restrict freedom of speech</a> (by Kim Arora, The Times of India, August 1, 2013). Sunil Abraham is quoted.</li>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/news/the-hindu-august-4-2013-deepa-kurup-token-disclosures">Token disclosures?</a> (by Deepa Kurup, The Hindu, August 4, 2013). Sunil Abraham is quoted.</li>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/news/the-times-of-india-august-4-2013-padmaparna-ghosh-memea-s-the-word-now">Meme’s the word now</a> (by Padmaparna Ghosh, The Times of India, August 4, 2013). Nishant Shah is quoted.</li>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/news/livemint-august-9-2013-moulishree-srivastava-anirban-sen-chinese-hackers-baiting-indian-govt-corporate-employees">Chinese hackers baiting Indian govt, corporate employees: report</a> (by Moulishree Srivastava and Anirban Sen, Livemint, August 9, 2013). Sunil Abraham is quoted.</li>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/news/ndtv-the-social-network-mixed-signals-supreme-court-notices-to-states-on-facebook-arrests">Mixed signals? Supreme Court notices to states on Facebook arrests</a> (NDTV, August 16, 2013). Pranesh Prakash, Shreya Singhal and Faizal Farooqui discussed the grey areas of the IT Act.</li>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/news/the-hindu-august-19-2013-prashant-jha-balancing-vigilance-and-privacy">Balancing vigilance and privacy</a> (by Prashant Jha, The Hindu, August 18, 2013). Pranesh Prakash is quoted.</li>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/news/forbesindia-august-13-2013-rohin-dharmakumar-how-nextgen-smartphone-users-are-being-bought-and-sold">How Next-Gen Smartphone Users are Being Bought and Sold</a> (by Rohin Dharmakumar, <a href="http://forbesindia.com/article/checkin/how-nextgen-smartphone-users-are-being-bought-and-sold/35859/1">Forbes India Magazine</a>, August 13, 2013, and <a href="http://ibnlive.in.com/news/how-nextgen-smartphone-users-are-being-bought-and-sold/415719-11.html">IBN Live</a>, August 19, 2013). Sunil Abraham is quoted. </li>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/news/forbesindia-august-22-2013-rohin-dharmakumar-dear-milind-deora-prakash-javadekar-deserved-the-truth">Dear Milind Deora, Prakash Javadekar Deserved The Truth</a> (by Rohin Dharmakumar, Forbes India, August 22, 2013). Sunil Abraham is quoted.</li>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/news/livemint-august-26-2013-venkatesh-upadhyay-election-campaign">Election campaign: parties draw battle lines on media platforms</a> (by Venkatesh Upadhyay, Livemint, August 26, 2013). Sunil Abraham is quoted.</li>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/news/forbesindia-august-26-2013-india-internet-privacy-woes">India's Internet Privacy Woes</a> (by Rohin Dharmakumar, Forbes India Magazine, August 26, 2013). Pranesh Prakash is quoted.</li>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/news/times-of-india-august-30-2013-cyberspying-govt-may-ban-gmail-for-official-communication">Cyberspying: Government may ban Gmail for official communication</a> (The Times of India, August 30, 2013). Sunil Abraham is quoted.</li>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/internet-governance/news/the-register-neil-mc-allister-august-30-2013-indian-govt-to-bar-politicians-from-using-gmail-for-official-business">Indian government to bar politicians from using Gmail for official business</a> (by Neil McAllister, The Register, August 30, 2013). Sunil Abraham is quoted.</li>
</ul>
<p style="text-align: justify; "><b>Cyber Stewards Project</b><br />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><b>Video Interview</b></p>
<p><b> </b></p>
<ul>
<b> </b>
<li>Part 9: <a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/internet-governance/blog/cis-cybersecurity-series-part-9-saikat-datta">Interview with Saikat Datta</a> (August 5, 2013).</li>
</ul>
<h3><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/about/telecom">Telecom</a></h3>
<p style="text-align: justify; ">CIS has published one newspaper column in the Business Standard and also made a submission to TRAI:</p>
<p><b>Newspaper Column</b></p>
<p><b> </b></p>
<ul>
<b> </b>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/telecom/blog/organizing-india-blogspot-shyam-ponappa-august-1-2013-domestic-high-tech-manufacturing-needs-access-to-markets">Breaking into the Closed Circle: Domestic High-Tech Manufacturing Needs Access To Markets</a> (by Shyam Ponappa, originally published in the Business Standard, July 31, 2013 and also mirrored in Organizing India Blogspot, August 1, 2013).</li>
</ul>
<p><b>Submission</b></p>
<p><b> </b></p>
<ul>
<b> </b>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/telecom/blog/trai-consultation-paper-on-spectrum">TRAI Consultation Paper on Spectrum</a> (by Shyam Ponappa and A.B. Beliappa, August 31, 2013). The submission was made to the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India on August 21, 2013.</li>
</ul>
<h3><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/raw/digital-humanities">Digital Humanities</a></h3>
<p style="text-align: justify; ">We are 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><b>Blog Entries</b></p>
<p><b> </b></p>
<ul>
<b> </b>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/raw/digital-humanities/digital-humanities-talk-at-cis">Digital Humanities Talk</a> (by Sara Morais, August 1, 2013). Sara wrote about her talk in this blog entry.</li>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/raw/theorizing-the-digital-subaltern">Theorizing the Digital Subaltern</a> (by Sara Morais, August 2, 2013). </li>
</ul>
<p><b>Event Organised</b></p>
<p><b> </b></p>
<ul>
<b> </b>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/digital-natives/digital-humanities-for-indian-higher-education">Digital Humanities for Indian Higher Education</a> (co-organised by CIS-A2K, HEIRA, CSCS, Tumkur University, Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Mumbai and CCS-Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, July 13, 2013). <i>Errata</i>: <i>We had got the name of one of the co-organisers wrong in our previous newsletter. We have corrected this now.</i> </li>
</ul>
<p><b>Event Participated In</b></p>
<p><b> </b></p>
<ul>
<b> </b>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/news/south-asia-conference-on-higher-education">South Asia Conference on Higher Education</a> (organised by the Centre for Study of Culture and Society, Ford Foundation Office, New Delhi, August 5 – 7, 2013). Sunil Abraham participated in this conference.</li>
</ul>
<h2><a href="http://cis-india.org/about/newsletters/">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.<br /><b>Follow us elsewhere</b></p>
<ul>
<li>Get short, timely messages from us on <a href="https://twitter.com/cis_india">Twitter</a></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>*Support Us*</p>
<p>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; "><b>Request for Collaboration</b><br />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></p>
<p><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>
<ul>
</ul>
<ul>
</ul>
<ul>
</ul>
<ul>
</ul>
<ul>
</ul>
<ul>
</ul>
<ul>
</ul>
<p><b> </b></p>
<ul>
</ul>
<ul>
</ul>
<ul>
</ul>
<ul>
</ul>
<ul>
</ul>
<ul>
</ul>
<ul>
</ul>
<ul>
</ul>
<ul>
</ul>
<ul style="text-align: justify; ">
</ul>
<ul style="text-align: justify; ">
</ul>
<p>
For more details visit <a href='http://editors.cis-india.org/about/newsletters/august-2013-bulletin'>http://editors.cis-india.org/about/newsletters/august-2013-bulletin</a>
</p>
No publisherpraskrishnaAccess to KnowledgeTelecomAccessibilityInternet GovernanceDigital HumanitiesOpennessResearchers at Work2013-09-13T06:26:30ZPageBreaking into the Closed Circle: Domestic High-Tech Manufacturing Needs Access To Markets
http://editors.cis-india.org/telecom/blog/organizing-india-blogspot-shyam-ponappa-august-1-2013-domestic-high-tech-manufacturing-needs-access-to-markets
<b>The deferral of India's preferential market access (PMA) policy for locally manufactured high-tech products indicates some lack of clarity and/or confusion in the government.</b>
<hr />
<p style="text-align: justify; ">The article by Shyam Ponappa (originally <a class="external-link" href="http://www.business-standard.com/article/opinion/breaking-into-the-closed-circle-113073101234_1.html">published in the Business Standard</a> on July 31, 2013) was <a class="external-link" href="http://organizing-india.blogspot.in/2013/08/domestic-high-tech-manufacturing-needs.html">cross-posted in Organizing India Blogspot </a>on August 1, 2013.</p>
<hr />
<p style="text-align: justify; "><span><span>There are compelling reasons for supporting domestic manufacturing capacity in India, and high-tech products deserve high priority. Examining the elements of the proposition for developing our high-tech manufacturing and the state of its capacity may help clarify where and how policies should be heading. If domestic electronics production does not increase significantly, India's electronics requirements will be choked by high imports in excess of even oil imports.</span></span></p>
<h3 style="text-align: justify; ">The Bogey of Protectionism</h3>
<p style="text-align: justify; "><span><span>The aim of the </span><a class="storyTags" href="http://www.business-standard.com/search?type=news&q=Pma+Policy" target="_blank">PMA policy</a><span> is to give technically qualified domestic </span><a class="storyTags" href="http://www.business-standard.com/search?type=news&q=Manufacturers" target="_blank">manufacturers</a><span> access to otherwise closed domestic markets. It only provides an opening, and does not provide any protection or price preference. The notification states explicitly that technically qualified domestic manufacturers are eligible only if they match the lowest bid; if there are no qualified local manufacturers, or if qualified vendors don't match the lowest bid, entire orders may be awarded to the lowest-priced vendor/s (from abroad). Perhaps there is some confusion arising from the nomenclature, as "PMA" usually refers to international vendor access to domestic markets. The notion that the PMA is protectionist and shields domestic suppliers from competition is incorrect.</span></span></p>
<h3 style="text-align: justify; ">Deferring PMA to Assess Domestic Capabilities</h3>
<p style="text-align: justify; "><span><span>The government's deferral of the PMA pending assessment of domestic manufacturing capabilities appears unreasonable, as there are already qualified manufacturers in India, several of them transnationals, producing high-tech products for global markets. The top 10 global fabless design companies and the top 25 semiconductor companies operate in India. In 2010, revenues were estimated at $7.5 billion, and in 2012, over $10 billion. India is reportedly among the top countries for fabless design skills, and has the critical ingredients for the growth of fabless companies as start-ups slow in the West: design service companies, design engineering expertise and innovation, returning entrepreneurs, and educational facilities. What they need for scale is local market access, equity funding, good logistics, and effective infrastructure. These are the areas where the government can facilitate matters. Deferring access to local companies at a time of rapid growth in networks will entrench foreign products, providing them with an undue advantage against local producers. Instead, we should be capitalising on our domestic strengths.</span></span></p>
<h3 style="text-align: justify; ">Closed Circle of Buyers & Sellers</h3>
<p style="text-align: justify; ">In high-technology procurement, large international vendors, of whom there are relatively few, form long-term relationships with the relatively few large buyers in oligopolistic markets in telecommunications or electricity. This holds whether the buyers are government entities, state-owned enterprises, or private sector companies. Often, the international vendors have strong home government support. This is why domestic manufacturers need mandatory access to break into a closed circle. There is no ambiguity in this, nor is it protectionist, and there are no price preferences - in contrast to the 15 per cent allowed by the World Bank, or 10 per cent for minority-owned businesses in the United States.</p>
<h3 style="text-align: justify; ">Markets & Demand</h3>
<p style="text-align: justify; "><span><span>Of the many reasons for developing electronics manufacturing capabilities in India, a compelling one is our level of demand for electronics. A task force comprising government and industry participants estimated in 2009 that demand in 2009-10 was around $45 billion, going up to $70 billion in 2012, and projected at $400 billion by 2020 (see chart), with government's share being 40 per cent.</span></span></p>
<table class="listing">
<tbody>
<tr>
<th><img src="http://editors.cis-india.org/home-images/DemandsupplyGap.png/@@images/2275708f-a7fb-4507-8324-fa4871d393bf.png" alt="Demand-Supply in Electronics Industry" class="image-inline" title="Demand-Supply in Electronics Industry" /><br /></th>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="text-align: right; ">Source: <a href="http://deity.gov.in/hindi/sites/upload_files/dithindi/files/Task_Force_Report-new_21211.pdf">http://deity.gov.in/hindi/sites/upload_files/dithindi/files/Task_Force_Report-new_21211.pdf</a></td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<p style="text-align: justify; "><span>Domestic production was at $20 billion in the financial year 2009 while imports were $25 billion, projected to rise to over $300 billion by 2020 if domestic production maintained its trend to reach $104 billion. However, with appropriate policies including the PMA for local manufacturers, in the best case, domestic electronics manufacturing was estimated to increase to over $300 billion. If this could be achieved, India's electronics imports would amount to about $100 billion. Without it, imports of $300 billion may be needed, exceeding even estimated oil imports.</span></p>
<h3 style="text-align: justify; ">Security Screening/Auditing of Imports</h3>
<p style="text-align: justify; "><span>High-security applications in the US, Japan, Israel and China are procured from trusted domestic manufacturers. The US Congress monitors high-tech imports for strategic reasons. The UK is conducting an investigation into whether its broadband networks have been compromised by foreign suppliers, although malware is very difficult to detect, and can be downloaded after security audits. High-tech supplies need to be from trusted sources.</span></p>
<h3 style="text-align: justify; ">Domestic Producers vs Other Lobbies</h3>
<p style="text-align: justify; "><span>In effect, it would seem that the operators and foreign vendors have railroaded the government into perpetuating the <i>status quo</i> of foreign-dominated electronics suppliers in India. Facilitating access to local markets for domestic manufacturers is the kind of support that many governments provide. Take the case of the "Buy American" provisions of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. Recovery Act funds used for the construction, alteration, maintenance or repair of public buildings and public works must procure all iron, steel and manufactured goods produced only in the US, with a price preference of 25 per cent. The exceptions are non-availability, prices of over 25 per cent, or where applying the provisions is against the public interest. The objectives were to save and create jobs, to give relief to those affected by the recession, and to invest in infrastructure, education, health and renewable energy. The estimated cost is $831 billion between 2009 and 2019.</span></p>
<h3 style="text-align: justify; ">Remedial Action</h3>
<p style="text-align: justify; "><span>What's needed is for the government to take unequivocal action without delay on enabling policies for domestic high-tech producers. The sooner this is done, and the more sustained support that is provided, the better. Too many confused signals are being sent out on investments.</span></p>
<p>
For more details visit <a href='http://editors.cis-india.org/telecom/blog/organizing-india-blogspot-shyam-ponappa-august-1-2013-domestic-high-tech-manufacturing-needs-access-to-markets'>http://editors.cis-india.org/telecom/blog/organizing-india-blogspot-shyam-ponappa-august-1-2013-domestic-high-tech-manufacturing-needs-access-to-markets</a>
</p>
No publisherShyam PonappaTelecom2013-09-03T07:32:45ZBlog EntryJuly 2013 Bulletin
http://editors.cis-india.org/about/newsletters/july-2013-bulletin
<b>Our newsletter for the month of July 2013 can be accessed below. </b>
<hr />
<p style="text-align: justify; ">The Centre for Internet & Society (CIS) welcomes you to the seventh issue of its newsletter for the year 2013. In this issue we bring you <a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/telecom/knowledge-repository-on-internet-access/institute-on-internet-and-society-event-report">a report on the Institute on Internet and Society</a> held in the month of June, <a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/a2k/blog/comments-on-draft-guidelines-for-computer-related-inventions">comments submitted</a> by us to the Office of the Controller General of Patents Designs and Trademarks on the draft guidelines on computer related inventions, <a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/internet-governance/blog/report-on-the-5th-privacy-round-table">report from the fifth privacy roundtable meeting</a> held in Kolkata, updates from Kannada Wikipedia workshops held in <a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/openness/blog/kannada-wikipedia-workshop-at-hubli">Hubli</a> and <a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/openness/kannada-wiki-workshop-at-sagara">Sagara</a>, a <a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/digital-natives/digital-humanities-for-indian-higher-education">report on Digital Humanities for higher education</a>, media coverage, and information on our forthcoming events.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify; ">Archives of our newsletters are <a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/about/newsletters/">here</a>. Our policies on Ethical Research Guidelines, Non-Discrimination and Equal Opportunities, Privacy, Terms of Website Use and Travel can be<a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/about/policies"> accessed here</a>.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify; "><b>Jobs</b><br /> CIS is inviting applications for the posts of <a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/jobs/vacancy-for-developer">Developer</a> (NVDA Screen Reader Project). To apply for this post, send in your resume to Nirmita Narasimhan (<a href="mailto:nirmita@cis-india.org">nirmita@cis-india.org</a>). CIS is also seeking applications for the post of <a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/jobs/policy-associate-internet-governance">Policy Associate</a> (Internet Governance). To apply send your resume to Sunil Abraham (<a href="mailto:sunil@cis-india.org">sunil@cis-india.org</a>) and Pranesh Prakash (<a href="mailto:pranesh@cis-india.org">pranesh@cis-india.org</a>).</p>
<h3><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/accessibility">Accessibility</a></h3>
<p style="text-align: justify; ">CIS is doing two projects in partnership with the <b>Hans Foundation</b>. One is to create a national resource kit of state-wise laws, policies and programmes on issues relating to persons with disabilities in India and another for developing a screen reader and text-to- speech synthesizer for Indian languages:</p>
<p style="text-align: justify; "><b>National Resource Kit for Persons with Disabilities</b><br />CIS and the Centre for Law and Policy Research (CLPR) are working in this project. Draft chapters have been published. Feedback and comments are invited from readers for the chapters on Punjab, Uttarakhand, Maharashtra and Chandigarh:</p>
<ul>
<li><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/accessibility/blog/national-resource-kit-punjab-chapter-call-for-comments">The Punjab Chapter</a> (by Anandhi Viswanathan, July 31, 2013).</li>
<li><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/accessibility/blog/national-resource-kit-uttarakhand-chapter-call-for-comments">The Uttarakhand Chapter</a> (by Anandhi Viswanathan, July 31, 2013).</li>
<li><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/accessibility/blog/national-resource-kit-chandigarh-chapter-call-for-comments">The Chandigarh Chapter</a> (by CLPR, July 31, 2013).</li>
<li><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/accessibility/blog/national-resource-kit-maharashtra-chapter-call-for-comments">The Maharashtra Chapter</a> (by Anandhi Viswanathan, July 31, 2013).</li>
</ul>
<p>Note: <i>All the chapters published on the website are early drafts and will be reviewed and updated</i>.</p>
<h3><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/about/a2k">Access to Knowledge</a> and <a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/openness">Openness</a></h3>
<p style="text-align: justify; ">The Wikimedia Foundation has given a <a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/a2k/access-to-knowledge-program-plan">grant</a> to CIS to support and develop the growth of Indic language communities and projects by community collaborations and partnerships. This is being carried out by the Access to Knowledge team based in Delhi. CIS is also doing a project (Pervasive Technologies) on examining the relationship between production of pervasive technologies and intellectual property. CIS also promotes openness including open government data, open standards, open access, and free/libre/open source software through its Openness programme.</p>
<h3><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/a2k"><b>Access to Knowledge</b></a><b> </b>(Previously IP Reforms)</h3>
<p><b>Comments </b></p>
<ul>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/a2k/blog/comments-on-draft-guidelines-for-computer-related-inventions">Comments on the Draft Guidelines for Computer Related Inventions</a> (by Puneeth Nagaraj, July 31, 2013). The comments were submitted to the office of the Controller General of Patents Designs & Trademarks, Mumbai on July 26, 2013.</li>
</ul>
<p><b>Event Participated</b></p>
<p><b> </b></p>
<ul>
<b> </b>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/a2k/blog/the-assocham-international-conference-on-the-interface-between-intellectual-property-and-competition-law">An International Conference on Interface between Intellectual Property and Competition Law</a> (organized by ASSOCHAM, July 12, 2013). Nehaa Chaudhari participated in the conference and shares select notes in a blog post.</li>
</ul>
<p style="text-align: justify; "><b>Access to Knowledge (Wikipedia)</b><br />The <a href="http://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Access_To_Knowledge/Team" title="Access To Knowledge/Team">A2K team</a> consists of three members based in Bangalore: <a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/about/people/our-team">T. Vishnu Vardhan</a>, <a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/about/people/our-team">Dr. U.B. Pavanaja</a> and <a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/about/newsletters/people/our-team">Subhashish Panigrahi</a> and one team member <a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/about/newsletters/people/our-team">Nitika Tandon</a> who is working from Delhi office.</p>
<p><b>Event Organised</b></p>
<p><b> </b></p>
<ul>
<b> </b>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/openness/blog/kannada-wikipedia-workshop-at-hubli">A Kannada Wikipedia Workshop</a> (organized by CIS-A2K team, July 21, 2013, Hubli). Dr. U.B. Pavanaja gave training to the participants on Wikipedia. Leading newspapers like the Times of India, Vijaya Karnataka, Deccan Herald, VijayaVani, Prajavani, Samyukta Karnataka and HosaDiganta covered the event. Scanned versions of the published articles can be <a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/openness/blog/hubli-workshop-press-coverage.zip">viewed here</a>.</li>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/openness/kannada-wiki-workshop-at-sagara">A Kannada Wikipedia Workshop at Sagara</a> (organized by CIS-A2K team, Sagara, July 28, 2013). Dr. U.B. Pavanaja gave a talk on Wikipedia and Kannada Wikipedia.</li>
</ul>
<p><b>Event Co-organised</b></p>
<p><b> </b></p>
<ul>
<b> </b>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/openness/blog/telegu-wiki-academy-at-centre-for-good-governance">Telugu Wiki Academy at Centre for Good Governance</a> (organized by CIS-A2K and Telegu Wikipedia Community, Centre for Good Governance, Jubilee Hills, Hyderabad, April 9, 2013). T. Vishnu Vardhan participated in this event.</li>
</ul>
<p><i>Note: The event was organized in April but report got published only in July</i>.</p>
<p><b>Event Participated</b></p>
<p><b> </b></p>
<ul>
<b> </b>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/news/free-software">Free Software</a> (organized by Free Software Movement of Karnataka in partnership with Jnana Vikas Institute of Technology, Bidadi, July 24, 2013). Dr. U.B. Pavanaja made a presentation on Wikipedia.</li>
</ul>
<p><b>Ongoing Event</b></p>
<p><b> </b></p>
<ul>
<b> </b>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/news/hindu-r-krishna-kumar-august-2-2013-stress-on-posting-articles-on-kannada-wikipedia">A Workshop on Posting Articles in Kannada on Wikipedia</a> (organised by the Centre for Proficiency Development Placement Service, University of Mysore, CPDPS premises, Manasagangotri, August 6, 2013). Dr. U.B. Pavanaja is conducting a workshop. The <a href="http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/tp-karnataka/stress-on-posting-articles-on-kannada-wikipedia/article4980552.ece">announcement was made in an article</a> by R. Krishna Kumar in the Hindu on August 2, 2013.</li>
</ul>
<p><b>Press Coverage</b></p>
<p><b> </b></p>
<ul>
<b> </b>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/news/oheraldo-july-27-2013-diana-fernandes-konkani-wikipedia-next">Konkani Wikipedia next?</a> (by Diana Fernandes, OHeralO, July 27, 2013). T. Vishnu Vardhan is quoted.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Openness</h3>
<p><b>Events Organised </b></p>
<ul>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/internet-governance/digital-activism-in-europe">Delhi: Digital Activism in Europe</a> (The Sarai Programme, Centre for the Study of Developing Societies, New Delhi, July 8, 2013). Bernadette Längle gave a talk about the hacker scene and digital activism in Europe, with a focus on the <a href="http://ccc.de/en">Chaos Computer Club</a>.</li>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/openness/open-hardware-lab">Open Hardware Lab: Play & Invent + Bonus Film Screening</a> (CIS, Bangalore, August 4, 2013). There was a film screening of <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theremin:_An_Electronic_Odyssey">Theremin: An Electronic Odyssey</a> at the event.</li>
</ul>
<h3><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/about/internet-governance">Internet Governance</a></h3>
<p style="text-align: justify; ">CIS began two projects earlier this year. The first one on facilitating research and events on surveillance and freedom of expression is with Privacy International and support from the International Development Research Centre, Canada. The second one on mapping cyber security actors in South Asia and South East Asia is with the Citizen Lab, Munk School of Global Affairs, University of Toronto and support from the International Development Research Centre, Canada:<b> </b></p>
<p><b><span>SAFEGUARDS Project</span><br />Events Organised</b></p>
<ul>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/internet-governance/events/cryptoparty-delhi">Delhi: Learn to Secure Your Online Communication</a>! (IIC, DU Campus, Delhi, July 6, 2013). A cryptoparty was held in Delhi. </li>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://www.cryptoparty.in/dharamsala">Dharamsala: Learn to Secure Your Online Communication</a>! (Dharamsala, July 13, 2013). A cryptoparty was held in Dharamsala. This was also covered in an article published in <a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/news/caravan-magazine-august-1-2013-rahul-m-crypto-night">the Caravan</a> on August 1, 2013.</li>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/internet-governance/blog/report-on-the-5th-privacy-round-table">Privacy Roundtable Meeting</a> (co-organized by CIS, DSCI, and FICCI, Kolkata, July 13, 2013). An event report was written by Maria Xynou. </li>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/internet-governance/the-hackers-way-of-reshaping-policies">The Hackers Way of Reshaping Policies</a> (CIS, Bangalore, August 2, 2012). Bernadette Langle gave a talk on privacy.</li>
</ul>
<p><b>Events Participated In</b></p>
<ul>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/news/biometrics-or-bust-indias-identity-crisis">Biometrics or bust? India's Identity Crisis</a> (organised by the Oxford Internet Institute, Oxford University Press, July 2, 2013). Malavika Jayaram participated as a speaker on UID and Privacy.</li>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/internet-governance/blog/dsci-bpm-2013-conference-notes">DSCI Best Practices Meet 2013</a> (organized by DSCI, Anna Salai, Chennai, July 12, 2013). Kovey Coles attended the meeting.</li>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/internet-governance/blog/cii-conference-on-act">Achieve Cyber Security Together</a> (organized by the Confederation of Indian Industries, Chennai, July 13, 2013). Kovey Coles attended this event.</li>
</ul>
<p><b>Ongoing / Upcoming Events</b></p>
<p><b> </b></p>
<ul>
<b> </b>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/internet-governance/events/the-phishing-society-a-talk-by-maria-xynou">The Phishing Society: Why 'Facebook' is more dangerous than the Government Spying on You - A Talk by Maria Xynou</a> (CIS, Bangalore, August 7, 2013). Maria Xynou will give a talk on phishing society.</li>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/internet-governance/cryptoparty-chennai">Learn to Protect your Online Activities!</a> (ACJ - Asian College of Journalism, Second Main Road (Behind M.S. Swaminathan Research Foundation), Taramani, Chennai, August 7, 2013).</li>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/internet-governance/events/privacy-meeting-brussels-bangalore">Privacy Meeting: Brussels – Bangalore</a> (CIS, Bangalore, August 14, 2013). Gertjan Boulet and Dariusz Kloza will give a talk on privacy.</li>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/internet-governance/events/privacy-round-table-delhi">Privacy Round Table, New Delhi</a> (co-organised with FICCI and DSCI, FICCI, Federation House, Tansen Marg, New Delhi, August 24, 2013).</li>
</ul>
<p><b> </b></p>
<p style="text-align: justify; "><b>Columns</b></p>
<p><b> </b></p>
<ul>
<b> </b>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/internet-governance/blog/nytimes-july-10-2013-pranesh-prakash-how-surveillance-works-in-india">How Surveillance Works in India</a> (by Pranesh Prakash, New York Times, July 10, 2013).</li>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/internet-governance/blog/new-york-times-july-11-2013-can-india-trust-its-government-on-piracy">Can India Trust Its Government on Privacy?</a> (by Pranesh Prakash, New York Times, July 11, 2013).</li>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/internet-governance/blog/the-hoot-july-13-2013-chinmayi-arun-parsing-the-cyber-security-policy">Parsing the Cyber Security Policy</a> (by Chinmayi Arun, <a href="http://www.thehoot.org/web/Parsing-the-cyber-security-policy/6899-1-1-19-true.html">The Hoot</a>, and cross-posted in <a href="http://thefsiindia.wordpress.com/2013/07/13/indias-national-cyber-security-policy-preliminary-comments/">Free Speech Initiative</a>, July 13, 2013).</li>
</ul>
<p><b> </b></p>
<p><b>Blog Entries</b></p>
<p><b> </b></p>
<ul>
<b> </b>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/internet-governance/blog/the-difficult-balance-of-transparent-surveillance">The Difficult Balance of Transparent Surveillance</a> (by Kovey Coles, July 10, 2013).</li>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/internet-governance/blog/moving-towards-surveillance-state">Moving Towards a Surveillance State</a> (by Srinivas Atreya, July 15, 2013).</li>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/internet-governance/blog/more-than-hundred-global-groups-make-principled-stand-against-surveillance">More than a Hundred Global Groups Make a Principled Stand against Surveillance</a> (by Elonnai Hickok, July 31, 2013).</li>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/internet-governance/blog/the-audacious-right-to-be-forgotten">The Audacious ‘Right to Be Forgotten’</a> (by Kovey Coles, July 31, 2013).</li>
</ul>
<p><b>Interview</b></p>
<p><b> </b></p>
<ul>
<b> </b>
<li><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/internet-governance/blog/interview-with-finnish-data-protection-ombudsman">An Interview with Reijo Aarnio</a>: Maria Xynou conducted an interview with Reijo, the Finnish Data Protection Ombudsman.</li>
</ul>
<p><b> </b></p>
<p><b>Media Coverage</b></p>
<p><b> </b></p>
<ul>
<b> </b>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/news/economic-times-july-30-2013-indu-nandakumar-google-brings-tabs-to-sneak-advertisements-into-your-inbox">Google brings tabs to sneak advertisements into your inbox</a> (by Indu Nandakumar, Economic Times, July 30, 2013). Sunil Abraham is quoted.</li>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/news/livemint-leslie-d-monte-joji-thomas-philip-july-3-2013-how-the-worlds-largest-democracy-is-preparing-to-snoop-on-its-citizens">How the world’s largest democracy is preparing to snoop on its citizens</a> (by Leslie D' Monte and Joji Thomas Philip, July 3, 2013). Sunil Abraham is quoted.</li>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/news/report-dna-july-7-2013-joanna-lobo-geeks-have-a-solution-to-digital-surveillance-in-india-cryptography">Geeks have a solution to digital surveillance in India: Cryptography</a> (by Joanna Lobo, DNA, July 7, 2013). Pranesh Prakash is quoted.</li>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/news/theregister-uk-phil-muncaster-july-9-2013-indias-centralised-snooping-system-facing-big-delays">India's centralised snooping system facing big delays</a> (by Phil Muncaster, The Register, July 9, 2013). CIS is mentioned in this article.</li>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/news/firstpost-danish-raza-july-10-2013-indias-central-monitoring-system-security-cant-come-at-cost-of-privacy">India’s Central Monitoring System: Security can’t come at cost of privacy</a> (by Danish Raza, FirstPost, July 10, 2013). Sunil Abraham is quoted.</li>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/news/forbesindia-article-real-issue-july9-2013-rohin-dharmakumar-is-cms-a-compromise-of-your-security">Is CMS a Compromise of Your Security?</a> (by Rohin Dharmakumar, Forbes India magazine, July 12, 2013). Sunil Abraham is quoted.</li>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/news/firstpost-pierre-fitter-july-17-2013-snooping-technology">Snooping technology: Will CMS work in India?</a> (by Pierre Fitter, FirstPost, July 17, 2013). Pranesh Prakash is quoted.</li>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/news/bbc-uk-july-18-2013-parul-aggarwal-social-media-monitoring">सावधान आपके प्रोफ़ाइल पर है पुलिस की नज़र!</a> (by Parul Aggarwal, BBC, July 18, 2013). Pranesh Prakash is quoted.</li>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/news/dna-july-21-2013-shikha-kumar-your-life-is-an-open-facebook">Your life's an open Facebook</a> (by Shikha Kumar, DNA, July 21, 2013). Sunil Abraham is quoted.</li>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/news/hindustan-times-aloke-tikku-june-28-2013-concerns-over-central-snoop">Concerns over central snoop</a> (by Aloke Tikku, Hindustan Times, June 28, 2013). Sunil Abraham is quoted.</li>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/news/livemint-july-30-2013-joji-thomas-philip-leslie-d-monte-shauvik-ghosh-your-telco-could-help-spy-on-you">Your telco could help spy on you</a> (by Joji Thomas Philip, Leslie D'Monte and Shauvik Ghosh, LiveMint, July 30, 2013). Sunil Abraham is quoted.</li>
</ul>
<p><b> </b></p>
<p style="text-align: justify; "><b>DNA Profiling Bill</b><br />A sub-committee has been constituted as per the recommendations of the Expert Committee of DNA Profiling Bill. The sub-committee will have a meeting in Hyderabad on August 6, 2013. <a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/news/meeting-of-sub-committee-on-dna-profiling-bill">Sunil Abraham is one of the members of the sub-committee</a>.</p>
<p><b> </b></p>
<p style="text-align: justify; "><span><b>Cyber Stewards Project</b><br /></span>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>Video Interviews</p>
<ul>
<li>Part 3: <a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/internet-governance/cis-cybersecurity-series-part-3-eva-galperin">Interview with Eva Galperin</a> (July 10, 2013).</li>
<li>Part 4: <a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/internet-governance/blog/cis-cybersecurity-series-part-4-marietje-schaake">Interview with Marietje Schaake</a> (July 11, 2013).</li>
<li>Part 5: <a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/internet-governance/cis-cybersecurity-series-part-5-amelia-andersdotter">Interview with Amelia Andersdotter</a> (July 12, 2013).</li>
<li>Part 6: <a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/internet-governance/cis-cybersecurity-series-part-6-lhadon-tethong">Interview with Lhadon Tethong</a> (July 15, 2013).</li>
<li>Part 7: <a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/internet-governance/blog/cis-cybersecurity-series-part-7-jochem-de-groot">Interview with Jochem de Groot</a> (July 18, 2013).</li>
<li>Part 8: <a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/internet-governance/blog/cis-cybersecurity-series-part-8-jeff-moss">Interview with Jeff Moss</a> (July, 23, 2013).</li>
</ul>
<p><span><b>Cyber Security</b></span><br /><b>Blog Entries </b></p>
<ul>
<b> </b>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/internet-governance/blog/indias-national-cyber-security-policy-in-review">India's National Cyber Security Policy in Review</a> (by Jonathan Diamond, July 31, 2013).</li>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/internet-governance/blog/guidelines-for-protection-of-national-critical-information-infrastructure">Guidelines for the Protection of National Critical Information Infrastructure: How Much Regulation?</a> (by Jonathan Diamond, July 31, 2013).</li>
</ul>
<p><b>Free Speech, Expression and Censorship</b><br />Column</p>
<ul>
<li><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/internet-governance/blog/down-to-earth-july-17-2013-nishant-shah-you-have-the-right-to-remain-silent">You Have the Right to Remain Silent</a> (by Nishant Shah, July 22, 2013).</li>
</ul>
<p><b>Event Participated In </b></p>
<ul>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/news/citizenlab-summer-institute-on-monitoring-internet-openness-and-rights">Connaught Summer Institute on Monitoring Internet Openness and Rights</a> (organized by the Munk School of Global Affairs, Bloor Street West, July 23, 2013). Malavika Jayaram participated in this event and spoke on "<a href="https://citizenlab.org/summerinstitute/abstracts.html#jayaram">India's Civil Liberties Crisis: Digital Free Will in Free Fall</a>".</li>
</ul>
<h3><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/telecom/knowledge-repository-on-internet-access">Knowledge Repository on Internet Access</a></h3>
<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 <a href="http://www.internet-institute.in">www.internet-institute.in</a>.</p>
<p><b>Event Organised</b></p>
<p><b> </b></p>
<ul>
<b> </b>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/telecom/knowledge-repository-on-internet-access/institute-on-internet-and-society-event-report">Institute on Internet and Society: Event Report</a> (supported by Ford Foundation, Golden Palms Resort, Bangalore, June 8 – 14, 2013). Pranesh Prakash, Bernadette Längle, Vir Kamal Chopra, AK Bhargava, Ananth Guruswamy, Archana Gulati, Chakshu Roy, Elonnai Hickok, Gaurab Raj Upadhaya, Helani Galpaya, Michael Ginguld, Dr. Nadeem Akhtar, C. Nandini, Dr. Nirmita Narasimhan, Dr. Nishant Shah, Parminder Jeet Singh, Ravikiran Annaswamy, Dr. Ravina Aggarwal, Satyen Gupta, Dr. Subbiah Arunachalam, Sunil Abraham, Tulika Pandey and T. Vishnu Vardhan were speakers at the event. The presentations and videos can now be accessed in this report.</li>
</ul>
<h3><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/about/telecom">Telecom</a></h3>
<p style="text-align: justify; ">CIS is involved in promoting access and accessibility to telecommunications services and resources and has provided inputs to ongoing policy discussions and consultation papers published by TRAI. It has prepared reports on unlicensed spectrum and accessibility of mobile phones for persons with disabilities and also works with the USOF to include funding projects for persons with disabilities in its mandate:</p>
<p><b>Newspaper Column</b></p>
<p><b> </b></p>
<ul>
<b> </b>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/telecom/blog/business-standard-op-ed-shyam-ponappa-july-3-2013-building-up-vs-tearing-down">Building Up vs Tearing Down</a> (by Shyam Ponappa, July 3, 2013, originally published in the Business Standard, and also mirrored in Organizing India Blogspot).</li>
</ul>
<h3><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/raw/digital-humanities">Digital Humanities</a></h3>
<p style="text-align: justify; ">We are 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><b>Event Co-organised</b></p>
<p><b> </b></p>
<ul>
<b> </b>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/digital-natives/digital-humanities-for-indian-higher-education">Digital Humanities for Indian Higher Education</a> (co-organised by HEIRA, CSCS, Tumkur University, Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Mumbai and CIS, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, July 13, 2013).</li>
</ul>
<p><b>Event Organised</b></p>
<p><b> </b></p>
<ul>
<b> </b>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/raw/digital-humanities/digital-humanities-talk-at-cis">Digital Humanities Talk</a> (CIS, Bangalore, July 31, 2013). Sara Morais gave a talk on the advantages and problems in doing digital humanities work.</li>
</ul>
<p><b>Event Participated In<br /></b></p>
<p><b> </b></p>
<ul>
<b> </b>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/news/iippee-july-8-2013-fourth-annual-conference-in-political-economy">Political Economy, Activism and Alternative Economic Strategies</a> (organized by the International Institute of Social Studies, Erasmus University of Rotterdam, The Hague, July 9 – 13, 2013). Nishant Shah presented his paper on paper on <a href="http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/dech.12036/full">Citizen Action in the Time of Network.</a></li>
</ul>
<p><b>Blog Entries</b></p>
<p><b> </b></p>
<ul>
<b> </b>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/raw/digital-humanities/designing-change-gatekeepers-in-digital-humanities">Designing Change? Gatekeepers in Digital Humanities</a> (by Sara Morais, July 2, 2013).</li>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/raw/digital-humanities/towards-critical-tool-building">Towards Critical Tool-building</a> (by Sara Morais, July 12, 2013).</li>
</ul>
<h2><a href="http://cis-india.org/about/newsletters/">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>Follow us elsewhere</p>
<ul>
<li>Get short, timely messages from us on <a href="https://twitter.com/cis_india">Twitter</a></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>Support Us<br />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<br />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></p>
<p><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/july-2013-bulletin'>http://editors.cis-india.org/about/newsletters/july-2013-bulletin</a>
</p>
No publisherpraskrishnaAccess to KnowledgeTelecomAccessibilityInternet GovernanceDigital HumanitiesOpenness2013-08-21T09:30:32ZPageYour telco could help spy on you
http://editors.cis-india.org/news/livemint-july-30-2013-joji-thomas-philip-leslie-d-monte-shauvik-ghosh-your-telco-could-help-spy-on-you
<b>Telecom minister gives approval to changes in rules for mobile licences to enable such mass surveillance.</b>
<hr />
<p style="text-align: justify; ">The article by Joji Thomas Philip, Leslie D'Monte and Shauvik Ghosh was originally <a class="external-link" href="http://www.livemint.com/Politics/rpWFiDJroLgpLQ6yKdR3pJ/Telcos-to-soon-link-with-government-monitoring-system.html">published in Livemint</a> on July 30, 2013. Sunil Abraham is quoted.</p>
<hr />
<p style="text-align: justify; ">Telecom companies and Internet service providers will soon help the government monitor every call made, every email sent and every website visited, with the Centre deciding to connect their networks to its automated surveillance platform known as the Centralised Monitoring System (CMS).</p>
<p style="text-align: justify; ">Communications minister <span class="person"><a href="http://www.livemint.com/Search/Link/Keyword/Kapil%20Sibal">Kapil Sibal</a></span> has approved changes in existing rules and new clauses to be inserted in mobile licences for enabling such mass surveillance, copies of documents reviewed by <i>Mint</i> reveal.</p>
<table class="invisible">
<tbody>
<tr>
<th><iframe frameborder="0" height="250" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/o1r6OSv-WyI" width="320"></iframe></th>
<td style="text-align: justify; ">
<p>The department of telecommunications (DoT) will shortly send a letter to all telcos asking them to connect their “lawful interception system (LIS)” to the CMS “at a regional monitoring centre through an interception, store and forward (ISF) server placed in the licensee’s premises”, according to the documents.</p>
<p>Telcos including <span class="company"><a href="http://www.livemint.com/Search/Link/Keyword/Bharat%20Sanchar%20Nigam%20Ltd">Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd</a></span> (<span class="brand"><a href="http://www.livemint.com/Search/Link/Keyword/BSNL">BSNL</a></span>), <span class="company"><a href="http://www.livemint.com/Search/Link/Keyword/Mahanagar%20Telephone%20Nigam%20Ltd">Mahanagar Telephone Nigam Ltd </a></span>(MTNL), <span class="company"><a href="http://www.livemint.com/Search/Link/Keyword/Reliance%20Communications%20Ltd">Reliance Communications Ltd</a></span>, <span class="company"><a href="http://www.livemint.com/Search/Link/Keyword/Bharti%20Airtel%20Ltd">Bharti Airtel Ltd</a></span>, <span class="company"><a href="http://www.livemint.com/Search/Link/Keyword/Vodafone%20India%20Ltd">Vodafone India Ltd</a></span> and <span class="company"><a href="http://www.livemint.com/Search/Link/Keyword/Tata%20TeleServices%20Ltd">Tata TeleServices Ltd</a></span> declined to comment on questions emailed in this regard.</p>
<p> </p>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<p style="text-align: justify; ">“The automated process of the CMS will be subjected to the same regulatory scrutiny as is available in the present manual system under Section 5(2) of Indian Telegraph Act and Rules 419-A thereunder, with the added advantage of having a safeguard against any illegal provisioning by the telecom service providers in the present system, however, remote it may be,” DoT said in an email reply to a questionnaire with a brief on CMS.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify; ">“Safeguard has also been built against any unauthorized provisioning by having a different interception provisioning agency than the interception requisitioning and monitoring agencies thus having an inbuilt system of checks and balances. Further, a non-erasable command log will be maintained by the system, which can be examined anytime for misuse, thus having an additional safeguard,” DoT said.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify; ">The CMS was approved by the cabinet committee on security (CCS) on 16 June 2011, with government funding of Rs.400 crore. It is expected to enable the government to monitor all forms of communication, from emails to online activity to phone calls, text messages and faxes by automating the existing process of interception and monitoring. The government completed a pilot project in September 2011 under which the Centre for Development of Telematics (C-DoT) installed two ISF servers, one of them for MTNL.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify; ">“The interception services have been integrated and tested successfully for these two telecom services providers (TSPs),” the note said, referring to MTNL and Tata Communications Ltd. MTNL officials declined to comment. There was no response to queries by Tata Communications.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify; ">It added that training had been imparted to six law enforcement agencies—the Intelligence Bureau, the Central Bureau of Investigation, the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence, the Research and Analysis Wing, the Delhi Police and the National Investigation Agency.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify; ">However, the documents also reveal that the CMS project is getting delayed over technical issues such as lawful interception systems sending the intercept-related information (IRI) in “their own proprietary format”; difficulty in tracing the movement of “the target from the home network to the roaming network”; and how to independently provision voice and data interception of mobile users.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify; ">The government is simultaneously devising a strategy to counter criticism from the media and privacy lobby groups that this surveillance platform has no privacy safeguards. Mint reported on 13 July that fresh questions were raised on the CMS infringing on the rights of individuals, especially in the wake of the US government’s PRISM surveillance project.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify; ">In an internal note on 16 July to help Sibal brief the media, DoT said even as the CMS will automate the existing process of interception and monitoring “... all safeguards that are currently in place in the manual mode of interception will continue”.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify; ">The note argued that implementation of the CMS “will rather enhance the privacy of the citizens” since it will not be necessary to take the authorization (for tapping) to the nodal officer of the telecom service providers “who comes to know whose or which phone is being intercepted”. The note added that after the CMS is implemented, provisioning of interception will be done by a CMS authority, who would be different from the law enforcement agency authorities.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify; ">“The law enforcement agency (LEA) cannot provision for interception and monitoring and the CMS authority cannot see the content but would be able to provision the request from the LEA.Hence, complete check and balance will be ensured. Further, a non-erasable command log will be maintained by the system, which can be examined anytime for misuse, thus having an additional safeguard,” added the department’s note briefing the minister.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify; ">Also, acknowledging that “questions were being asked about the practices of Indian agencies and the privacy and rights of its citizens”, national security adviser <a href="http://www.livemint.com/Search/Link/Keyword/Shivshankar%20Menon">Shivshankar Menon</a> in a 23 June note to the ministries of home, external affairs and telecom, the department of electronics and information technology, and the cabinet secretary said: “Only home secretaries of the Centre and states can authorize such monitoring; orders are valid for two months, are not extendable beyond six months; records are to be maintained, use of storage is limited and a review committee of cabinet secretary, law secretary and secretary of the telecom department regularly screens all cases.”</p>
<p style="text-align: justify; ">Menon also admitted that when it came to individual privacy rights, there were “larger issues that needed serious consideration and wider consultation with industry, advocacy groups and NGOs (non-governmental organizations) as has been the case so far in the draft privacy Bill... For data protection and retention in India, however, there may be a need to consider legislation or strengthening existing legislation, as the march of technology has made most present laws irrelevant.”</p>
<p style="text-align: justify; ">Privacy experts are convinced that safeguards are needed, especially since India does not have a privacy law.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify; ">“To safeguard public interest, the government should also draft a law that will make it a criminal offence if a CMS authority is found in possession of any personal information culled through the CMS. That will prove to be a deterrent,” said <span class="person"><a href="http://www.livemint.com/Search/Link/Keyword/Sunil%20Abraham">Sunil Abraham</a></span>, executive director of the Centre for Internet and Society, a privacy lobby body. “Also, the government must build an audit trail using PKI (public key encryption) and people as an additional safeguard.”</p>
<p style="text-align: justify; ">“As I understand it, there is also no clear statutory backing for the CMS,” said <span class="person"><a href="http://www.livemint.com/Search/Link/Keyword/Apar%20Gupta">Apar Gupta</a></span>, a partner at law firm Advani and Co. that specializes in information technology (IT) law. “What is important is that every tapping order should be backed by a reason. This was the case with the manual process. Will this be possible in an automated surveillance system such as the CMS?”</p>
<p style="text-align: justify; ">“What is disturbing is that there is no transparency with regard to the CMS. Everything is happening under the radar with media reports periodically giving us glimpses into the project,” he said. “A state should protect its interests but should do so in a manner that safeguards privacy and limits abuse.”</p>
<p style="text-align: justify; ">According to the <i>Freedom on the Net 2012</i> report by Freedom House, an independent privacy watchdog body, of the 47 countries analysed, 19 had introduced new laws or other directives since January 2011 that could affect free speech online, violate users’ privacy, or punish individuals who post certain types of content. India, which scored 39 points out of 100 (score achieved out of 100 for censoring the Internet), was termed partly free by the report, which was released on 24 September.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify; ">Globally, 79% of the respondents in another study said they were concerned about their privacy online, with India (94%), Brazil (90%) and Spain (90%) showing the highest level of concern, according to a June survey undertaken by research firm ComRes, and commissioned by Big Brother Watch, an online privacy campaign.</p>
<p>
For more details visit <a href='http://editors.cis-india.org/news/livemint-july-30-2013-joji-thomas-philip-leslie-d-monte-shauvik-ghosh-your-telco-could-help-spy-on-you'>http://editors.cis-india.org/news/livemint-july-30-2013-joji-thomas-philip-leslie-d-monte-shauvik-ghosh-your-telco-could-help-spy-on-you</a>
</p>
No publisherpraskrishnaTelecomInternet GovernanceCensorshipPrivacy2013-07-30T06:13:07ZNews ItemBuilding Up vs Tearing Down
http://editors.cis-india.org/telecom/blog/business-standard-op-ed-shyam-ponappa-july-3-2013-building-up-vs-tearing-down
<b>We have to find ways to deal with corruption without subverting our developmental aims.</b>
<hr />
<p style="text-align: justify; ">This article by Shyam Ponappa originally <a class="external-link" href="http://www.business-standard.com/article/opinion/building-up-vs-tearing-down-113070301014_1.html">published in the Business Standard</a> on July 3, 2013 was also <a class="external-link" href="http://organizing-india.blogspot.in/2013/07/building-up-vs-tearing-down.html">mirrored in Organizing India Blogspot</a></p>
<hr />
<p style="text-align: justify; "><span><span>Many economies around the world are in an unenviable state. India too has lost another chance at breaking out of its self-limiting mould of haphazard divergence and fractious irresponsibility. These constraints are exemplified by the ruling party's overindulgence in populist and crony handouts, such as ill-considered Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act or</span><span> food security </span></span><span>initiatives, or the latest gas pricing </span><span>decision, apparently without any sense of responsibility for the detrimental consequences, including for cash flows. The sole criterion is to somehow stay on top. Alas, they are matched by the unmitigated confrontationism of a flailing Opposition. As a consequence, we remain a land of unrealised potential, our energies focused on hindering or tearing down instead of building up. Lack of credible enforcement is hampering development, and the two are becoming mutually exclusive.</span></p>
<p style="text-align: justify; "><span><span>To a considerable extent, the troubles worldwide, including our own, appear to have resulted from excesses of some sort, whether of dishonesty or destructive activism. Is a sense of decline because of the economic downturn, or are there genuine negativities in our times? Is there an inevitable slide to dishonesty, as Plato concluded - reaffirmed in more recent works across cultures, such </span></span><span><span>as <i><b>Corruption </b></i></span><span><i><b>Cycles</b></i> by Cristina Bicchieri and John Duffy?</span></span><span> </span><a href="#fn1" name="fr1">[1]</a></p>
<p style="text-align: justify; "><span><span>The distribution of personal attributes in any large set of people ensures that there will always be some who will try to cheat, even in the elevated domain of scientific research. A consideration of two instances, one global and the other local, may provide some indicators.</span></span></p>
<p style="text-align: justify; "><b>Misconduct in Research<br /></b><span><span>Consider the retraction of scientific papers. The title of a report published in October 2012 says it all: "Misconduct Accounts for the Majority of Retracted Scientific </span></span><span><span>Publications".</span></span><span> </span> <a href="#fn2" name="fr2">[2]</a> First, there has been a rising trend in the 2,047 retractions since the first in 1977 (there's a puzzling caveat about retractable offences not being necessarily new). Second, the rise since 1977 has been almost tenfold. Third, over two-thirds were attributable to misconduct, including intentional falsification or fabrication of data. Almost half of all retractions (43 per cent) were for fraud, suspected or actual; duplicate publications were 14 per cent, and plagiarism almost 10 per cent. The report concludes that for articles for which the reason for retraction is known, three-quarters were for actual or suspected misconduct, while errors accounted for only a quarter (Chart 1).</p>
<p style="text-align: justify; ">Chart 1</p>
<table class="invisible">
<tbody>
<tr>
<th><img src="http://editors.cis-india.org/home-images/Chart.png/@@images/96c650f4-609d-40ce-90b1-beac93cc7bb5.png" alt="Chart" class="image-inline" title="Chart" /></th>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<p style="text-align: justify; "><b>Geographic Spread</b><br />Of the retracted articles from 56 countries, three-quarters of fraud or suspected fraud were from the United States, Germany, Japan, and China. India's share in plagiarism and duplicate publication is relatively high; its share in fraud, also relatively high, is lower than in the other two (Chart 2).<br /><br /><span>Chart 2</span></p>
<table class="invisible">
<tbody>
<tr>
<th><img src="http://editors.cis-india.org/home-images/copy_of_Chart.png/@@images/22cf2f3d-fe3e-4586-9c84-8ffb586ae977.png" alt="Chart" class="image-inline" title="Chart" /></th>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<p style="text-align: justify; ">India's research papers in science, social science, and economics/business for the period 2000 to 2010 and their share in world citations were as follows:</p>
<table class="invisible">
<tbody>
<tr>
<th><img src="http://editors.cis-india.org/home-images/copy2_of_Chart.png/@@images/98986154-a806-42a3-b055-c662f272f4c2.png" alt="Chart" class="image-inline" title="Chart" /></th>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<p style="text-align: justify; ">The Science Watch website provides details for each field. To quote from it: "For the period 2000-2010, India ranked 11th in output, 17th in citations received, and 34th in citations per paper (among nations publishing 50,000 or more papers during the period) across the science and social sciences fields surveyed in Essential Science Indicators." By way of comparison, the US published nearly 3,050,000 papers (11 times as many) from 2001 to August 2011, while China was second with about 8,37,000 (three times as many). <a href="#fn3" name="fr3">[3]</a></p>
<p style="text-align: justify; ">These data show that the loss of innocence is global and rising, but that we have a disproportionate share: 11th in output, but sixth in fraud, fifth in plagiarism and sixth in duplicate publication.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify; "><b>Improved Indian Highways<br /></b><span><span>At the local level, press reports seemed to indicate that our highways programme was faring badly. A few, like the Greater Noida Expressway near Delhi, the Yamuna Expressway to Agra, and the Jaipur-Agra highway appeared to be exceptions. Last month, however, our 3,000-kilometre drive from Delhi to Coorg averaged 600 km a day on mostly good roads. Some stretches in Northern Karnataka were breathtaking, and the feeder roads alongside were particularly impressive. Something is really happening in road construction (see <a href="http://www.nhai.org/allphase.htm">http://www.nhai.org/allphase.htm</a>, on a well-presented website).</span></span></p>
<p style="text-align: justify; "><span><span>This demonstrates the possibility of achievement despite evident deficiencies and alleged corruption, even though much remains to be done to make the road system genuinely world-class.</span></span></p>
<p style="text-align: justify; "><b>Less Cheating, More Fair Play<br /></b>So how can we tackle corruption while pursuing development? The trick is to devise processes and institutions that favour equitable outcomes, or less cheating and more fair play rather than the opposite, without obstructive policing. If the processes have incentives and penalties that are credibly administered, perhaps we'll get the desired results. One essential requirement is of universal acceptance, and inculcation of these processes as an obligatory aspect of citizenship. Impartial and systematic enforcement has to be the norm - perhaps the hardest step for us - without recourse to the imposition of parallel bureaucracies of elaborate policing mechanisms, street demonstrations, or handouts of free electricity, food, TVs, computers and the like. Credible enforcement could allow us the opportunity to focus on building pleasant, productive communities with decent living standards with systems against corruption, preventing the expending of discretionary effort on such matters at the cost of development.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify; ">But the prerequisite is to get those in power to allow the trick. If we could learn to apply standard operating procedures to incentives and punishments, the fight against corruption and progress in development need not be mutually exclusive.</p>
<hr />
<p>[<a href="#fr1" name="fn1">1</a>]. <a href="http://www.anth.ucsb.edu/faculty/gurven/anth169/bicchieriduffy1997.pdf">http://www.anth.ucsb.edu/faculty/gurven/anth169/bicchieriduffy1997.pdf</a></p>
<p style="text-align: justify; ">[<a href="#fr2" name="fn2">2</a>]. <a href="http://www.pnas.org/content/109/42/17028.full.pdf">http://www.pnas.org/content/109/42/17028.full.pdf</a><br /> (Ferric C Fang, R Grant Steen, and Arturo Casadevall; Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, US, September 2012)</p>
<p>[<a href="#fr3" name="fn3">3</a>]. <a href="http://sciencewatch.com/articles/top-20-countries-all-fields-2001-august-31-2011">http://sciencewatch.com/articles/top-20-countries-all-fields-2001-august-31-2011</a></p>
<p>
For more details visit <a href='http://editors.cis-india.org/telecom/blog/business-standard-op-ed-shyam-ponappa-july-3-2013-building-up-vs-tearing-down'>http://editors.cis-india.org/telecom/blog/business-standard-op-ed-shyam-ponappa-july-3-2013-building-up-vs-tearing-down</a>
</p>
No publisherShyam PonappaTelecom2013-08-02T07:06:30ZBlog EntryJune 2013 Bulletin
http://editors.cis-india.org/about/newsletters/june-2013-bulletin
<b>Our newsletter for the month of June 2013 can be accessed below.</b>
<hr />
<p style="text-align: justify; ">The Centre for Internet & Society (CIS) welcomes you to the sixth issue of its newsletter for 2013. Hivos published a White Paper by Nishant Shah titled <a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/digital-natives/blog/hivos-knowledge-programme-june-14-2013-nishant-shah-whose-change-is-it-anyway">Whose Change is it Anyway?</a>, which attempts to reflect critically on existing patterns of making change and its implications for the future of citizen action in information and network societies. The Access to Knowledge team carried out a <a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/a2k/blog/indian-language-wikipedia-statistics">quantitative analysis to identify trends and growth patterns in Indian Language Wikipedias</a> from September 2012 to April 2013. CIS drafted the <a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/internet-governance/blog/privacy-protection-bill-2013-with-amendments-based-on-public-feedback">Privacy Protection Bill</a> and amended it as per feedback gained from the New Delhi, Bangalore, and Chennai Privacy Roundtable Events. CIS made <a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/a2k/blog/cis-closing-statement-marrakesh-treaty-for-the-blind">closing statement on the Treaty for the Blind</a> at the WIPO Diplomatic Conference which was concluded with the adoption of the <a href="http://www.wipo.int/meetings/en/doc_details.jsp?doc_id=241683">Marrakesh Treaty to Facilitate Access to Published Works for Persons who are Blind, Visually Impaired, or otherwise Print Disabled</a>. In a <a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/a2k/blog/patent-pools">research paper</a> Nehaa Chaudhari gives an analysis of patent pools, Sameer Boray gives an <a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/a2k/blog/the-right-way-to-fight-video-piracy">analysis of video piracy</a> and Pranav Menon <a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/a2k/blog/india-eu-fta-issues-surrounding-data-protection-and-security">gives an analysis of India-EU FTA and issues surrounding data protection and security</a>. In this period we organised the <a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/telecom/knowledge-repository-on-internet-access/institute-on-internet-and-society">Institute on Internet and Society</a> with support from the Ford Foundation at Golden Palms, Bangalore from June 8 to 14, 2013.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify; "><b>Celebrating 5 Years of CIS</b><br />CIS is now 5 years old and we just celebrated this by holding an open exhibition in our offices in Bangalore and Delhi from May 20 to 23, showcasing our work and accomplishments over the period. We had about 170 visitors from the general public coming in to our office. Videos of the event are <a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/internet-governance/events/celebrating-5-years-of-cis">here</a>.</p>
<p><b> </b></p>
<p style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/internet-governance/blog/google-policy-fellowship-call-for-applications-2013"><b>Google Policy Fellowship</b></a><br />CIS has initiated processing of applications for the Google Policy Fellowship programme. Shortlisted candidates would be informed about their interview. However, as of now there will be a 20 days delay in announcing the list for the interview.</p>
<p><b> </b></p>
<p style="text-align: justify; "><b>Jobs</b><br /> CIS is inviting applications for the posts of <a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/jobs/vacancy-for-developer">Developer</a> (NVDA Screen Reader Project) and <a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/jobs/content-developer-requirement">Editor/Content Developer</a>. To apply for these posts, send in your resume to Nirmita Narasimhan (<a href="mailto:nirmita@cis-india.org">nirmita@cis-india.org</a>). CIS is also seeking applications for the post of <a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/jobs/programme-officer-internet-governance">Programme Officer</a> (Internet Governance). To apply send your resume to Sunil Abraham (<a href="mailto:sunil@cis-india.org">sunil@cis-india.org</a>) and Pranesh Prakash (<a href="mailto:pranesh@cis-india.org">pranesh@cis-india.org</a>).</p>
<h3><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/accessibility">Accessibility</a></h3>
<p style="text-align: justify; ">CIS is doing two projects in partnership with the <b>Hans Foundation</b>. One is to create a national resource kit of state-wise laws, policies and programmes on issues relating to persons with disabilities in India and another for developing a screen reader and text-to- speech synthesizer for Indian languages:</p>
<p style="text-align: justify; "><b>National Resource Kit for Persons with Disabilities</b><br />CIS and the Centre for Law and Policy Research (CLPR) are working in this project. Draft chapters have been published. Feedback and comments are invited from readers for the chapter on Jharkhand:</p>
<ul>
<li><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/accessibility/blog/national-resource-kit-jharkhand-call-for-comments">The Jharkhand Chapter</a> (by CLPR, June 30, 2013).</li>
</ul>
<p style="text-align: justify; ">Note: <i>All the chapters published on the website are early drafts and will be reviewed and updated</i>.</p>
<p><b>Award</b></p>
<ul>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/accessibility/blog/girls-in-ict-day-2013-in-delhi">Girls in ICT Day 2013</a> (organized by ITU-APT Foundation of India with support from CMAI - Association of India Communication and Infrastructure, FICCI Auditorium, Tansen Marg, New Delhi, May 7, 2013). Dr. Nirmita Narasimhan got a felicitation for her contribution and achievements in the field of Information and Communication Technology. The honour was conferred during the celebration of this event.</li>
</ul>
<p><b>Media Coverage</b></p>
<ul>
<li><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/news/business-world-june-26-2013-chitra-narayanan-a-treat-for-the-blind">A Treat for the Blind</a> (by Chitra Narayanan, Business World, June 26, 2013). Pranesh Prakash was quoted. </li>
</ul>
<h3><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/about/a2k">Access to Knowledge</a> and <a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/openness">Openness</a></h3>
<p style="text-align: justify; ">The Wikimedia Foundation has given a <a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/a2k/access-to-knowledge-program-plan">grant</a> to CIS to support and develop the growth of Indic language communities and projects by community collaborations and partnerships. This is being carried out by the Access to Knowledge team based in Delhi. CIS is also doing a project (Pervasive Technologies) on examining the relationship between production of pervasive technologies and intellectual property. CIS also promotes openness including open government data, open standards, open access, and free/libre/open source software through its Openness programme.</p>
<h3><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/a2k"><b>Access to Knowledge</b></a><b> (Previously IP Reforms)</b></h3>
<p style="text-align: justify; "><b>WIPO</b><br />Pranesh Prakash participated in the WIPO Diplomatic Conference to Conclude a Treaty to Facilitate Access to Published Works by Visually Impaired Persons and Persons with Print Disabilities in Marrakesh, Morocco, June 17 to 28, 2013. The conference concluded with the adoption of the Marrakesh Treaty to facilitate access to published works by blind persons, persons with visual impairment, and other print disabled persons, by requiring mandatory exceptions in copyright law to enable conversions of books into accessible formats, and by enabling cross-border transfer of accessible format books. Click for:</p>
<ul>
<li><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/a2k/blog/cis-closing-statement-marrakesh-treaty-for-the-blind">CIS's Closing Statement at Marrakesh on the Treaty for the Blind</a> (by Pranesh Prakash, June 28, 2013).</li>
<li><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/a2k/blog/india-closing-statement-marrakesh-treaty-for-the-blind">India's Closing Statement at Marrakesh on the Treaty for the Blind</a> (June 29, 2013).</li>
</ul>
<p><b> </b></p>
<p><b>Pervasive Technologies</b></p>
<ul>
<li><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/a2k/blog/patent-pools">Pervasive Technologies: Patent Pools</a> (by Nehaa Chaudhari, June 27, 2013).</li>
</ul>
<p><b> </b></p>
<p><b>Other (FTA, Piracy)</b></p>
<ul>
<li><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/a2k/blog/the-right-way-to-fight-video-piracy">The Right Way to Fight Video Piracy?</a> (by Sameer Boray, June 6, 2013).</li>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/a2k/blog/india-eu-fta-issues-surrounding-data-protection-and-security">India-EU Proposed Free Trade Agreement: Issues Surrounding Data Protection and Security</a> (by Pranav Menon, June 8, 2013).</li>
<li><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/a2k/blog/india-eu-fta-copyright-issues">India- EU FTA: A Note on the Copyright Issues</a> (by Nehaa Chaudhari, June 18, 2013).</li>
</ul>
<p><b>Event Participated</b></p>
<ul>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/news/inet-bangkok-june-8-2013-governance-in-the-age-of-internet-and-fta">Governance in the Age of the Internet and Free Trade Agreements</a> (organized by Thai Netizen Network and co-hosted by the Ministry of Information and Communication and the National Science and Technology Development Agency, Queen Sirikit National Convention Center, June 8, 2013). Sunil Abraham was a speaker.</li>
</ul>
<h3 style="text-align: justify; "><b>Access to Knowledge (Wikipedia)</b></h3>
<p style="text-align: justify; ">The <a href="http://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Access_To_Knowledge/Team" title="Access To Knowledge/Team">A2K team</a> consists of three members based in Bangalore: <a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/about/people/our-team">T. Vishnu Vardhan</a>, <a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/about/people/our-team">Dr. U.B. Pavanaja</a> and <a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/about/newsletters/people/our-team">Subhashish Panigrahi</a> and one team member <a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/about/newsletters/people/our-team">Nitika Tandon</a> who is working from Delhi office.</p>
<p><b>Statistical Report</b></p>
<ul>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/a2k/blog/indian-language-wikipedia-statistics">Indian Language Wikipedia Statistics</a> (by Nitika Tandon, June 30, September 2012 – April 2013).</li>
</ul>
<p><b>Event Organised</b></p>
<ul>
<li><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/openness/blog/kannada-wikipedia-workshop-bloggers">A 'Kannada' Wikipedia Workshop for Bloggers</a> (Suchitra, Bengaluru, June 23, 2013). Dr. U.B. Pavanaja conducted the workshop.</li>
</ul>
<p><b>Event Co-organised</b></p>
<ul>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/openness/blog/my-first-wikipedia-training-workshop">Telugu Wikipedia Training Workshop</a> (co-organised by A2K team and Theatre Outreach Unit, University of Hyderabad, Golden Threshold, Nampally, Hyderabad, March 8, 2013). T. Vishnu Vardhan conducted the workshop.</li>
</ul>
<p><b>Upcoming Event</b></p>
<ul>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/openness/events/digital-humanities-for-indian-higher-education">Digital Humanities for Indian Higher Education</a> (co-organised by HEIRA-CSCS, Tumkur University, CILHE-TISS and CCS, Indian Institute of Science, July 13, 2013).</li>
</ul>
<p><b>Blog Entries</b></p>
<ul>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/openness/blog/my-first-wikipedia-training-workshop">My First Wikipedia Training Workshop – Theatre Outreach Unit, University of Hyderabad</a> (by T. Vishnu Vardhan, June 26, 2013). <i>The workshop was conducted in March but the report was published only in June</i>.</li>
<li><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/openness/blog/visual-editor.pdf/view">Wikipedia Visual Editor</a> (by Nitika Tandon, June 27, 2013).</li>
</ul>
<p><b>Press Coverage (including videos)</b></p>
<ul>
<li><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/news/hmtv-may-30-2013-wikipedia-and-telegu-wikipedians">A Feature on Wikipedia and Telegu Wikipedians</a> (HMTV, May 30-31, 2013). Watch the video.</li>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/news/wikipedia-live-phone-in-programme">Wikipedia Live Phone-in Programme</a> (HMTV, June 1, 2013). T. Vishnu Vardhan took part in a one hour live phone-in programme on Wikipedia.</li>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/news/timeout-bengaluru-akhila-seetharaman-june-21-2013-wiki-donors">Wiki donors</a> (by Akhila Seetharaman, TimeOut Bengaluru, June 21, 2013). T. Vishnu Vardhan and Dr. U.B. Pavanaja are quoted.</li>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/news/prajavani-june-5-2013-kannada-wikipedia-workshop-coverage">Kannada Wikipedia Workshop at Hasan</a> (Prajavani, June 5, 2013). Dr. U.B. Pavanaja conducted the workshop on June 4, 2013.</li>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/news/samyukta-karnataka-june-5-2013-kannada-wikipedia-workshop-coverage">Kannada Wikipedia Workshop at Hasan</a> (Samyukta Karnataka, June 5, 2013). Dr. U.B.Pavanaja conducted the workshop on June 4, 2013.</li>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/news/vijaya-karnataka-june-5-2013-report-of-kannada-wikipedia-workshop-in-hasan">Kannada Wikipedia Workshop at Hasan</a> (Vijaya Karnataka, June 5, 2013). Dr. U.B.Pavanaja conducted the workshop on June 4, 2013.</li>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/news/suvarna-news-june-13-2013-wiki-rahasya-panel-discussion">Wiki Rahasya: Panel Discussion</a> (Suvarna News, June 13, 2013). Dr. U.B.Pavanaja participated in a panel discussion around Wikipedia in general and about Kannada Wikipedia in specific.</li>
</ul>
<h3><b>Openness</b></h3>
<p><b>Column</b></p>
<ul>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/openness/blog/dml-central-june-24-2013-nishant-shah-big-data-peoples-lives-and-importance-of-openness">Big Data, People's Lives, and the Importance of Openness</a> (by Nishant Shah, DML Central, June 24, 2013).</li>
</ul>
<p><b>Event Hosted</b></p>
<ul>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/openness/blog/bangalore-rhok-june-1-2-2013-report">RHoK Global Event</a> (Centre for Internet and Society, Bangalore, June 1 – 2, 2013). Yogesh Londhe shares with you a post-event report.</li>
</ul>
<h3><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/about/internet-governance">Internet Governance</a></h3>
<p style="text-align: justify; ">CIS began two projects earlier this year. The first one on facilitating research and events on surveillance and freedom of expression is with Privacy International and support from the International Development Research Centre, Canada. The second one on mapping cyber security actors in South Asia and South East Asia is with the Citizen Lab, Munk School of Global Affairs, University of Toronto and support from the International Development Research Centre, Canada:</p>
<p style="text-align: justify; "><b>Cyber Stewards Project</b><br />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><b>Video Interview</b></p>
<ul>
<li><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/internet-governance/cis-cybersecurity-series-part-2-ram-mohan">An Interview with Ram Mohan</a> (June 30, 2013)</li>
</ul>
<p><b>Event Organized</b></p>
<ul>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/internet-governance/events/geo-politics-of-information-controls">The Geopolitics of Information Controls: A Presentation by Masashi Crete-Nishihata</a> (TERI, Bangalore, June 19, 2013). About 20 people participated in the event.</li>
</ul>
<p><b>Privacy Research</b></p>
<ul>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/internet-governance/blog/privacy-protection-bill-2013-with-amendments-based-on-public-feedback">Privacy Protection Bill, 2013</a> (With Amendments based on Public Feedback) (by Elonnai Hickok, June 30, 2013): CIS drafted the Bill. Based on feedback received from the New Delhi, Bangalore, and Chennai Roundtables the Bill was amended. </li>
</ul>
<p><b>Interviews</b></p>
<ul>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/internet-governance/blog/interview-with-citizen-lab-on-internet-filtering">Interview with the Citizen Lab on Internet Filtering in India</a> (June 24, 2013). Maria Xynou interviewed Masashi Crete-Nishihata and Jakub Dalek from the Citizen Lab on internet filtering in India.</li>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/internet-governance/blog/interview-with-irish-data-protection-commissioner">Interview with Billy Hawkes</a> (June 20, 2014). Maria Xynou interviewed Billy Hawkes, the Irish Data Protection Commissioner on recommendations for data protection in India.</li>
</ul>
<p><b>Columns</b></p>
<p><b> </b></p>
<ul>
<b> </b>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/internet-governance/blog/economic-times-june-13-2013-pranesh-prakash-indian-surveillance-laws-and-practices-far-worse-than-us">Indian Surveillance Laws & Practices Far Worse than US</a> (by Pranesh Prakash, Economic Times, June 13, 2013).</li>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/internet-governance/blog/indian-express-june-14-2013-nishant-shah-world-wide-rule">World Wide Rule</a> (by Nishant Shah, Indian Express, June 14, 2013). Nishant Shah reviews Schmidt and Cohen's book “The New Digital Age”.</li>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/internet-governance/blog/indian-express-june-26-2013-chinmayi-arun-way-to-watch">Way to Watch</a> (by Chinmayi Arun, Indian Express, June 26, 2013). </li>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/internet-governance/blog/india-together-june-26-2013-snehashish-ghosh-the-state-is-snooping-can-you-escape">The State is Snooping: Can You Escape?</a> (by Snehashish Ghosh, India Together, June 26, 2013). </li>
</ul>
<p><b>Blog Entries</b></p>
<ul>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/internet-governance/blog/india-subject-to-nsa-dragnet-surveillance">India Subject to NSA Dragnet Surveillance! No Longer a Hypothesis — It is Now Officially Confirmed</a> (by Maria Xynou, June 13, 2013).</li>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/internet-governance/blog/sebi-and-communication-surveillance">SEBI and Communication Surveillance: New Rules, New Responsibilities?</a> (by Kovey Coles, June 27, 2013).</li>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/internet-governance/blog/open-letter-to-not-recognize-india-as-data-secure-nation">Open Letter to "Not" Recognize India as Data Secure Nation till Enactment of Privacy Legislation</a> (by Elonnai Hickok, June 19, 2013).</li>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/internet-governance/blog/open-letter-to-siam-on-rfid%20installation-in-vehicles">Open Letter to Prevent the Installation of RFID tags in Vehicles</a> (by Maria Xynou, June 27, 2013).</li>
</ul>
<p><b>Events Organised</b></p>
<p><b> </b></p>
<ul>
<b> </b>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/internet-governance/events/technology-power-and-revolutions-in-arab-spring">Technology, Power, and Revolutions in the Arab Spring</a> (CIS, July 2, 2013). Prof. Ramesh Srinivasan gave a talk.</li>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/internet-governance/events/cryptoparty-bangalore">Learn to Secure Your Online Communication!</a> (CIS, Bangalore, June 30, 2013). A Crypto Party was organised.</li>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/internet-governance/events/cryptoparty-delhi">Learn to Secure Your Online Communication!</a> (IIC, Delhi University, South Campus, New Delhi, July 6, 2013). A Crypto Party was organised.</li>
</ul>
<p><b>Event Co-organised</b></p>
<p><b> </b></p>
<ul>
<b> </b>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/internet-governance/blog/report-on-the-4th-privacy-round-table-meeting">4<sup>th</sup> Privacy Round Table Meeting</a> (co-organised with the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry and the Data Security Council of India, Mumbai, June 15, 2013). </li>
</ul>
<p><b>Upcoming / Ongoing Events</b></p>
<ul>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/internet-governance/digital-activism-in-europe">Digital Activism in Europe</a> (The Sarai Programme, Centre for the Study of Developing Societies, New Delhi, July 8, 2013). Bernadette Längle will give a talk.</li>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/internet-governance/events/privacy-round-table-kolkata">Privacy Round Table, Kolkata</a> (co-organised with the Federation for Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry, and the Data Security Council of India, Lytton Hotel, Sudder Street, Kolkata, July 13, 2013).</li>
</ul>
<p><b>Event Participated In</b></p>
<ul>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/news/biometrics-or-bust-indias-identity-crisis">Biometrics or bust? India's Identity Crisis</a> (organized by the Oxford Internet Institute, July 2, 2013). Malavika Jayaram was a speaker.</li>
</ul>
<p><b>Video</b></p>
<ul>
<li><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/news/tehelka-june-15-2013-pranesh-prakash-on-us-snooping-into-indian-cyber-space">Pranesh Prakash on the US snooping into Indian cyber space</a> (by Tehelka, June 2013).</li>
</ul>
<p><b>Media Coverage</b></p>
<ul>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/news/the-times-of-india-kim-arora-june-6-2013-indian-student-in-cornell-university-hacks-icse-isc-databas">Indian student in Cornell University hacks into ICSE, ISC database</a> (by Kim Arora, Times of India, June 6, 2013). Pranesh Prakash is quoted.</li>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/news/the-hindu-june-7-2013-vasudha-venugopal-karthik-subramanian-hacking-sparks-row-over-exam-evaluation">‘Hacking’ sparks row over exam evaluation</a> (by Vasudha Venugopal and Karthik Subramanian, Hindu, June 7, 2013). Pranesh Prakash is quoted.</li>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/news/times-of-india-javed-anwer-ishan-srivastava-june-8-2013-internet-firms-deny-existence-of-prism">Internet firms deny existence of PRISM</a> (by Javed Anwer and Ishan Srivastava, Times of India, June 8, 2013). Sunil Abraham and Pranesh Prakash are quoted.</li>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/news/tech-dirt-june-8-2013-indian-govt-quietly-brings-central-monitoring-system">Indian Government Quietly Brings In Its 'Central Monitoring System': Total Surveillance Of All Telecommunications</a> (Tech Dirt, June 8, 2013). Pranesh Prakash is quoted.</li>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/news/times-of-india-javed-anwer-june-9-2013-facebook-google-deny-spying-access">Facebook, Google deny spying access</a> (by Javed Anwer, Times of India, June 9, 2013). Pranesh Prakash is quoted.</li>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/news/hindu-businessline-thomas-k-thomas-june-10-2013-govt-mulls-advisory-on-privacy-issues-related-to-google-facebook">Govt mulls advisory on privacy issues related to Google, Facebook</a> (by Thomas K Thomas, Hindu Business Line, June 10, 2013). Sunil Abraham is quoted.</li>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/news/times-of-india-june-22-2013-kim-arora-cyber-experts-suggest-open-source-software-to-protect-privacy">Cyber experts suggest using open source software to protect privacy</a> (by Kim Arora, Times of India, June 22, 2013). Sunil Abraham is quoted.</li>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/news/times-of-india-javed-anwer-june-26-2013-govt-goes-after-porn-makes-isps-ban-sites">Govt goes after porn, makes ISPs ban sites</a> (by Javed Anwer, Times of India, June 26, 2013). Sunil Abraham is quoted.</li>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/news/the-register-phil-muncaster-june-27-2013-indian-govt-blocks-40-smut-sites-forgets-to-give-reason">Indian govt blocks 40 smut sites, forgets to give reason</a> (by Phil Muncaster, The Register, June 27, 2013). Sunil Abraham is quoted.</li>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/news/hindustan-times-aloke-tikku-june-28-2013-concerns-over-central-snoop">Concerns over central snoop</a> (by Aloke Tikku, Hindustan Times, June 28, 2013). Sunil Abraham is quoted.</li>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/news/times-of-india-maitreyee-boruah-june-29-2013-internet-users-enraged-over-us-online-spying">Internet users enraged over US online spying</a> (by Maitreyee Boruah, Times of India, June 29, 2013). Sunil Abraham is quoted.</li>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/news/livemint-anirban-sen-june-29-2013-issue-of-duplication-of-identities-of-users-under-control">Issue of duplication of identities of users under control: Nilekani</a> (by Anirban Sen, Livemint, June 29, 2013). Sunil Abraham is quoted.</li>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/news/time-world-anjan-trivedi-june-30-2013-in-india-prison-like-surveillance-slips-under-the-radar">In India, Prism-like Surveillance Slips Under the Radar</a> (by Anjan Trivedi, Time World, June 30, 2013). Sunil Abraham is quoted.</li>
</ul>
<h3><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/telecom/knowledge-repository-on-internet-access">Knowledge Repository on Internet Access</a></h3>
<p style="text-align: justify; ">CIS in partnership with the Ford Foundation is executing a project on Internet Access. It covers the history of the internet, technologies involved, principle and values of internet access, broadband market and universal access. It will also touch upon various policies and regulations which has an impact on internet access and bodies and mechanism which are responsible for formulation of policies related to internet access. The blog posts and modules are being published in the <a href="http://www.internet-institute.in/">Internet Institute website</a>:</p>
<p><b>Event Organised</b></p>
<ul>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/telecom/knowledge-repository-on-internet-access/institute-on-internet-and-society">Institute on Internet and Society</a> (supported by Ford Foundation, Golden Palms Resort, Bangalore, June 8 – 14, 2013). Pranesh Prakash, Bernadette Längle, Vir Kamal Chopra, AK Bhargava, Ananth Guruswamy, Archana Gulati, Chakshu Roy, Elonnai Hickok, Gaurab Raj Upadhaya, Helani Galpaya, Michael Ginguld, Dr. Nadeem Akhtar, C. Nandini, Dr. Nirmita Narasimhan, Dr. Nishant Shah, Parminder Jeet Singh, Ravikiran Annaswamy, Dr. Ravina Aggarwal, Satyen Gupta, Dr. Subbiah Arunachalam, Sunil Abraham, Tulika Pandey and T. Vishnu Vardhan were speakers at the event. The presentations can be accessed <a href="http://internet-institute.in/repository">here</a>.</li>
</ul>
<h3><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/about/telecom">Telecom</a></h3>
<p style="text-align: justify; ">CIS is involved in promoting access and accessibility to telecommunications services and resources and has provided inputs to ongoing policy discussions and consultation papers published by TRAI. It has prepared reports on unlicensed spectrum and accessibility of mobile phones for persons with disabilities and also works with the USOF to include funding projects for persons with disabilities in its mandate:</p>
<p><b>Newspaper Column</b></p>
<ul>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/telecom/blog/business-standard-article-opinion-shyam-ponappa-june-5-2013-law-and-order-through-traffic-systems">Law & Order through Traffic Systems</a> (by Shyam Ponappa, Business Standard, June 5, 2013 and cross-posted in <a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/telecom/blog/business-standard-article-opinion-shyam-ponappa-june-5-2013-law-and-order-through-traffic-systems">Organizing India Blogspot</a>).</li>
</ul>
<h3><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/digital-natives">Digital Natives</a></h3>
<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>White Paper</b></p>
<ul>
<li><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/digital-natives/blog/hivos-knowledge-programme-june-14-2013-nishant-shah-whose-change-is-it-anyway">Whose Change is it Anyway?</a> (by Nishant Shah, Hivos, June 18, 2013).</li>
</ul>
<h3><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/raw/digital-humanities">Digital Humanities</a></h3>
<p style="text-align: justify; ">We are 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><b>Blog Entries</b></p>
<ul>
<li><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/raw/digital-humanities/mapping-the-field-of-digital-humanities">Mapping the Field of Digital Humanities</a> (by Sara Morais, June 11, 2013).</li>
<li><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/raw/a-suggested-set-of-values-for-the-digital-humanities">A Suggested Set of Values for the Digital Humanities</a> (by Sara Morais, June 12, 2013).</li>
<li><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/raw/digital-humanities/archive-practice-and-digital-humanities">Archive Practice and Digital Humanities</a> (by Sara Morais, June 24, 2013).</li>
</ul>
<h2 style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://cis-india.org/about/newsletters/">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><b>Follow us elsewhere</b></p>
<ul>
<li>Get short, timely messages from us on <a href="https://twitter.com/cis_india">Twitter</a></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><b>Support Us</b><br />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>
<h3>Request for Collaboration</h3>
<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></p>
<hr />
<p><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/june-2013-bulletin'>http://editors.cis-india.org/about/newsletters/june-2013-bulletin</a>
</p>
No publisherpraskrishnaAccess to KnowledgeDigital NativesTelecomAccessibilityInternet GovernanceDigital HumanitiesOpennessResearchers at Work2013-07-27T09:48:16ZPageOpportunities for TV White Spaces in India Workshop
http://editors.cis-india.org/news/iitb-june-21-2013-opportunities-for-tv-white-spaces-in-india-workshop
<b>Shyam Ponappa, a fellow at the Centre for Internet and Society is participating in a workshop on TV White Space. The workshop is being organized by the Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay and sponsored by the Ford Foundation at the Royal Hotel Plaza in New Delhi on June 21, 2013.</b>
<hr />
<p><a class="external-link" href="http://www.ee.iitb.ac.in/~oftvwsii/index.html">See the original published by the Indian Institute of Technology website here</a></p>
<hr />
<h2 style="text-align: justify; ">About the Workshop</h2>
<p style="text-align: justify; ">This workshop will discuss the regulatory aspects of TV white space with a focus on Indian requirements. We believe that making the most efficient use of the TV white space spectrum will offer tremendous benefits to the low-income broadband users in India. It will also provide opportunities to the academia and indigenous industries for research and development, thereby creating intellectual property related to methods feasible for TV white space spectrum usage and access in India.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify; ">The workshop is intended for researchers, policy makers, and industry professionals working in the area of TV white spaces. The discussions will provide exposure to the TV white space applications and regulations across the world. The regulatory framework for TV white space present elsewhere in the world will be in focus, and we will provide suggestions for the same in India. This workshop may sow the seeds of developing a regulatory framework for TV white space operation in India.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify; ">The program consists of an overview of the TV white space regulations and standards from different countries around the world, and a discussion on the TV white space regulations necessary for the Indian context.</p>
<table class="listing">
<tbody>
<tr>
<th>Time</th><th>Details</th>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><span class="style21">09:30 10:00 <br /></span></td>
<td><span class="style21">Inauguration and Introduction </span></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><span class="style21">10:00 10:30 <br /></span></td>
<td><span class="style21">WhiteSpace Applications, Regulations and Technologies, <i>Dr. Apurva Mody, White Space Alliance </i></span></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><span class="style21">10:30 11:00 </span></td>
<td><span class="style21">Tea Break </span></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><span class="style21">11:00 11:30 </span></td>
<td style="text-align: justify; "><span class="style21">Geo-location Database – U.S. TV White Spaces and Beyond<br /> <i>John Malyar, iConnective</i></span></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><span class="style21">11:30 12:00 <br /></span></td>
<td><span class="style21">TV White Space Detection and Spectrum Characterization in India, <i>Prof. Vinay Ribeiro (IIT Delhi) and Prof. Animesh Kumar (IIT Bombay)</i>. Based on collective work done at IIT Delhi and IIT Bombay</span></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><span class="style21">12:00 12:30 <br /></span></td>
<td><span class="style21">White Space Opportunities in South India<br /> <i>Prof. Zafar Ali Khan, IIT Hyderabad</i></span></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><span class="style21">12:30 14:00 </span></td>
<td><span class="style21">Lunch </span></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><span class="style21">14:00 14:30</span></td>
<td><span class="style21">Enabling the Global Spectrum Village, <i>Jeffery Yan, Microsoft</i></span></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><span class="style21">14:30 15:00</span></td>
<td><span class="style21">TI solutions for TV white space<br /> <i>Jose Frangline, Texas Instruments </i></span></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><span class="style21">15:00 16:00 </span></td>
<td><span class="style21">Panel Discussion</span></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><span class="style21">16:00 16:30 <br /></span></td>
<td><span class="style21">Tea Break</span></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><span class="style21">16:30 17:00</span></td>
<td><span class="style21">Regulations of Ofcom,<i> Dr. Reza Karimi, Technical Policy Director, Ofcom </i></span></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><span class="style21">17:00 17:30 <br /></span></td>
<td><span class="style21">Regualtions of FCC<i>, </i><i>Dr. Julius Knapp, Chief, Office of Engineering and Technology, FCC </i></span></td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<p>
For more details visit <a href='http://editors.cis-india.org/news/iitb-june-21-2013-opportunities-for-tv-white-spaces-in-india-workshop'>http://editors.cis-india.org/news/iitb-june-21-2013-opportunities-for-tv-white-spaces-in-india-workshop</a>
</p>
No publisherpraskrishnaTelecom2013-09-18T04:51:11ZNews ItemLaw & Order through Traffic Systems
http://editors.cis-india.org/telecom/blog/business-standard-article-opinion-shyam-ponappa-june-5-2013-law-and-order-through-traffic-systems
<b>A TV white space system for traffic management may induce us to observe discipline and law-abiding behaviour, writes Shyam Ponappa in an article published in the Business Standard on June 5, 2013. </b>
<hr />
<p><a class="external-link" href="http://www.business-standard.com/article/opinion/law-order-through-traffic-systems-113060501165_1.html">Read the original column published in the Business Standard</a>. This was <a class="external-link" href="http://organizing-india.blogspot.in/2013/06/law-order-through-traffic-systems.html">cross-posted in Organizing India Blogspot</a>.</p>
<hr />
<p style="text-align: justify; "><span>India coasts on a post-feudal-colonial mélange of currents and tides, with the brigandage of opportunistic politics fed by our (the voters’) greed for short-term benefits. The result is grotesque populism and corruption in lieu of the deferred gratification of pleasing cities and countryside with the appurtenances of proper governance: sidewalks and drains, toilets, transport, administration and order. We must develop solutions with an integrated, problem-solving approach, not just wait.</span></p>
<p style="text-align: justify; "><span><span>In such chaotic times, should we even consider minor themes, like trying to bring order to our traffic, and our behaviour on our roads? Yes, if one accepts that turmoil and crises provide opportunities as much as threats, and because these areas are among the few in which there may be chances of success if there are well-directed efforts. Instead of passively being buffeted by fate, we can do something about it: analyse the causes of our horrific traffic, devise an approach to mitigate or contain some factors, and formulate and implement solutions. Also, the technology is readily available, and the solutions need not be all-encompassing efforts on a countrywide scale, or not at all. Hence this pitch for a technology- and institution-driven, systems approach to </span><a class="storyTags" href="http://www.business-standard.com/search?type=news&q=Traffic+management" target="_blank">traffic management</a><span> that could potentially change the way we are. The big assumptions are: (a) that systems can induce order and law-abiding behaviour on our roads, for a start, and (b) that this will reduce </span><a class="storyTags" href="http://www.business-standard.com/search?type=news&q=Traffic+accidents" target="_blank">traffic accidents</a><span>. Let's consider how.</span></span></p>
<p style="text-align: justify; "><span><b><span>Traffic Accidents & Deaths</span></b></span></p>
<p style="text-align: justify; "><span><span>Information on traffic accidents is available from the National Crime Records Bureau at the ministry of home affairs. The latest report available is for 2011. There were 473,084 reported traffic accidents in 2011, comprising 440,123 </span><a class="storyTags" href="http://www.business-standard.com/search?type=news&q=Road+accidents" target="_blank">road accidents</a><span>, 2,385 "rail-road accidents" and 30,576 "other railway accidents". The figure for accidental deaths from unnatural causes was 367,194, of which traffic accidents accounted for 165,072. The latter included road and rail accidents, but excluded deaths from drowning and accidents involving aircraft. Road traffic accidents and deaths countrywide and for the Union territory of Delhi for the last five years are shown in the graphs below.</span></span></p>
<table class="plain">
<tbody>
<tr>
<th><img src="http://editors.cis-india.org/home-images/RoadTest.png" alt="Road test" class="image-inline" title="Road test" /></th>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<p style="text-align: justify; "><span>While frightful enough, the graphs do not quite convey the horrid rough-and-tumble unpleasantness of our roads. Could there be some way to bring order to this aspect of our lives? Perhaps, if we can imagine better scenarios, and then apply ourselves to act collectively to achieve them. It may be possible to introduce systems that elicit better governance and behaviour, as in the following instances.</span></p>
<p style="text-align: justify; "><span><span><b>Wireless smart grids and TV white space</b></span></span></p>
<p style="text-align: justify; "><span>An early example of augmenting existing communications networks with TV "white space" (ie, the unused TV spectrum) devices was implemented in America, in the city of Wilmington in North Carolina and its environs of New Hanover County. The City of Wilmington has about 100,000 people in about 105 square kilometres, while the county has a population of nearly 200,000 in an area of about 515 square kilometres. </span><a href="#fn1" name="fr1">[1]</a></p>
<p style="text-align: justify; "><span>Because of the distance between localities, the extent of wetlands and waterways, and the dense foliage, extending broadband coverage to all its residential areas was difficult and expensive. In January 2012, Spectrum Bridge helped with installing a wireless overlay in three locations using TV white spaces to provide broadband connectivity. Additional equipment enabled real-time traffic monitoring to improve efficiency, reducing congestion and travel time, as well as aiding in law enforcement, in disaster management such as hurricane evacuations, and in enabling broadband connectivity for public schools. The coverage extended to the parks and recreational areas, providing better facilities for citizens, as well as more efficient environmental monitoring. The point is that communications can be effected much more effectively and efficiently through using TV "white space" bands.</span></p>
<p style="text-align: justify; ">In April 2012, a different group including Google, Microsoft, the BBC, and so on set up a smart grid in the university town of Cambridge in England, using TV white space in six locations covering a radius of about 6 km, comparable to central New Delhi. This network covers a population of about 125,000 and enables the management not only of services like electricity meters, but also of air quality sensors, street lights, traffic management, and parking spaces.<a href="#fn2" name="fr2">[2]</a></p>
<p style="text-align: justify; "><b><span>Traffic and law enforcement systems for India</span></b></p>
<p style="text-align: justify; "><span><span>Now consider New Delhi and the National Capital Region. </span><span>While it has a huge population over an extensive area, central New Delhi covers a radius of some 6-7 km, as do other localities in the city and its environs. Apart from the scale of population and geography, there are also the differences in culture or ethos with the instances mentioned earlier.</span></span><br /> <span><br /></span> <span>Yet, if our authorities could pull together a coordinated effort to develop and implement a network that would support wireless webcams, it may well provide a basis for governance that could work. If initiated for traffic and area management, there could be major improvements in bringing order through non-discretionary traffic management, as also in upholding law enforcement for the safety of citizens.</span><br /> <span><br /></span> <span>There may be an outcry from civil liberties champions, but residents will likely welcome the benefits, although they might cavil at unpopular but essential disciplines like system extensions to electricity and water metering. It will also bring about the cutting of the knot of India's welter of unimplemented laws.</span><br /> <span><br /></span> <span>The elements of this system would have to consist of really good overall design for the wireless overlay using TV white space bands, initially for a system of web cameras. These spectrum bands are unused despite being very effective for long-range communications. There would need to be some form of automated action report generation systems - for example, penalties for traffic violations. Also needed would be appropriate institutional support so that violators cannot ignore penalties, like fast-track collection processes that do not require recourse to an overburdened and dilatory judicial system. In addition, some degree of surveillance for crisis detection and rapid response would be necessary to deal with law enforcement.</span><br /> <span><br /></span> <span>The actual implementation could be modular by location and purpose while maintaining an integrated systems approach, so that areas of action as well as locations could be phased and need not be done simultaneously on a massive scale. In other words, it need not have the ab initio monumental scale of the UID, and could perhaps avoid some of the controversial design issues confronting the latter. It needs the approach, coordination and effort that achieved the Metro.</span></p>
<hr />
<p>[<a href="#fr1" name="fn1">1</a>].<a class="external-link" href="http://www.spectrumbridge.com/ProductsServices/WhiteSpacesSolutions/success-stories/wilmington.aspx">http://www.spectrumbridge.com/ProductsServices/WhiteSpacesSolutions/success-stories/wilmington.aspx</a></p>
<p>[<a href="#fr2" name="fn2">2</a>].<a class="external-link" href="http://gigaom.com/2012/04/25/brits-score-white-space-first-with-city-wide-network/">http://gigaom.com/2012/04/25/brits-score-white-space-first-with-city-wide-network/</a></p>
<p>
For more details visit <a href='http://editors.cis-india.org/telecom/blog/business-standard-article-opinion-shyam-ponappa-june-5-2013-law-and-order-through-traffic-systems'>http://editors.cis-india.org/telecom/blog/business-standard-article-opinion-shyam-ponappa-june-5-2013-law-and-order-through-traffic-systems</a>
</p>
No publisherShyam PonappaTelecom2013-07-03T05:29:14ZBlog EntryMay 2013 Bulletin
http://editors.cis-india.org/about/newsletters/may-2013-bulletin
<b>The Centre for Internet & Society (CIS) welcomes you to the fifth issue of its newsletter for 2013. We bring you an overview of our research, report of events held by us and announcement of upcoming ones, events we participated in, and recent media coverage.</b>
<p style="text-align: justify; "><b><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/internet-governance/events/celebrating-5-years-of-cis">Celebrating 5 Years of CIS</a></b><br />CIS is now 5 years old and we just celebrated this by holding an open exhibition in our offices in Bangalore and Delhi from May 20 to 23, showcasing our work and accomplishments over the period. We had about 170 visitors from the general public coming in to our office. Renowned artists like Tara Kelton, Kiran Subbaiah, Navin Thomas, Abhishek Hazra and Sharath Chandra Ram exhibited their work. The four day event attracted press coverage: <a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/news/bangalore-mirror-vandana-kamath-may-18-2013-ngo-invites-public-to-peruse-its-accounts">Bangalore Mirror</a> (May 18, 2013), <a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/news/dna-india-may-19-2013-subir-ghosh-a-lifetime-of-five-years-on-the-internet">DNA</a> (May 19, 2013), <a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/news/the-hindu-may-22-2013-cis-highlights-changes-ushered-in-by-the-internet">Hindu</a> (May 22, 2013), <a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/news/prajavani-may-24-2013-report-on-pavanaja-talk-at-cis">Prajavani</a> (May 23, 2013), <a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/news/udayavani-may-25-2013-report-on-cis-5-years-celebration">Udayavani</a> (May 25, 2013) and <a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/news/bangalore-mirror-vandana-kamath-may-31-2013-shooting-cyber-cafes-before-they-die">Bangalore Mirror</a> (May 31, 2013). <a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/internet-governance/blog/cis-5-years-all-posters.zip">Download all posters that were part of the exhibition here</a>.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/internet-governance/blog/google-policy-fellowship-call-for-applications-2013"><b>Google Policy Fellowship</b></a><br />CIS is inviting applications for the Google Policy Fellowship programme. Google is providing a USD 7,500 stipend to the India fellow who will be selected by July 1, 2013. The Fellowship focus areas include Access to Knowledge, Openness in India, Freedom of Expression, Privacy, and Telecom. Send in your applications for the position by June 15, 2013.</p>
<p><b>Jobs</b><br /> CIS invites applications for the posts of <a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/jobs/vacancy-for-developer">Developer</a> (NVDA Screen Reader Project), and <a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/jobs/programme-officer-internet-governance">Programme Officer</a> (Internet Governance). To apply send your resume to <a href="mailto:sunil@cis-india.org">sunil@cis-india.org</a> and <a href="mailto:pranesh@cis-india.org">pranesh@cis-india.org</a>.</p>
<h3><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/accessibility">Accessibility</a></h3>
<p style="text-align: justify; ">CIS is doing two projects in partnership with the <b>Hans Foundation</b>. One is to create a national resource kit of state-wise laws, policies and programmes on issues relating to persons with disabilities in India and another for developing a screen reader and text-to- speech synthesizer for Indian languages. CIS is also working with the World Blind Union and other similar organisations to develop a Treaty for the Visually Impaired helped by the WIPO:</p>
<p style="text-align: justify; "><b>National Resource Kit for Persons with Disabilities<br /></b>Anandhi Viswanathan from CIS and Manojna Yeluri from the Centre for Law and Policy Research are working in this project. Draft chapters have been published. Feedback and comments are invited from readers for the chapters on Sikkim and Odisha:</p>
<ul>
<li><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/accessibility/blog/national-resource-kit-sikkim-chapter-call-for-comments">The Sikkim Chapter</a> (by Manojna Yeluri, May 30, 2013).</li>
<li><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/accessibility/blog/national-resource-kit-odisha-call-for-comments">The Odisha Chapter</a> (by Anandhi Viswanathan, May 31, 2013).</li>
</ul>
<p>Note: <i>All of these are early drafts and will be reviewed and updated</i>.</p>
<p><b>Banking Accessibility</b></p>
<p><b> </b></p>
<ul>
<b> </b>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/accessibility/blog/survey-on-banking-accessibility">Survey on Banking Accessibility</a> (by Vrinda Maheshwari, May 30, 2013). G3ict is a survey on accessibility of financial services in banks for persons with disabilities around the world. The survey is available <a href="http://www.surveygizmo.com/s3/1187917/Survey-on-Banking-Accessibility">here</a>. </li>
</ul>
<p><b>Event Organised</b></p>
<p><b> </b></p>
<ul>
<b> </b>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/accessibility/blog/global-accessibility-awareness-day-event">Global Accessibility Awareness Day</a> (May 9, 2013, TERI, Southern Regional Centre, Domlur, Bangalore).</li>
</ul>
<h3><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/about/a2k">Access to Knowledge</a> and <a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/openness">Openness</a></h3>
<p style="text-align: justify; ">The Wikimedia Foundation <a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/a2k/access-to-knowledge-program-plan">awarded</a> CIS a two year grant of INR 26,000,000 to support and develop the growth of Indic language communities and projects by community collaborations and partnerships. This is being carried out by the Access to Knowledge team based in Delhi. CIS is also doing a project (Pervasive Technologies) on examining the relationship between production of pervasive technologies and intellectual property. CIS also promotes openness including open government data, open standards, open access, and free/libre/open source software through its Openness programme.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify; "><b>Access to Knowledge (Wikipedia)</b><br />Beginning from September 1, 2012, Wikimedia Foundation <a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/a2k/access-to-knowledge-program-plan">awarded</a> CIS a two-year grant of INR 26,000,000 to support and develop free knowledge in India. The <a href="http://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Access_To_Knowledge/Team" title="Access To Knowledge/Team">A2K team</a> consists of three members based in Bangalore: <a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/about/people/our-team">T. Vishnu Vardhan</a>, <a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/about/people/our-team">Dr. U.B. Pavanaja</a> and <a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/about/newsletters/people/our-team">Subhashish Panigrahi</a> and one team member <a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/about/newsletters/people/our-team">Nitika Tandon</a> who is working from Delhi office. <a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/about/newsletters/people/our-team">Noopur Raval</a>, Programme Officer has left the organisation. April 24, 2013 was her last working day.</p>
<p><b>Announcements</b></p>
<ul>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/openness/resources/access-to-knowledge-work-plan">Access to Knowledge Work Plan</a> (April 2013 - June 2014): CIS has announced its detailed plan detailed plan with projection of outcomes and expected impact of the A2K programme activities. The document has been made in consultation with various stakeholders and keeping in mind the objectives, opportunities and challenges faced by each of the Indian language Wikimedia projects. Feel free to share any feedback.</li>
<li style="text-align: justify; ">WMF-A2K Revised Budget (draft) and Utilization (Sept 2012 - Feb 2013): In our effort to increase transparency with the working of CIS-A2K programme, we are <a href="http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:WMF-A2K_Grant_Budget_and_Utilization_Sept12_-Feb13.pdf">sharing</a> with you the A2K Programme Budget along with the Utilization for the period Sept. 2012 to February 2013. The proposed revisions to the budget along with some notes are <a href="http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:WMF-A2K_Revised_Budget_%28draft%29_and_Utilization_Sept_12-Feb_13.pdf">here</a>.</li>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:WMF-A2K_Grant_Budget_and_Utilization_Sept12_-Feb13.pdf">WMF-A2K Grant Budget and Utilization</a> (Sept 2012 – February 2013): CIS has given an open disclosure of the Access to Knowledge budget to Wikimedia India and the global community.</li>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/news/cis-signs-mou-with-tiss">CIS Signs MOU with TISS, Mumbai</a>: has signed a MoU with TISS as part of which we will collaboratively work towards building Digital Knowledge Partnerships with select higher education institutions.</li>
<li style="text-align: justify; ">India Access to Knowledge IRC can be accessed here: <a href="http://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/India_Access_To_Knowledge/IRC/13th_May">May 13, 2013</a> (All Language Discussion) and <a href="http://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/India_Access_To_Knowledge/IRC/26th_May">May 26, 2013</a> (Odia Language Discussion). </li>
</ul>
<p><b>Blog Entries</b></p>
<ul>
<li><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/openness/blog/odia-wikipedia-needs-assessment">Odia Wikipedia: Needs Assessment</a> (by Subhashish Panigrahi, May 11, 2013).</li>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/openness/blog/access-to-knowledge-work-plan-synopsis-of-feedback-by-wikipedians">Access to Knowledge Work Plan: Synopsis of Feedback by Wikipedians</a> (by Nitika Tandon, May 20, 2013).</li>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/openness/blog/wikipedia-introductory-session">Wikipedia Introductory Session organized for Data and India portal consultants</a> (by Subhashish Panigrahi, May 30, 2013).</li>
</ul>
<p><b>Event Organised</b></p>
<ul>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/openness/events/kannada-wikipedia-workshop-udupi-april-29-2013">Kannada Wikipedia Workshop</a> (April 29, 2013, Govinda Pai Research Centre, MGM College Udupi). Dr. U.B. Pavanaja led the workshop and gave a talk on Kannada Wikipedia</li>
</ul>
<p><b>Event Participated In</b></p>
<ul>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/news/kannada-irc-meet-may-7-2013">Kannada IRC Meet</a> (organised by the Wikipedia Community, May 7, 2013). Dr. U.B. Pavanaja participated in this.</li>
</ul>
<p><b>Upcoming Event</b></p>
<ul>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/openness/events/digital-humanities-for-indian-higher-education">Digital Humanities for Indian Higher Education</a> (co-organised in collaboration with HEIRA-CSCS, Tumkur University, CILHE-TISS and CCS (IISc), Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, July 13, 2013).</li>
</ul>
<p><b>Press Coverage</b></p>
<ul>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/news/prajavani-may-24-2013-report-on-cis-celebrates-5-years">CIS Celebrates 5 Years: A Report in Prajavani</a> (Prajavani, May 23, 2013). Prajavani published a report of Dr. U.B. Pavanja’s talk “From Palm Leaf to Tablet – Journey of Kannada”.</li>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/news/udayavani-may-25-2013-cis-celebrates-5-years">CIS Celebrates 5 Years: A Report in Udayavani</a> (Udayavani, May 25, 2013). Udayavani published a report of the evening programme hosted as part of the Centre for Internet and Society's 5 year celebrations in its Bangalore edition.</li>
</ul>
<p><b><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Access to Knowledge (Previously IP Reforms)</span><br />Blog Entry</b></p>
<ul>
<li><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/a2k/blog/unfortunate-rise-of-india-slapp-suit">On the Unfortunate Rise of the Indian SLAPP Suit</a> (by Ujwala Uppaluri, May 27, 2013).</li>
</ul>
<p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><b>Openness</b></span><br /><b>Research Papers</b></p>
<ul>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/openness/blog/current-science-vol-101-10-1287-s-gunasekharan-s-arunachalam-use-of-open-access-journals-by-indian-researchers">Use of Open Access Journals by Indian Researchers</a> (by Subbiah Gunasekharan and Prof. Subbiah Arunachalam, May 27, 2013).</li>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/openness/blog/use-made-of-open-access-journals-by-indian-researchers-to-publish-their-findings">Use made of Open Access Journals by Indian Researchers to Publish their Findings</a> (by Madhan Muthu and Prof. Subbiah Arunachalam, May 28, 2013).</li>
</ul>
<p><b>Comments</b></p>
<p><b> </b></p>
<ul>
<b> </b>
<li><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/openness/blog/comments-on-draft-icar-open-access-policy">Draft ICAR Open Access Policy</a> (by Nehaa Chaudhari, May 28, 2013). The comments were submitted to the Indian Council for Agricultural Research.</li>
</ul>
<p><b>Event Hosted</b></p>
<ul>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/openness/events/rhok-bangalore-2013">RHoK Global Event</a> (Centre for Internet and Society, Bangalore, June 1 – 2, 2013). A report of the event would be published soon.</li>
</ul>
<h3><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/about/internet-governance">Internet Governance</a></h3>
<p style="text-align: justify; ">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. We began two new projects earlier this year. The first one, with Privacy International, London to facilitate research and events around surveillance, and freedom of speech and expression and the second one with Citizen Lab, Munk School of Global Affairs, University of Toronto on mapping of cyber security actors in South Asia and South East Asia:</p>
<p><b>Cyber Stewards Project</b><br />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><b>Video Interview</b></p>
<p><b> </b></p>
<ul>
<b> </b>
<li><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/internet-governance/blog/cis-cybersecurity-series-part-1-christopher-soghoian">An Interview with Christopher Soghoian</a> (May 28, 2013).</li>
</ul>
<p><b>Upcoming Event</b></p>
<ul>
<li><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/internet-governance/events/geo-politics-of-information-controls">The Geopolitics of Information Controls: A Presentation by Masashi Crete-Nishihata</a> (TERI, Bangalore, June 19, 2013).</li>
</ul>
<p><b>Privacy</b></p>
<ul>
<li><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/internet-governance/blog/comparative-analysis-of-dna-profiling-legislations-across-the-world">Comparative Analysis of DNA Profiling Legislations from Across the World</a> (by Srinivas Atreya, May 23, 2013).</li>
</ul>
<p><b>Events Co-organised</b></p>
<ul>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/internet-governance/blog/report-on-the-third-privacy-round-table-meeting">3rd Privacy Round Table meeting</a> (co-organised with the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry and the Data Security Council of India, Chennai, May 18, 2013). Maria Xynou participated in this event and gives an overview of the discussions and recommendations.</li>
<li><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/internet-governance/events/consilience-2013-law-technology-committee-nls-bangalore">Consilience – 2013</a> (co-organised with the Law and Technology Committee of National Law School of India University, Bangalore, May 25, 2013).</li>
</ul>
<p><b>Events Participated In</b></p>
<ul>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/news/towards-a-global-network-of-internet-and-society-cultures">ICT, Law and Innovation: Recent Developments, Challenges and Lessons Learned</a> (organised by Bilgi University, Istanbul, May 2013). Chinmayi Arun was a speaker on the Internet Governance panel at Towards a Global Network of Internet and Society Centres.</li>
<li style="text-align: justify; ">India’s Politics of Free Expression (co-sponsored by the Asian Studies Centre, Free Speech Debate, the Oxford India Society and Ideas for India Oxbridge Exchange, May 31, 2013 at Nissan Lecture Theatre, St. Antony’s College, Oxford). Chinmayi Arun was a speaker at the <a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/news/sant-ox-ac-uk-may-31-2013-bapsybanoo-marchioness-winchester-lectures">Bapsybanoo Marchioness of Winchester Lectures</a> on 'India's Politics of Free Expression'.</li>
</ul>
<p><b>Upcoming Event</b></p>
<ul>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/internet-governance/events/privacy-round-table-mumbai">Privacy Round Table, Mumbai</a> (Mayfair Banquets, Mumbai, June 15, 2013).</li>
</ul>
<p><b>Blog Entry</b></p>
<ul>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/internet-governance/blog/the-surveillance-industry-in-india-at-least-76-companies-aiding-our-watchers">The Surveillance Industry in India: At Least 76 Companies Aiding Our Watchers!</a> (by Maria Xynou, May 2, 2013).</li>
</ul>
<p><b>Media Coverage</b></p>
<ul>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/news/mumbai-mirror-anand-holla-may-4-2013-sex-on-the-go">Sex on-the-go</a> (by Anand Holla, Mumbai Mirror, May 4, 2013). Pranesh Prakash is quoted.</li>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/news/the-hindu-business-line-may-5-2013-cis-anniversary">CIS anniversary</a> (Hindu Business Line, May 5, 2013).</li>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/news/times-of-india-indu-nandakumar-may-7-2013-cms-to-make-govt-privy-to-phone-calls-text-messages-and-social-media-conversations">Central Monitoring System to make government privy to phone calls, text messages and social media conversations</a> (by Indu Nandakumar, May 7, 2013). Pranesh Prakash is quoted.</li>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/news/quartz-may-8-2013-leo-mirani-messaging-apps-find-another-foe-in-indias-market-regulator">Messaging apps find another foe in India’s market regulator</a> (Quartz, May 8, 2013). Elonnai Hickok is quoted.</li>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/news/tech-2-may-9-2013-indias-rs-400-crore-central-monitoring-system-to-snoop-on-all-communication">India's Rs 400-crore Central Monitoring System to snoop on all communication</a> (Tech 2, May 9, 2013). Pranesh Prakash is quoted.</li>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/news/global-post-talia-ralph-jason-overdorf-may-9-2013-is-indias-govt-becoming-big-brother">Is India's government becoming Big Brother?</a> (by Talia Ralph and Jason Overdorf, May 9, 2013). Pranesh Prakash is quoted.</li>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/news/the-telegraph-op-ed-may-15-2013-world-wide-playground">Worldwide Playground</a> (Telegraph, May 15, 2013). Pranesh Prakash is quoted.</li>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/news/bangalore-mirror-vandana-kamath-may-18-2013-ngo-invites-public-to-peruse-its-accounts">NGO invites public to peruse its accounts</a> (by Vandana Kamath, May 18, 2013). Sunil Abraham is quoted.</li>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/news/livemint-anirban-sen-may-19-2013-online-privacy-should-not-come-at-the-cost-of-security">Online privacy should not come at the cost of security: Sunil Abraham</a> (by Anirban Sen, May 19, 2013). Sunil Abraham is quoted.</li>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/news/dna-india-may-19-2013-subir-ghosh-a-lifetime-of-five-years-on-the-internet">A lifetime of five years on the internet</a> (by Subir Ghosh, DNA, May 19, 2013). Sunil Abraham is quoted.</li>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/news/the-hindu-may-22-2013-cis-highlights-changes-ushered-in-by-the-internet">CIS highlights changes ushered in by the Internet</a> (Hindu, May 22, 2013).</li>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/news/asian-correspondent-chan-myae-khine-may-22-2013-burma-to-host-internet-freedom-forum">Burma to host first Internet freedom forum</a> (by Chan Myae Khine, Asian Correspondent, May 22, 2013).</li>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/news/businesswire-may-30-2013-inet-bangkok-to-explore-internet-impact-on-thailand-economy-and-society">INET Bangkok to Explore Internet’s Impact on Thailand’s Economy and Society</a> (BusinessWire, May 30, 2013). Sunil Abraham is participating in this conference. </li>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/news/bangalore-mirror-vandana-kamath-may-31-2013-shooting-cyber-cafes-before-they-die">Shooting cyber cafes before they die</a> (by Bangalore Mirror, May 31, 2013). CIS’s film on Cyber Cafes is mentioned in this article.</li>
</ul>
<p style="text-align: justify; "><span class="visualHighlight"><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/telecom/knowledge-repository-on-internet-access">Knowledge Repository on Internet Access</a></span><br />CIS in partnership with the Ford Foundation is executing a project on Internet Access. It covers the history of the internet, technologies involved, principle and values of internet access, broadband market and universal access and will touch upon various polices and regulations which has an impact on internet access and bodies and mechanism which are responsible for formulation policies related to internet access. The blog posts and modules will be published in a new website: <a href="http://www.internet-institute.in">www.internet-institute.in</a>.</p>
<p><b>Ongoing Event</b></p>
<p><b> </b></p>
<ul>
<b> </b>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/telecom/knowledge-repository-on-internet-access/institute-on-internet-and-society">Institute on Internet and Society</a> (supported by Ford Foundation, Golden Palms Resort, Bangalore, June 8 – 14, 2013). The <a href="http://internet-institute.in/repository/agenda-revised-by-sv">agenda</a> for the event has been finalised.</li>
</ul>
<p>The following unit was published recently:</p>
<ul>
<li><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/telecom/knowledge-repository-on-internet-access/network-connections-modes-of-access">Network Connections and Modes of Access</a> (by Srividya Vaidyanathan, May 30, 2013).</li>
</ul>
<h3><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/about/telecom">Telecom</a></h3>
<p style="text-align: justify; ">CIS is involved in promoting access and accessibility of telecommunications services and resources and has provided inputs to ongoing policy discussions and consultation papers published by TRAI. It has prepared reports on unlicensed spectrum and accessibility of mobile phones for persons with disabilities and also works with the USOF to include funding projects for persons with disabilities in its mandate:</p>
<p><b>Newspaper Column</b></p>
<ul>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/telecom/blog/business-standard-may-9-2013-shyam-ponappa-configuring-a-non-toothless-trai">Configuring a 'Non-Toothless' Regulator</a> (TRAI) (by Shyam Ponappa, Business Standard, May 9, 2013 and Organizing India Blogspot, May 10, 2013).</li>
</ul>
<h2 style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://cis-india.org/about/newsletters/">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.<br /> <b>Follow us elsewhere</b></p>
<ul>
<li>Get short, timely messages from us on <a href="https://twitter.com/cis_india">Twitter</a></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><b>Support Us</b><br />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; "><b>Request for Collaboration</b><br />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></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>
<ul>
</ul>
<ul>
</ul>
<ul>
</ul>
<p>
For more details visit <a href='http://editors.cis-india.org/about/newsletters/may-2013-bulletin'>http://editors.cis-india.org/about/newsletters/may-2013-bulletin</a>
</p>
No publisherpraskrishnaAccess to KnowledgeDigital NativesTelecomAccessibilityInternet GovernanceOpennessResearchers at Work2013-08-13T11:51:46ZPageA lifetime of five years on the internet
http://editors.cis-india.org/news/dna-india-may-19-2013-subir-ghosh-a-lifetime-of-five-years-on-the-internet
<b>Centre for Internet and Society observes its fifth anniversary on Sunday.</b>
<hr />
<p style="text-align: justify; ">The article by Subir Ghosh was <a class="external-link" href="http://www.dnaindia.com/bangalore/1836745/report-a-lifetime-of-five-years-on-the-internet">published in DNA on May 19, 2013</a>. Sunil Abraham is quoted in this.</p>
<hr />
<p style="text-align: justify; ">Five years is a long time in the internet space. The past five years, certainly, has been. And so has it been for the Centre for Internet and Society that completes five years here.<br /><br />When a group of citizens got together to come under a platform called CIS five years ago, they had wanted to work on policy issues about the internet that had a bearing on society. They, in fact, still do; except that the new media space itself has undergone a metamorphosis. Five years ago social media was just starting off, few people had smart phones, and online speech was not a burning issue.<br /><br />Sunil Abraham, executive director of city-based CIS, affirms this, and goes on to assert: “Five years ago, privacy was not a mainstream concern. Today, many different actors and stakeholders are interested in the configuration of the draft Privacy Bill. We first warned the public about the draconian measures in the IT Act during the 2008 amendment. Four years later, many more people are familiar with problematic sections and are adopting various strategies to amend the Act and it’s associated rules.”<br /><br />Likewise, five years ago, people dismissed “shared spectrum” as a pipe dream; today “shared spectrum” is mentioned in the National Telecom Policy. CIS usually thinks ahead, and works on a range of issues.<br /><br />“For internet adoption in India to grow dramatically from the dismal statistics today, we need to ensure continued access to cheap devices and affordable and ubiquitous broadband,” says Abraham.<br /><br />“With Ericsson suing Micromax for Rs100 crore, the mobile wars have come to India. If we have to protect innovation in sub-100 dollar devices, we need to configure our patent and copyright policy carefully.”<br /><br />But since CIS works primarily on policy issues, shouldn’t it have been based in Delhi rather than in Bangalore? “We do have a small office in Delhi. But we are headquartered in Bangalore because we need to keep learning from technologists and the technical community,” explains Abraham.<br /><br />When an organisation calling itself the Centre for Internet and Society (www.cis-india.org) observes its fifth anniversary, it shouldn’t surprise anyone that many of the activities related to the anniversary celebrations (May 20-23) have precious little to do with the internet, and is more about society itself. And yes, an entire evening is devoted to Kannada. There’s a talk by Chandrashekhara Kambara on ‘Kannada in the modern era,’ and another by UB Pavanaja titled ‘From Palm Leaf to Tablet – Journey of Kannada’.<br /><br />“We are looking at the complete eco-system. For instance, during the digitalisation of TV in India, what will happen to the internet? Do TV promoting policies undermine the growth of broadband? On the second day we look at the connection between another older technology - cinema and the Internet.”</p>
<p>
For more details visit <a href='http://editors.cis-india.org/news/dna-india-may-19-2013-subir-ghosh-a-lifetime-of-five-years-on-the-internet'>http://editors.cis-india.org/news/dna-india-may-19-2013-subir-ghosh-a-lifetime-of-five-years-on-the-internet</a>
</p>
No publisherpraskrishnaAccess to KnowledgeDigital NativesTelecomAccessibilityInternet GovernanceOpennessResearchers at Work2013-05-20T09:04:28ZNews ItemConfiguring a 'Non-Toothless' Regulator (TRAI)
http://editors.cis-india.org/telecom/blog/business-standard-may-9-2013-shyam-ponappa-configuring-a-non-toothless-trai
<b>A proposal to give the telecom regulator the right to impose penalties marks a sea change in the government's approach to regulation.</b>
<hr />
<p style="text-align: justify; ">Shyam Ponappa's column was published in <a class="external-link" href="http://organizing-india.blogspot.in/2013/05/configuring-non-toothless-regulator-trai.html">Organizing India Blogspot</a> on May 10, 2013 and in the <a class="external-link" href="http://www.business-standard.com/article/opinion/configuring-a-non-toothless-trai-113050900979_1.html">Business Standard</a> on May 9, 2013.</p>
<hr />
<p style="text-align: justify; "><span>On April 27, this newspaper carried a report on the department of telecom's proposed amendments to powers of the regulator in the Telecom Regulatory Authority (Amendment) Bill. These amendments are remarkable, because they are an institutional evolution of the kind that we have rarely experienced, but need much more. Such salutary changes are heartening at a time of perceived drift in governance and stalled decisions. They are also important for our institutional development as examples of change initiated from within for legacy systems.</span></p>
<p style="text-align: justify; "><span>According to the report, the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai's) role will be extended to include the power to:</span></p>
<ul>
<li> impose penalties on operators for non-compliance with its orders and regulations;</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li> determine how to address consumer grievances and implement a plan; and</li>
</ul>
<p>recommend how spectrum should be audited for efficient usage, and penalise transgressors for inefficiencies.</p>
<p><span><span>In addition, Trai is to be on a par with other independent regulators.</span></span></p>
<p style="text-align: justify; "><span><span>The right to impose penalties reflects a sea change for the better in the government's approach to regulation. It is especially significant because of the difficulties in setting up the regulator years after privatisation began, as well as in the period thereafter. This amendment has the potential to correct many deficiencies, provided it is implemented properly. Good outcomes, however, are not a foregone conclusion because outcomes require a combination of properly designed systems, people with the required skills in place and functioning well in circumstances that are not adverse.</span></span></p>
<p style="text-align: justify; "><span><span>Together with the other changes, namely, addressing consumer grievances and recommending how spectrum should be monitored for optimal usage, with the stipulation of penalties for inefficiencies, Trai will be empowered to facilitate usage and access.</span><br /><br /><span>The question is whether these changes sufficiently empower our regulator for our communications needs. The recommendations are good, but do they need improvement? Ideally, what should be the structure, function and powers of the agency in practicable terms, without making the "best" the enemy of the "good"? To formulate answers to these, it is useful to consider relevant benchmarks and markers. Some of the following material is derived from the <a class="external-link" href="http://www.ictregulationtoolkit.org/en/PracticeNote.aspx?id=3120">ICT Regulation Toolkit</a> of the International Telecommunication Union.</span></span></p>
<p style="text-align: justify; "><b>Scope</b><br />Some countries have a single-sector regulator for telecommunications, as in Botswana, Spain and Peru. Others have multi-sector regulators, with responsibility over utility sectors that typically include telecommunications, water, electricity and transportation, such as in Jamaica, Costa Rica, Germany, Latvia and Panama. More recently, there has been an increase in "converged regulators" with responsibility over broadcasting, telecommunications and information technology. Today, such regulators are found in most European Union countries, including Finland, Italy and the UK, as well as in Australia, Hong Kong, China, Malawi, Malaysia, South Africa and Tanzania. This is because such structures are considered to be better equipped to address convergent environments where different services are offered over the same platform. Such a move also facilitates the transition to modern, packet-switched "Next Generation Networks".<br /><br /><b>Responsibilities</b><br />Regulators in several countries, such as the US, the UK, and Malaysia, are the designated authorities responsible for spectrum allocation and management for the government; they do not only make recommendations. Should Trai have such a role and responsibility? To understand why the answer needs to be worked out thoroughly, read on.<br /><br />Spectrum monitoring and management undoubtedly need modernised capabilities to provide information and decision support. This includes the use of online tools such as user-friendly databases and graphical user interfaces, and public access in areas not related to security or defence. These technological aspects are one dimension of need.<br /><br />A different dimension is that of institutional readiness and interfaces, and the state of institutional development in counterparty agencies. In other words, it is not simply a matter of elegant logic and organisational design, but also culture and work processes that fit as well as the interrelationships, such as between telecommunications, broadcasting and competition laws, that will ultimately result in effective governance in our context.<br /><br /><b>Qualifications</b><br />What are the desirable qualifications for the head of the regulatory agency? The requirement is for coordinating interdisciplinary issues effectively, in addition to integrity, intellectual capacity, and governance/administrative ability. The first Trai was headed by a judge; thereafter, there was a banker, then people from the Indian Administrative Service. In the US, lawyers head the agency, while in the UK, it is economists; both have very different cultures and institutions from ours. In addition to experience in administration and contracts, knowledge of economics, commercial dealings and coordination using multiple inputs is desirable. Technical expertise, while essential as an input, may not be a key criterion for effective regulation and oversight.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify; ">Here are some examples of national anomalies:</p>
<ul>
<li>In Canada, spectrum matters are addressed by Industry Canada rather than by the regulator, the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission, or CRTC.</li>
<li style="text-align: justify; ">In Singapore, the Infocomm Development Authority has responsibility over telecommunications and information technology matters, but the Media Development Authority licenses over-the-air television and regulates content.</li>
<li style="text-align: justify; ">In Australia, the communications regulator has no authority over competition issues, whereas in the UK, Ofcom has jurisdiction concurrently with the Office of Fair Trading.</li>
</ul>
<p style="text-align: justify; "><span><span>For all these reasons, to properly configure Trai's role and powers, a consultative process is advisable (i.e., solutions collectively formulated that are likely to work) with the help of experienced facilitators who can help elicit convergence through stakeholder interactions. Such issues are ill-served by consultations in the form of a quasi-judicial hearing, which is predicated on the "rightness" of a position in the law.</span></span></p>
<p>
For more details visit <a href='http://editors.cis-india.org/telecom/blog/business-standard-may-9-2013-shyam-ponappa-configuring-a-non-toothless-trai'>http://editors.cis-india.org/telecom/blog/business-standard-may-9-2013-shyam-ponappa-configuring-a-non-toothless-trai</a>
</p>
No publisherShyam PonappaTelecom2013-06-05T10:10:32ZBlog Entry