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- Unlock = Open, not Choked! — by Shyam Ponappa — last modified Jun 15, 2020 03:04 AM
- Don't let a virus stall initiatives and weaken the economy.
- The debate over internet governance and cyber crimes: West vs the rest? — by Elizabeth Dominic — last modified Jun 08, 2020 07:04 AM
- The post looks at the two models proposed for internet governance and the role of cyber crimes in shaping the debate. In this context, it will also critically analyze the Budapest Convention (the “convention”) and the recently proposed Russian Resolution (the “resolution”), and the strategies adopted in each to deal with the menace of cybercrimes. It will also briefly discuss India’s stances on these issues.
- Freedom of Expression in India: Key Research and Findings — by Torsha Sarkar — last modified Jun 12, 2020 03:19 AM
- Over the last two years, CIS has carried out critical research on the issue of freedom of expression in India. We have continued our work on intermediary liability, as well as expanded our expertise to emerging areas, like online extreme speech. Researchers have also closely tracked developments around internet shutdowns, and the impact of social media and data on democratic processes in the country.
- Kick-start the economy with cash flow — by Shyam Ponappa — last modified May 24, 2020 08:43 PM
- Pay government dues and enable high-speed connectivity
- Essay: Watching Corona or Neighbours? - Introducing ‘Lateral Surveillance’ during COVID-19 — by Mira Swaminathan and Shubhika Saluja — last modified May 22, 2020 06:39 AM
- Surveillance is already suspected to have become the ‘new normal’ considering the extensive amounts of money that is being invested by governments around the globe. The only way out of this pandemic is to take a humane approach to surveillance wherein the discriminatory tendencies of the people while spreading information about those infected are factored in to prevent excessive harm.
- High priced restrictive entry, distorted regulations make India's telecom sector unattractive — by Rekha Jain — last modified May 20, 2020 08:43 AM
- In the wake of COVID-19, the PM has emphasized the opportunity to attract FDI by transforming the business environment and urged policy makers to ease the way business is done.
- Short on Spectrum: Need for an enabling policy and regulatory environment — by Rekha Jain — last modified May 20, 2020 08:38 AM
- What BharatNet can learn from the rural-roads scheme: involve states, local bodies, private sector — by Rekha Jain — last modified May 20, 2020 08:12 AM
- BharatNet appears to be foundering. It has a top-down approach with little involvement of the states, implementing agencies, or vendors. In contrast, PMGSY, considered a success, works in a bottom-up manner. Its implementation mechanism involves a dedicated agency from the user ministry, PWD, rural-road development agencies, gram panchayats, private operators, etc.
- Ethics and Human Rights Guidelines for Big Data for Development Research — by Amber Sinha, Manjri Singh, Rajashri Seal, Pranav Bhaskar Tiwari, Pranav M Bidare — last modified May 20, 2020 07:56 AM
- This is a four-part review of guideline documents for ethics and human rights in big data for development research. This research was produced as part of the Big Data for Development network supported by International Development Research Centre, Canada
- A Compilation of Research on the Gig Economy — by Aayush Rathi, Ambika Tandon, Sumandro Chattapadhyay — last modified May 19, 2020 08:20 AM
- Over the past year, researchers at CIS have been studying gig economies and gig workers in India. Their work has involved consultative discussions with domestic workers, food delivery workers, taxi drivers, trade union leaders, and government representatives to document the state of gig work in India, and highlight the concerns of gig workers. The imposition of a severe lockdown in India in response to the outbreak of COVID-19 has left gig workers in precarious positions. Without the privilege of social distancing, these workers are having to contend with a drastic reduction in income, while also placing themselves at heightened health risks.
- From Health and Harassment to Income Security and Loans, India's Gig Workers Need Support — by Zothan Mawii (Tandem Research), Aayush Rathi (CIS), and Ambika Tandon (CIS) — last modified May 19, 2020 06:57 AM
- Deemed an 'essential service' by most state governments, and thereby exempt from temporary suspension during the COVID-19 lockdown, food, groceries and other essential commodities have continued to be delivered by e-commerce companies and on-demand services. Actions to protect workers, who are taking on significant risks, have been far less forthcoming than those for customers. Zothan Mawii (Tandem Research), Aayush Rathi (CIS) and Ambika Tandon (CIS) spoke with the leaders of four workers' unions and labour researchers to identify recommended actions that public agencies and private companies may undertake to better support the urgent needs of gig workers in India.
- COVID-19 Charter Of Recommendations on Gig Work — by Aayush Rathi and Ambika Tandon — last modified May 13, 2020 08:53 AM
- Tandem Research and the Centre for Internet and Society organised a webinar on 9 April 2020, with unions representing gig workers and researchers studying labour rights and gig work, to uncover the experiences of gig workers during the lockdown. Based on the discussion, the participants of the webinar have drafted a set of recommendations for government agencies and platform companies to safeguard workers’ well being. Here are excerpts from this charter of recommendation shared with multiple central and state government agencies and platforms companies.
- Rumours, Misinformation and Self-Verification of Facts in the Age of COVID-19 — by Mira Swaminathan — last modified Apr 21, 2020 01:09 PM
- Efforts taken by the government or social media platforms can only be realised if an individual asks herself -- 'what can I do to verify this piece of information'?
- Zothan Mawii - COVID-19 and Relief Measures for Gig Workers in India — by Zothan Mawii (Tandem Research) — last modified May 19, 2020 05:41 AM
- CIS is cohosted a webinar with Tandem Research on the impact of the COVID-19 response on the gig economy on 9 April 2020. It was a closed door discussion between representatives of workers' unions, labour activists, and researchers working on gig economy and workers' rights to highlight the demands of workers' groups in the transport, food delivery and care work sectors. We saw this as an urgent intervention in light of the disruption to the gig economy caused by the nationwide lockdown to limit proliferation of COVID-19. This is a summary of the discussions that took place in the webinar authored by Zothan Mawii, a Research Fellow at Tandem Research.
- Why should we care about takedown timeframes? — by Torsha Sarkar — last modified Apr 10, 2020 04:58 AM
- The issue of content takedown timeframe - the time period an intermediary is allotted to respond to a legal takedown order - has received considerably less attention in conversations about intermediary liability. This article examines the importance of framing an appropriate timeframe towards ensuring that speech online is not over-censored, and frames recommendations towards the same.
- After the Lockdown — by Shyam Ponappa — last modified Apr 09, 2020 10:05 AM
- India’s ‘Self-Goal’ in Telecom — by Shyam Ponappa — last modified Apr 09, 2020 07:18 AM
- CIS Comments on 'Pre Draft' of the Report of the UN Open Ended Working Group — by Arindrajit Basu — last modified Apr 06, 2020 12:26 PM
- CIS submitted comments on the 'pre draft' report of the United Nations Open Ended Working Group on developments in the field of information and telecommunications in the context of international security.
- CIS Comments on NODE Consultation Paper — by Aman Nair, Elonnai Hickok&Arindrajit Basu — last modified Apr 01, 2020 05:22 AM
- CIS submitted comments in response to MEITY's Consultation Paper on National Open Digital Ecosystems (NODEs) The comments were authored by Aman Nair, Elonnai Hickok and Arindrajit Basu with inputs from Gurshabad Grover.
- Announcing In Flux, the CIS Podcast — by Pranav M B — last modified Mar 11, 2020 09:23 AM
- In Flux is a podcast on technology, law, policy, politics and more brought to you by the Centre for Internet and Society, India. Our episodes will explore questions around contemporary issues, and provide multidisciplinary perspectives, centred around research done by CIS. True to its name, In Flux will engage with the quickly changing and dynamic space at the intersection of technology and law. This podcast is one of our many steps to make our research more accessible to both academic and non-academic audiences.
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