Blogposts

Open Data
Featured

A comparison of state-level data policies

This blog post aims to compare and contrast the data policy for seven Indian states, namely, Punjab, Odisha, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Sikkim, Telangana and Chandigarh. Through this post, we attempt to analyse these policies through a lens of data protection and privacy.
04 June, 2022
14 min read
Tejasi PanjiarTejasi Panjiar & Prateek WaghrePrateek Waghre
MeitY

MeitY publishes and then withdraws a proposal to amend IT Rules, 2021

On June 2nd, 2022, the MeitY proposed amendments to IT Rules, 2021 to ‘address the gaps identified’ and invited comments on the proposal. Later in the day, it was reported that MeitY had decided to withdraw the proposal and that the proposal may be released again next week.
03 June, 2022
4 min read
Anandita MishraAnandita Mishra & Krishnesh BapatKrishnesh Bapat
RTI

Digital Transparency: A Right to Information Report for May 2022

For the month of May 2022, IFF has filed 7 Right to Information (“RTI”) applications and 4 first appeals.
02 June, 2022
3 min read
Gyan TripathiGyan Tripathi
Censorship

DoT starts publishing court orders for online censorship #WhatTheBlock

We wrote to the DoT to appreciate their proactiveness in publishing the blocking notifications under court orders and urged them to ensure that executive blocking orders are made publicly available.
01 June, 2022
4 min read
Gyan TripathiGyan Tripathi & Tanmay SinghTanmay Singh
workplace surveillance

Joint letter to the National Commission for Safai Karamcharis against the increasing surveillance of Safai Karamcharis in the country #SaveOurPrivacy

Read our joint letter expressing concern over the increasing surveillance of Safai Karamcharis in the country.
30 May, 2022
6 min read
Anushka JainAnushka Jain
compliance reports

#SocialMediaComplianceWatch: analysis of Social Media Compliance Reports for the month of March 2022

Google (including YouTube), Koo, Meta (Facebook and Instagram), ShareChat, Snap, Twitter and WhatsApp have released their reports in compliance with Rule 4(1)(d) of the IT Rules 2021 for the month of March, 2022.
27 May, 2022
12 min read
Anandita MishraAnandita Mishra
PrivacyofThePeople

Your period tracking app is tracking you #PrivacyofthePeople

In the absence of a data protection law, the information that you share with your period tracking application may end up being misused. But will the Data Protection Bill, 2021 provide any solace?
24 May, 2022
5 min read
Anushka JainAnushka Jain
Health Data
Featured

Second time’s not the charm: Health Data Management Policy misses the mark again

IFF wrote to the National Health Authority (NHA) as part of the consultation conducted for the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission’s Draft Health Data Management Policy (“Draft policy"). Through our comments, we highlight legal, socio-economic and implementation issues.
23 May, 2022
6 min read
Tejasi PanjiarTejasi Panjiar & Prateek WaghrePrateek Waghre
pegasus
Featured

Supreme Court directs Technical Committee to expedite investigation on Pegasus

The Supreme Court has now directed the technical committee it appointed to investigate the use of Pegasus spyware on Indian citizens to submit its report to the overseeing Judge of the committee [Justice RV Raveendran (retd.)] expeditiously.
20 May, 2022
4 min read
Anandita MishraAnandita Mishra
keep us online

Rajasthan HC issued notice in a petition by Industry Bodies against repeated internet suspensions in Rajasthan

No state suspends internet services more than Rajasthan. These suspensions violate fundamental rights of the residents of Rajasthan and cause irreparable economic damage.
18 May, 2022
5 min read
Krishnesh BapatKrishnesh Bapat & Anandita MishraAnandita Mishra

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