Blogposts

internet shutdowns

Digital Transparency: A Right to Information Report for March 2022

Since our last report for the month of February, IFF has filed 33 RTI requests and 17 first appeals. In this post, we give you an overview of the requests filed and an analysis of the responses we have received from the different public authorities.
01 April, 2022
5 min read
Shivangani MisraShivangani Misra & Gyan TripathiGyan Tripathi
Delhi HC

Delhi High Court calls for case files and asks MeitY to consider hearing creator of satirical Dowry Calculator on website blocking #WhatTheBlock

Mr Tanul Thakur is the creator of the satirical website dowrycalculator.com. In 2018, the Union Government blocked the website without granting him a hearing or providing a copy of the order. Mr Thakur has challenged the blocking order.
29 March, 2022
5 min read
Amala DasarathiAmala Dasarathi & Tanmay SinghTanmay Singh
Consultations

The Change Game: MeitY Resorts To Quick Fixes To Silence Experts

IFF writes to MeitY on the multiple changes made to the Draft India Data Accessibility & Use Policy, 2022 without any public acknowledgement. IFF calls for a fresh start to the consultation process.
26 March, 2022
7 min read
Shivangani MisraShivangani Misra
compliance

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

Google (including YouTube), Facebook, Instagram (both are now under Meta), 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 January, 2022. We have analysed them.
24 March, 2022
10 min read
Anandita MishraAnandita Mishra
pegasus

Our Response to the SC’s Technical Committee on Pegasus #SaveOurPrivacy

Read our response to queries sent by the Technical Committee set up by the Hon'ble Supreme Court of India for investigating the use of the Pegasus spyware in India.
23 March, 2022
7 min read
Anushka JainAnushka Jain
PrivacyofThePeople

#PrivacyofthePeople: this Cookie will not crumble…

In this post, we highlight the conflict between efficiency and privacy posed by a key component of the internet: cookies. While cookies presently perform a lot of key functions in ensuring a smooth user experience, they also raise concerns about user privacy and data collection as we discuss here.
17 March, 2022
5 min read
Rohin GargRohin Garg & Anandita MishraAnandita Mishra
Breaches

Explainer: Bharat Financial Inclusion Limited Loan 'glitch'

Bharat Financial Inclusion Limited recently admitted to disbursing 84,000 loans without customer consent owing to a ‘technical glitch’. Though the bank took some steps upon the receipt of the complaints, there is little regulatory oversight and acknowledgement of these instances in general.
16 March, 2022
7 min read
Tejasi PanjiarTejasi Panjiar & Rohin GargRohin Garg
RTI

News publishers furnish their details voluntarily, MIB claims in RTI Appeal

News publishers were sent notices under the IT Rules, even after major parts of the IT Rules were stayed. The MIB said that news publishers have only offered this information “voluntarily”, i.e. that there is no compulsion to respond to them.
15 March, 2022
4 min read
Tanmay SinghTanmay Singh
IT Rules

Bangladesh's Proposed Regulation = Indian IT Rules, 2021. Overreaching, invasive and suppressive.

The regulator in Bangladesh invited comments on draft rules which are similar to IT Rules, 2021. In response, IFF has submitted a report which details India's experience with IT Rules, 2021.
14 March, 2022
3 min read
Krishnesh BapatKrishnesh Bapat
accesstointernet

Calcutta HC stays internet shutdown issued by West Bengal Government

Calcutta HC has stayed an internet shutdown order dated 03.03.2022 issued by the State of West Bengal. The HC was of the view that the order was not issued by a competent authority. The order was stayed in a petition filed by Ashlesh Biradar. IFF provided legal support.
10 March, 2022
4 min read
Krishnesh BapatKrishnesh Bapat & Anandita MishraAnandita Mishra

Donate to IFF

Help IFF scale up by making a donation for digital rights. Really, when it comes to free speech online, digital privacy, net neutrality and innovation — we got your back!