Blogposts

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
4GforAll

Revealed: Rajasthan’s Review Committee does not meet or review internet suspension orders. #KeepItOn

In response to an RTI Application, the State of Rajasthan has stated that their review committee does not meet or review internet shutdown orders. This is contrary to Rule 2(6) of Telecom Suspension Rules, 2017. We have filed a first appeal seeking clarity from the State.
07 March, 2022
4 min read
Krishnesh BapatKrishnesh Bapat
Consultations

The Government Wants To Sell Your Data | #SaveOurPrivacy

We respond to the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology's Draft Data Access Policy. The policy raises serious privacy concerns due to its perverse economic incentives on data sharing.
05 March, 2022
7 min read
Shivangani MisraShivangani Misra
big tech

Oxford Pro Bono Publico releases its report on the Regulation of Digital Media and Intermediaries

To assist challenges to IT Rules, w​e reached out to Oxford Pro Bono Publico (OPBP) - a research centre at the Oxford University, requesting research on laws in other countries on social media platforms, digital news media and OTT platforms. OPBP has published their research report in December 2021.
01 March, 2022
5 min read
Tanmay SinghTanmay Singh
transparency

Digital Transparency: A Right to Information Report for February 2022

For the month of February 2022, IFF has filed 36 RTI requests and 3 first appeals.
01 March, 2022
5 min read
Gyan TripathiGyan Tripathi
InDEA

A flawed idea of InDEA!

IFF submitted comments in the ongoing consultation for India Digital Ecosystem Architecture (InDEA) 2.0 released by the MeitY in January 2022. Our core approach is towards ensuring that the rollout of the architecture happens in a manner that safeguards the rights of the user.
26 February, 2022
5 min read
Tejasi PanjiarTejasi Panjiar & Rohin GargRohin Garg
Consultations

Counter Comments to the TRAI for the, "Consultation Paper on Regulatory Framework for Promoting Data Economy Through Establishment of Data Centres, Content Delivery Networks, and Interconnect Exchanges"

IFF submitted its counter comments to TRAI's consultation paper which sought to regulate Content Delivery Networks (CDNs). We have responded to comments made by service providers and industry bodies.
23 February, 2022
5 min read
Shivangani MisraShivangani Misra

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