Apar GuptaIn the case of Private School Association J&K v. U.T. of Jammu & Kashmir [W.P. (C) No. 63 of 2021], the petitioners challenged the restrictions on internet speed in Jammu and Kashmir, arguing that it hindered online education during the COVID-19 pandemic and violated the Right to Education. The Supreme Court weighed public safety concerns against fundamental rights, ultimately deciding in favour of maintaining internet restrictions due to security threats. The Court acknowledged the necessity of balancing civil liberties with national security concerns
Archives for the month March 2022
“The Internet is not breaking up … but it is under stress
About two decades ago, in a one page op-ed, Clyde Wayne wrote, “Warfare on the digital commons invites more regulation and adds to a deteriorating and antiquated Internet. Splintering, though it will be criticized as Balkanization, increases our options and wealth.” Though inadequately reasoned, “balkanisation” became a popular import in tech policy debates, with commentators voicing anxieties around censorship and surveillance. These fears have surfaced in policy debates over the Russian invasion of Ukraine. So, is the Internet really breaking up as a global network?
Why draft data accessibility policy is dangerous
The government may very soon start selling your data based on a proposed policy released by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MEITY), titled “Draft India Data Accessibility & Use Policy 2022”. The policy aims to “radically transform India’s ability to harness public sector data”. If passed, it would govern, “all data and information created/generated/collected/archived by the Government of India” as much as, “State Governments [who] will also be free to adopt the provisions of the policy”. The twin purpose to which this data will be put to will be government-to-government sharing and high value datasets for valuation and licensing. There are three clear reasons why this policy deserves a recall by the Union government.