Encryption Right to Encrypt: Subset of Right to Privacy? (This blog post is third in series of “Encryption and Human Rights” series by SFLC.in) Encryption allows users anonymity on the Internet. Governments across the world have been challenging
Surveillance An Anatomy of the Pegasus Software The story so far In a series of startling revelations by The Wire, Pegasus, the Israeli Spyware was found to have been used to potentially target hundreds of cell phone
Intermediary Liability What is the “Originator or Traceability” provision in the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code), 2021? Introduction The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (hereinafter “MeitY”) and the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (hereinafter “MIB”) on 25.02.2021 notified the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and
FOSS Praveen Arimbrathodiyil vs Union of India : SFLC.in assists in challenging Part II of the Intermediary Rules, 2021 in Kerala High Court A petition has been filed in the Kerala High Court by Praveen Arimbrathodiyil, a free and open-source software (FOSS) developer and a volunteer member of the Free Software Community of
Access Analysis of The Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021 1. Introduction The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (hereinafter “MEITY”) and the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (hereinafter “MIB”) on 25.02.2021, notified the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines
Whatsapp WhatsApp Terms of Service and Privacy Policy: Everything You Need to Know On January 4th, 2021, WhatsApp updated its privacy policy and terms of service(hereinafter “terms”) which led to controversy and users en masse switching to Signal or Telegram. These terms,
Aarogya Setu Update on Anivar A Aravind v. Ministry of Home Affairs, GM PIL WP (C) 7483 of 2020 SFLC.in’s advisory board member Mr. Anivar A Arvind has filed a petition in the Karnataka High Court challenging the voluntary-mandatory imposition of Aarogya Setu and invasion of privacy
Surveillance CPIL & ANR vs. Union Of India and Others - Delhi High Court The case Writ Petition (Civil) No. 8998 of 2020 (P.I.L) was filed before Delhi High Court which came up for hearing on 02.12.2020, before the Division
Karnataka High Court Aarogya Setu is not mandatory for air or rail travel: Update on the Petition Challenging Mandatory Imposition of Aarogya Setu in the Karnataka High Court SFLC.in's advisory board member Mr. Anivar Aravind has moved to the Karnataka High Court challenging the de-facto imposition of Aarogya Setu (the App) by the Ministry of Railways, Airports
A Brief on Privacy Concerns Around the COVID-19 Pandemic for the Committee on Information Technology In order to fight the COVID-19 pandemic, the Government of India launched a contact tracing application “Aarogya Setu”, and is also in the process of deploying various technologies like the
Aarogya Setu Petition Challenging the de-facto Imposition of Aarogya Setu in Karnataka High Court SFLC.in's advisory board member Mr. Anivar Aravind has moved to the Karnataka High Court challenging the de-facto imposition of Aarogya Setu (the App) by the Ministry of Railways, Airports
Aarogya Setu Our Analysis of ‘The Aarogya Setu Data Access and Knowledge Sharing Protocol, 2020’ The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) released ‘The Aarogya Setu Data Access and Knowledge Sharing Protocol, 2020’ on May 11, 2020. We at SFLC.IN, welcome this step
Surveillance Our Statement on the BECIL Tender - COVID – 19 Patient Tracking Tool Broadcast Engineering Consultants Limited, a government of India undertaking under the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting had recently released a tender inviting “Expression of Interest (EOI) for Empanelment of Agency
Covid-19 Joint Letter to the Central and State Governments on Unwarranted, Excessive, Collection and Processing of Personal Data of Individuals during the ongoing COVID-19 Pandemic March 31, New Delhi: Delhi-based non-profit legal services organization SFLC.IN along with a coalition of non-profit organisations, civil society groups, lawyers, public policy professionals, technologists, social activists, entrepreneurs, and
Internet Shutdown Statement about SC judgment on Internet Shutdown in Kashmir SFLC.in welcomes the judgment pronounced today by the Supreme Court in Anuradha Bhasin v Union Of India(W.P(C) no. 1031 of 2019) wherein the Court has directed
Key Changes in the Personal Data Protection Bill, 2019 from the Srikrishna Committee Draft The Personal Data Protection Bill, 2019 (“the PDP Bill, 2019)” was tabled in Parliament on December 11th, 2019. The PDP Bill, 2019 has brought in some new clauses – compliance obligations
Access Kerala High Court Declares ‘Right to Access Internet’ as a Fundamental Right The Kerala High Court in a monumental decision has held ‘Right to Internet Access’ as a fundamental right. The Court declared that the right to have access to Internet becomes
OTT Our Comments to TRAI's Consultation Paper on Regulatory Framework for Over-The-Top (OTT) Communication Services The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) had published a consultation paper on 12 November 2018 for the creation of a regulatory framework for over-the-top (OTT) communication services. OTT services
Free Speech Any regulation of online speech in India must safeguard the rights to free speech and privacy Unlike the US, free speech in India is not absolute. Our Constitution, while guaranteeing the freedom of speech and expression, places “reasonable restrictions” on this basic human right. Before 2015,
Aadhaar What has been changed in the Aadhaar Amendment Bill On Wednesday, 02 January 2019, we got our first look at The Aadhaar and Other Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2018. On Friday, 04 January 2019, this Bill was passed by the
Aadhaar Key Highlights of Aadhaar Judgement The Supreme Court has delivered its much awaited judgment in the Aadhaar case, wherein the majority view, comprised of - Dipak Misra CJI., AK Sikri J., AM Khanwilkar, J. and
Aadhaar Supreme Court upholds Right to Privacy as a Fundamental Right In a momentous judgment delivered in the case of K. S Puttaswamy (Retd.) & Anr. v. Union of India & Ors. [Writ Petition (Civil) No. 494 of 2012] today, the
Consultation Paper SFLC.in’s Comments on the TRAI consultation paper on Free Data On 19 May, 2016 the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India floated a Consultation Paper on Free Data, inviting stakeholder comments on the need for a Telecom Service Provider agnostic platform
Aadhaar Without Rules, Sahib may Own Your Data Now that the inevitable death of Free Basics by Facebook has happened and the dust has settled, the real outlines of the government of India’s Internet and Digital India
Freedom of Speech SC refuses to issue interim order blocking pornographic content on the Internet; says it would violate Article 21 A writ petition filed by an Indore-based lawyer - Kamlesh Vaswani - seeking to prohibit and criminalize the viewing of Internet porn was taken up for hearing by a three-judge bench of the Supreme Court on Wednesday, 8th July. The petition (filed in October
