6.2.1. Introduction
The overarching context of developmental and rights-based focus of the Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) working in India. Policy analysis and advocacy activities, outside academic settings, are mostly carried out along with field-level implementation activities. The Indian CSOs working on topics related to Internet in particular and electronic communication in general, however, are a more balanced combination (compared to other sectors such as education and public health) of organisations that are involved in implementation, that are involved in policy advocacy, and that undertake both these kinds of work.
Brief introduction to the major CSOs working on issues related to Internet in India – (1) IT for Change, (2) Centre for Internet and Society, (3) Software Freedom Law Centre, (4) Internet Democracy Project, (5) Digital Empowerment Foundation, (6) Observer Research Foundation, (7) Society for Knowledge Commons, (8) Free Software Foundation India, (9) Free Software Movement of India, and (10) Centre for Science, Development and Media Studies.
Apart from these organisations, there are several individuals in India – such as Arun Mehta, Chinmayi Arun, and Malavika Jayaram – who can also be identified as crucial civil society voices, though they might not currently be, or not always have been, associated with a CSO.
Brief introduction to Internet Society Chapters of India – Bangalore, Chennai, Delhi, and Kolkata.
6.2.2. Censorship of Internet and Civil Society Responses
One of the earlier civil society discussion spaces that came up in India to discuss specific challenges brought in by this new medium of Internet was the India-GII mailing list set up by Computer Professionals for Social Responsibility, a Seattle-based organisation. Arun Mehta, the key initiator and moderator of this mailing list, was also the first civil society activist in India to file a case against an Internet Service Provider for censorship of websites.
Arun Mehta Vs. VSNL.
Banning of ‘Kynhun’– a Yahoo Group associated with the ‘Hynniewtrep National Liberation Council,’ an outlawed separatist group from Meghalaya – on 23rd September 2003. Yahoo declined to respond to Department of Telecommunication's order to block the group, which led to the Government of India directing all ISPs to temporarily ban Yahoo Group in entirety. Civil society response, and Yahoo's decision to block 'Kyunhun.'
Bans of 2006 and 2007. Formation of the Bloggers Collective group, and the Bloggers Against Censorship campaign.
6.2.3. From WSIS to IGF Hyderabad
India's participation in the WSIS has been largely dominated by the government officials, with only a few civil society actors present in the processes and events. The first preparatory meeting towards WSIS, and more immediately the first Asian Regional Preparatory Meeting, was held in January 2003. It was attended by representatives of two industrial bodies (Internet Service Providers' Association of India and Telecom Manufacturers' Association), and representatives from the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Department of Information and Technology, and Department of Telecommunication.
The CSOs from India that participated in the WSIS were almost all involved in the ICT for Development sector, that is involved in design and operationalisation of projects that deliver opportunities of digital communication network and applications to potential users at the grass root level. SEWA and Akshaya are two key examples of such CSOs that were present in WSIS. IT for Change was rather an exceptional CSO that not only undertook field-level implementation work using ICTs for development, but also contributed to discussion of macro-level issues and policy-making. As this chapter will show, IT for Change has emerged as a major actor among the CSOs working on Internet issues in India.
Activities of IT for Change in WSIS.
Activities of Indian CSOs in IGF Athens and IGF Rio.
Preparations towards IGF Hyderabad, and role of Indian CSOs.
Activities of Indian CSOs in IGF Hyderabad.
6.2.4. Civil Society Activism and Internet Policies in India
The notification of Information Technology (Intermediaries Guidelines) Rules in 2011 has led to frequent incidents of Internet censorship, violation of online free speech, and arrest and harassment of numerous users. Such explicit and commonplaces cases of the Government using exceptional measures to act against online content and those who have created/shared/contributed to such content, have also been responded by an increase in the number of CSOs in India that address such challenges through various means, ranging from investigative research, policy advocacy, training for secure and safe usage of Internet, and raising of general awareness regarding how Internet is governed in India and its implications.
Extensive overview of the activities of the following organisations in reference to domestic Internet governance policies in India – (1) IT for Change, (2) Centre for Internet and Society, (3) Internet Democracy Project, (4) Software Freedom Law Centre, and (5) Digital Empowerment Foundation.
6.2.5. Internet Society Chapters in India
Activities of the Internet Society Chapters in India in the following countries – Bangalore (chartered in June 2010), Chennai (chartered in August 2007), Delhi (chartered in December 2002, rejuvenated in November 2008), and Kolkata (chartered in January 2009).
6.2.6. Epilogue: Indian Civil Society Organisations and the Changing Global Internet Governance Scenario
In October 2011, Government of India proposed in the 66th Session of the UN General Assembly that a new global institutional mechanism be created under UN for governance of Internet. The proposed body was tentatively named UN Committee for Internet-Related Policies (UN CIRP). A year later in September 2012, Federation of Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) organised the first domestic multi-stakeholder discussion on Internet governance in India. The event was specifically aimed at discussing India's proposal for establishment of UN CIRP, and how the issue is to be addressed over the (then) upcoming global Internet governance forums like the 67th UN General Assembly (September 26 – October 06, 2012), IGF Baku (November 06-09, 2012), and WCIT Dubai (December 03-14, 2012). With two of the ten panelists of the discussion coming from CSOs – one panelist each from IT for Change and the Centre for Internet and Society – the event marked the civil society voices in India becoming not only audible in matters of domestic policy-making, but also in analysing, discussing, and contributing to global Internet governance processes.
Indian CSOs and the discussions around UN CIRP.
Edward Snowden and the NSA leaks in June 2013 onwards. Responses by CSOs in India.
A section of Indian CSOs took lead in establishing a new global coalition of CSOs that responded to the evidences brought forth by Snowden regarding US government's surveillance and technical subversion of communication security over Internet by arguing for moving the governance processes of Internet under the purview of UN, and by ensuring democracy and accountability in such processes. This new alliance, called the Just Net Coalition, was founded in January 2014 after its first global meeting in Delhi.
Brief overview of the position taken by the Just Net Coalition and the Indian members of the group.
Last updated: March 02, 2015