Yes, we did slip up by not sending you a customary new year's greeting email but we felt it would be more meaningful to assess our performance over January and then send you an update.
It's also been a month of action for IFF where we have taken a range of actions.
Free Expression: As threats grow to online censorship, through censorship codes, the revival of Section 66A (yes, we discovered it was still being used despite being ruled as unconstitutional!) and internet shutdowns we fought back. Our work over the past month includes a court intervention through the People's Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL), parliamentary briefings and notices to various bodies, particularly on online video streaming services. Surely, we do not want to watch a censored final season of the Game of Thrones?
Privacy: We have gone to Supreme Court to challenge not only the MHA notification but sought a meaningful review of digital surveillance. This is an ongoing engagement to safeguard your personal data through the #SaveOurPrivacy campaign. We have also organised parliamentary briefings for MPs and their offices on legislation that impact your privacy rights. We even revealed the full text of the Intermediary Rules and put out an analysis on how it was taking us towards a china model of digital command and control.
Net Neutrality and Innovation: We have continued to correspond with government bodies, have participated and raised awareness around a TRAI consultation that could lead to licensing of internet platforms. We are not giving up on saving the internet!
Yes, this may seem like dull, boring work, but it is incredibly important. We fail in our battles for protections and rights because engaging with government bodies is tough and complex. This is not how it should be. That's why we post simple, concise explainers on the IFF website.
I would also like to take this moment to consider donating to IFF and helping us hire staff! We need your help to scale up as this promises to be a critical year for our digital rights.
Thank you for your continuing support.
Apar,
Executive Director,
Internet Freedom Foundation
