Net Neutrality, Broadband Access…DTH Still Does not Have Much Hope: Ever since I wrote the article on the impending demise of DTH in India, a number of people have highlighted that the current fair usage policy (FUP) of fixed broadband providers is simply not high enough to provide IPTV and that Net Neutrality can be…
New breed of liberals thriving in Indian varsities: Freedom of immorality or freedom of expression: Universities and colleges in India have been lately busy in unique fests and shows. Strangely, although they are not academic but they are getting big support from people of all walks of life. Teachers, students, media, intellectuals, activists, NGOs etc.…
BJP MP booked for ‘outraging modesty’: Police have filed a chargesheet in a local court against Union minister and BJP MP Babul Supriyo on the basis of a complaint by TMC MLA Mahua Moitra in January alleging that Supriyo had used words and gestures “outraging her modesty” during a television debate. Read More
New midday meal norms ‘inhuman’: Teachers and Anganwadi workers in Rajasthan have spoken out against the Centre’s recent decision to link the midday meal scheme to Aadhaar, saying it would completely disrupt the process of food distribution and teaching and learning. Read More
UN experts call for sensitive and timely response to online gender-based abuse: “Online gender-based abuse and violence are undeniably a scourge, and governments and companies should be taking action against it”, David Kaye, the Special Rapporteur on the promotion of freedom of expression, said in a news releases that coincides with worldwide commemoration of International…
Online access, confidence and more: How ‘internet saathis’ are digitally empowering women in rural India: For 39-year-old Asha Kamble, a resident of Supane village in Satara, stepping out of home on her own was unthinkable before the untimely death of her husband. Now, she travels to villages across the district with a smartphone and Tab,…
U.N. expert urges states to work toward cyber surveillance treaty: GENEVA – The world needs an international treaty to protect people’s privacy from unfettered cybersurveillance, which is being pushed by populist politicians preying on fear of terrorism, according to a U.N. report debated on Wednesday. The report, submitted to the U.N. Human Rights Council by…
Freedom of expression and martyrdom: It has been long since Indian universities ceased to be cloisters of higher learning where scholars and the faculty were far too preoccupied solely with their academic engagements to stray into discourses on other areas of social and national significance during peace time. Read More
Chinmayi Sripaada threatened with rape, acid attack on Twitter; her online petition demanding action goes viral: Singer Chinmayi Sripaada has filed an online petition demanding Twitter to do a mass shutdown of accounts that tweet rape threats to women. Read More
Online women abuse is on the rise: Mallika (name changed) was one of my friends. She was known to be a ‘timid girl’, who spoke softly and judiciously chose her words. Probably for her introversion, she was very reticent about what had been done to her. The incident came to light much later. It was…