Internet Freedom Foundation

While Data Protection is essential, the vagueness in India’s statutory regime leaves room for executive discretion, potentially used to target dissenting opinions.
Let us not be silenced! Become a member of IFF & help us speak truth to power.
https://internetfreedom.in/donate/ 10/10

🚨 Furthermore, obligations to share data with authorities under Section 36 can expose marginalised communities to surveillance risks, potentially jeopardising their safety and trust in the organisation. Balancing privacy with compliance is key. 9/10

📝 Dilution of RTI Act: The Data Protection Act’s amendments to the RTI Act could undermine transparency by allowing authorities to withhold information under the guise of protecting personal data. This may limit accountability and hinder civil society's work. 8/10

💸 Compliance comes at a significant cost. NGOs must invest in secure data storage, encryption, and legal expertise, diverting funds from their core missions. This is a huge burden, particularly for smaller organisations with limited resources. 7/10

🧑‍🤝‍🧑These obligations present serious challenges for NGOs, especially in rural areas. Obtaining informed consent and delivering clear, understandable data processing notices becomes tough due to low tech access and varying education levels. 6/10

NGOs and civil society orgs handling personal data must ensure clear consent, provide security safeguards, and fulfill Data Fiduciary duties under the Data Protection Act and the Draft Rules ! 🔒📜5/10

🔒Consent is key! Data Fiduciaries must get clear consent from Data Principals (like donors, beneficiaries, and volunteers) before processing their personal data. It’s simple but crucial. 4/10

🌍 Nationality doesn’t matter— even if you're a foreign entity processing personal data related to activities in India, you must comply with the Data Protection Act and the Draft Rules. This ensures global data privacy standards. 3/10

The Data Protection Act and the Draft Rules apply if you’re processing personal data within India, whether it's digital or digitised. If you're deciding how that data will be handled, you’re a Data Fiduciary! 2/10

🚨 Non-profits and NGOs, are you aware of how the Digital Personal Data Protection Act (2023) and the Draft Rules (2025) affect your data handling?

Let’s dive in! 🧵1/10
https://internetfreedom.in/a-guidata-protection-compliance-for-civil-society-organisations-in-india/

Localisation ≠ Security. India’s push for AI dominance via data laws may backfire, risking surveillance & economic losses. Let’s rethink data sovereignty beyond state control.

Full analysis by Karthika Rajmohan here […]

From unchecked govt discretion in cross-border data transfer rules to surveillance risks, the data localisation framework is a double-edged sword. It may claim “data sovereignty,” but at what cost to rights & global cooperation? Karthika Rajmohan explains. 2/3

🚨 India’s new draft data protection rules reveal a troubling tilt toward state overreach & vague governance. Our Associate Policy Counsel Karthika Rajmohan unpacks the data localisation requirements & their impact on privacy, security & trade.

Read more […]

With a strong focus on ethical AI and inclusive governance, our partnership is dedicated to empowering communities, championing justice, and ensuring technology serves everyone.

Stay tuned as we work towards a fairer, more rights-centered AI future!🌟3/3

AIKC is a multi-stakeholder initiative dedicated to fostering inclusive AI governance in India, empowering communities, & shaping policies that ensure AI uplifts rather than divides. 2/3

🌍🤖We are thrilled to join the AI Knowledge Consortium (AIKC)! We aim to build capacity and foster knowledge sharing to protect human rights and digital liberties as AI continues to reshape our world. 1/3

This verdict is a turning point. Privacy is competition, and CCI’s bold stance could set a global precedent. Stay tuned for updates—and join IFF to keep fighting for your rights in the digital age. 💪 7/7

https://internetfreedom.in/donate/

What’s next? Meta & WhatsApp have appealed to NCLAT, claiming CCI overstepped. IFF is a respondent, opposing the appeal. The case continues on Jan 23, 2025. This battle isn’t just legal—it's about your digital rights in the face of Big Tech. 6/7

Privacy + competition? The “privacy-antitrust paradox” is real. Around the world, regulators are starting to see how data practices drive market power. CCI’s order is a big step for India, making privacy a competitive parameter, especially in zero-price markets. 5/7

This is about you. Your personal data fuels Meta’s empire—targeted ads, WhatsApp Business, & cross-platform integration. The 2021 Policy killed opt-outs, giving Meta an unfair edge while ignoring privacy concerns. 4/7

Why does this matter? CCI defined two key markets: OTT messaging (think WhatsApp) and online display ads. Meta’s dominance in both was linked to its vast data collection, creating a loop: more data → better ads → more revenue → more dominance. 3/7

The case? WhatsApp’s 2021 Policy forced users to accept broad data-sharing with Meta or lose access. CCI found this “take it or leave it” approach abusive, leveraging Meta’s dominance in messaging & online ads to crush competition and exploit user data. 2/7

🚨 On Nov 18, 2024, the CCI hit Meta & WhatsApp with a ₹213.14 crore penalty for anti-competitive practices tied to WhatsApp's 2021 Privacy Policy update. This marks a major shift in how India views privacy & competition law in the digital age. 🧵1/7 […]

Amid the global moral panic over online child safety, and the recent Draft DPDP Rules, 2025, IFF fellows Medha Garg & Shravani Nag write in The Quint highlighting the need for a more thoughtful approach that considers broader implications […]

The Draft DPDP Rules, 2025 expand on the Govt's surveillance powers with Rule 22. Cautioning against the adverse impact on privacy if they are passed, IFF fellows Rubayya Tasneem & Injila Muslim Zaidi demystify the draft in The Wire ✨ […]

IFF wrote to the ECI twice. First on April 8 (as a collaborative effort) & then on May 13, voicing concerns about inaction on the flood of deepfakes & “cheapfakes” (misleading, low-quality content) during the elections & other MCC violations.

Let's rewind to May 2024. The ECI issued guidelines on AI generated content on May 6, 2024 after two rounds of polling during the Lok Sabha elections. Voters were already at the polls, & the ECI's response came far too late to protect the election process. (3/10) […]

[Original post on mas.to]

The ECI on January 16 issued an advisory urging parties to label AI-generated content—at first glance, it seems like a step toward accountability. But given the timing, it raises some questions, particularly for enforcement that suffers from delays & apprehensions of bias. Why? Read on. (2/10)

Delhi elections are heating up, & so is the use of AI-generated content. Delhi Police has filed an FIR against AAP for posting manipulated images of PM Modi & Amit Shah.
But what's really at stake here? A bigger issue of inadequate & reluctant regulation by the ECI 1/10

We have written to them to express our disappointment with the removal and airing concerns that a blanket ban on VPN services leaves citizen data privacy vulnerable.
Security cannot be an excuse to impact fundamental rights to freedom of speech & expression & privacy […]

[Original post on mas.to]