The Esya Centre is a New-Delhi-based technology policy think-tank. Its mission is to generate empirical research and inform thought leadership to catalyse new policy constructs for the future. It simultaneously aims to build domestic institutional capacities for generating ideas which enjoin the triad of people, innovation and value, consequently helping reimagine the public policy discourse in India.
Through this platform Esya presents its views on topics of interest.
To know more about the Esya Centre visit our website www.esyacentre.org
THE IMPACT | Ep 6 | Should Voter ID Data Be Linked to Aadhaar?
On 21st December of last year, the Election Law (Amendment) Bill, 2021, was passed; this law allowed the linking of Aadhaar data with electoral roll data. The Union government argued that this move would make the electoral process clearer and more credible, as linking Aadhaar data would help identify duplicate entries, remove bogus voters and more. That being said, there have been some major concerns about instituting this practice; the possibility of disenfranchisement, severe data privacy concerns, and the efficacy of the Aadhaar itself as a source of relevant information, all form issues that have to be considered. In Episode 6 of The Impact, we speak with O.P. Rawat, the 22nd Chief Election Commissioner of India, and Shivam Shankar Singh, Political Analyst and Author (How To Win An Indian Election), to learn more about this. The Impact, our new video series created in collaboration with The Bastion, examines how technology impacts Indian society.
15 Feb 2022
THE IMPACT | Ep 5 | In Conversation with Radhikah Jhalani, Shehlat Maknoon and Ranju Dodum | The Case Against Internet Shutdowns
As the internet began to spin its web across the subcontinent, at the hands of the State, India began to simultaneously witness a different kind of disruption: internet shutdowns. There have been 553 internet shutdowns ordered by governments since 2012, whether of mobile internet or broadband services. We’ve already registered a shutdown barely one month into 2022, and in Jammu and Kashmir alone, a staggering 319 shutdowns have taken place in recent years. Of these, the longest shutdown lasted for 552 days. Why does the government shut down internet services? Why do these shutdowns seem more likely to happen in specific parts of the country? What do they have to do with maintaining ‘security’? And, in a rapidly digitising India, what are the real impacts of living without the internet on human lives? We explore these answers and more in the latest series of The Impact, our new video series created in collaboration with Esya Centre examining how technology impacts Indian society. Megha Bahree, journalist and Fellow at Esya Centre, speaks to Shehlat Maknoon Wani, a journalist based in Kashmir, and Ranju Dodum, a journalist based in Arunachal Pradesh, to uncover how internet shutdowns impact humans and their rights in regions of conflict.
2 Feb 2022
THE IMPACT | Ep. 04 | In Conversation with Pratik Sinha, Co-founder, AltNews.in | The Facts Around Fake News
India’s fake news problem has been around for a while, but the production, dissemination and consumption exploded over the last decade. More than 400 million Indians now have access to and make use of the internet, but digital literacy and social media regulation are yet to catch up. So how exactly is misinformation or fake news spread? Who is producing this? How can social media companies help curb the spread of fake news? And what kind of policies should be put in place that can tackle fake news? Megha Bahree, Fellow at Esya Centre, speaks to Pratik Sinha, Co-Founder of Alt News to find out, in this episode of The Impact.
About: The Impact is made in partnership with The Bastion (https://thebastion.co.in/), where we look at government policies and business decisions, or the lack of those, in a geopolitical and geoeconomics context. The idea is to understand how those decisions affect India’s role in the world both politically—if it’s a power play or a lost opportunity—and economically.
12 Jan 2022
THE IMPACT | Ep 03 | In Conversation with Meghna Bal, Fellow, Esya Centre | The Indian Surveillance Story
The Indian state’s tryst with surveillance burst into the spotlight earlier this year, with the revelation that a kind of spyware—Pegasus—was used to track over 300 Indian ministers, opposition leaders, political strategists, journalists, activists, minority leaders, supreme court judges and more. And the Pegasus issue is only the latest in a larger trend of governments, both Central and State, engaging in such big-brother like activities over time; the first big instance of the same can be traced back all the way to the 1980s.
So how and why has this been a feature of India’s governance for so long? What are some of the underlying frameworks that enable such surveillance? And will privacy matter enough for citizens to impact who they vote for? Meghna Bal, Fellow at Esya Centre, explains these questions and more, in this episode of The Impact.
About: The Impact is made in partnership with The Bastion (https://thebastion.co.in/), where we look at government policies and business decisions, or the lack of those, in a geopolitical and geoeconomics context. The idea is to understand how those decisions affect India’s role in the world both politically—if it’s a power play or a lost opportunity—and economically.
22 Sept 2021
THE IMPACT | Ep. 02 | In Conversation with Udbhav Tiwari, Public Policy Advisor, Mozilla | What does it take for tech companies to do business in India?
In our second episode of The Impact Interview Series from Esya Centre and MediaBrief.com, our Fellow, Megha Bahree speaks with, Udbhav Tiwari, Public Policy Advisor, Mozilla to discuss the question: What does it take for tech companies to do business in India?
This interview was first published on Esya's YouTube channel in Sept. 2021.
31 Aug 2021
THE IMPACT | Ep. 01 | Is Ideology Driving Tech Policy? | In Conversation with Anand Raghuraman, VP, The Asia Group
In our first episode of The Impact Interview Series from Esya Centre and MediaBrief.com, our Fellow, Megha Bahree speaks with Anand Raghuraman, Vice-President at The Asia Group on the topic of, Ideology and Tech policy.
This interview was first published on Esya's YouTube channel in August 2021.
23 Sept 2020
Reforming the Information Technology Act
The Internet in India is governed by the IT Act. But the powers this law gives the state need to be balanced with due process and adequate safeguards. Rohan Seth and Prateek Waghre are joined by Gopal Jain, a Supreme Court advocate and advisor to the Esya Centre to talk about reforming the IT Act in an increasingly networked society.
This episode was produced in association with the Takshashila Institution (https://takshashila.org.in/). It was first broadcast on the Indus Vox Media (IVM) Podcast Network (https://ivmpodcasts.com/).
Read Gopal Jain's op-ed titled, Internet has its own basic structure that must be kept intact. (https://www.financialexpress.com/opinion/internet-has-its-own-basic-structure-that-must-be-kept-intact/2074289/)
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Follow Prateek on Twitter: @prateekwaghre (https://twitter.com/prateekwaghre)
Follow Rohan on Twitter: @thesethist (https://twitter.com/thesethist)
15 Sept 2020
Cybersecurity in India: Preparedness, Challenges and Policy
Esya's Mohit Chawdhry speaks with Vrinda Kapoor, DeepTech Entrepreneur; and Vinayak Dalmia, Entrepreneur and Columnist; on the topic: Cybersecurity in India: Preparedness, Challenges and Policy.
21 Aug 2020
Non-Personal Data Governance Framework
Esya's Mohit Chawdhry speak with Saket Gupta, Technical Architect at GreyOrange, on Non-Personal Data Governance Framework.
This is the fourth episode in our series on the topic: 'Non-Personal Data.'
To know more on this, read our Policy Brief here (https://www.esyacentre.org/documents/2020/7/30/non-personal-data-policy-and-regulatory-considerations). (https://www.esyacentre.org/documents/2020/7/29/trends-in-copyright-infringement-and-enforcement-in-india)
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12 Jun 2020
Non-Personal Data: Role of Data in Policy Formulation
Esya's Mohit Chawdhry speaks to Sahil Deo, Co-Founder, CPC Analytics, about the role data can play in policy formulation and potential issues associated with the same. The need for Open Access to certain kinds of data to promote innovation is also discussed.
This is the third episode in our series on the topic: 'Non-Personal Data.'
To know more on this, read our Policy Brief here (https://www.esyacentre.org/documents/2020/7/30/non-personal-data-policy-and-regulatory-considerations). (https://www.esyacentre.org/documents/2020/7/29/trends-in-copyright-infringement-and-enforcement-in-india)
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3 Jun 2020
Non-Personal Data: A Perspective from Academia
Esya's Mohit Chawdhry discusses issues associated with access to and use of Non-Personal Data by academicians and researchers with Mr. Chaitanya Murti, a computer engineer currently pursuing his Ph.D. at the Robert Bosch Centre for Cyber-Physical Systems, IISc. Bengaluru.
This is the second episode in our series on the topic: 'Non-Personal Data.'
To know more on this, read our Policy Brief here (https://www.esyacentre.org/documents/2020/7/30/non-personal-data-policy-and-regulatory-considerations). (https://www.esyacentre.org/documents/2020/7/29/trends-in-copyright-infringement-and-enforcement-in-india)
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2 Jun 2020
Non-Personal Data: Policy and Regulatory Considerations
Esya's Aishwarya Giridhar and Mohit Chawdhry discuss, Non-Personal Data: Policy and Regulatory Considerations.
This is the first episode in our series on the topic: 'Non-Personal Data.'
To know more on this, read our Policy Brief here (https://www.esyacentre.org/documents/2020/7/30/non-personal-data-policy-and-regulatory-considerations). (https://www.esyacentre.org/documents/2020/7/29/trends-in-copyright-infringement-and-enforcement-in-india)
Follow us on twitter: @esyacentre (https://twitter.com/esyacentre)
18 Dec 2019
Copyright in India: Extralegal Strategies and Soft Law Approaches
Esya Fellows, Shohini Sengupta and Aishwarya Giridhar, discuss Extralegal Strategies and Soft Law Approaches.
This is the seventh episode in our series on the topic: 'Trends in Copyright Infringement and Enforcement in India.'
To know more on this, read our report here. (https://www.esyacentre.org/documents/2020/7/29/trends-in-copyright-infringement-and-enforcement-in-india)
Follow us on twitter: @esyacentre (https://twitter.com/esyacentre)
18 Dec 2019
Copyright in India: Global Regulatory and Policy Best Practices
Esya Fellows, Shohini Sengupta and Aishwarya Giridhar, discuss Global Regulatory and Policy Best Practices
This is the sixth episode in our series on the topic: 'Trends in Copyright Infringement and Enforcement in India.'
To know more on this, read our report here. (https://www.esyacentre.org/documents/2020/7/29/trends-in-copyright-infringement-and-enforcement-in-india)
Follow us on twitter: @esyacentre (https://twitter.com/esyacentre)
18 Dec 2019
Copyright in India: Key Judicial Trends in Copyright Enforcement
Esya Fellows, Shohini Sengupta and Aishwarya Giridhar, discuss Key Judicial Trends in Copyright Enforcement.
This is the fifth episode in our series on the topic: 'Trends in Copyright Infringement and Enforcement in India.'
To know more on this, read our report here. (https://www.esyacentre.org/documents/2020/7/29/trends-in-copyright-infringement-and-enforcement-in-india)
Follow us on twitter: @esyacentre (https://twitter.com/esyacentre)
18 Dec 2019
Copyright in India: Cross-border Copyright Infringement
Esya Fellows, Shohini Sengupta and Aishwarya Giridhar, discuss Cross-border Copyright Infringement
This is the fourth episode in our series on the topic: 'Trends in Copyright Infringement and Enforcement in India.'
To know more on this, read our report here. (https://www.esyacentre.org/documents/2020/7/29/trends-in-copyright-infringement-and-enforcement-in-india)
Follow us on twitter: @esyacentre (https://twitter.com/esyacentre)
18 Dec 2019
Copyright in India: Review of Copyright Legislation
Esya Fellows, Shohini Sengupta and Aishwarya Giridhar discuss Copyright Legislation in India
This is the third episode in our series on the topic: 'Trends in Copyright Infringement and Enforcement in India.'
To know more on this, read our report here. (https://www.esyacentre.org/documents/2020/7/29/trends-in-copyright-infringement-and-enforcement-in-india)
Follow us on twitter: @esyacentre (https://twitter.com/esyacentre)
18 Dec 2019
Copyright in India: Economic Analysis of Piracy in the Indian Movie and Music Industry
Esya Fellows, Dr. Megha Patnaik and Aishwarya Giridhar, discuss Piracy in the Indian Movie and Music Industry.
This is the second episode in our series on the topic: Trends in Copyright Infringement and Enforcement in India.
To know more on this, read our report here. (https://www.esyacentre.org/documents/2020/7/29/trends-in-copyright-infringement-and-enforcement-in-india)
Follow us on twitter: @esyacentre (https://twitter.com/esyacentre)
18 Dec 2019
Copyright in India: Trends in Copyright Infringement and Enforcement
Esya Fellows, Shohini Sengupta and Aishwarya Giridhar discuss their report titled, "Trends in Copyright Infringement and Enforcement in India."
This is the first episode in the series on the same topic.
Visit our website to read the report here. (https://www.esyacentre.org/documents/2020/7/29/trends-in-copyright-infringement-and-enforcement-in-india)
Follow us on twitter: @esyacentre (https://twitter.com/esyacentre)
Visit our website: www.esyacentre.org (https://www.esyacentre.org/)
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