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Changes in Cable Television Network Rules

Why in News The central government issued a notification amending the Cable Television Network Rules, 1994 thereby providing a statutory mechanism...

18 Jun 2021 IT & Computers
Helpline for Cyber Fraud

Why in News The Ministry of Home Affairs has operationalised the national Helpline 155260 and Reporting Platform for preventing financial loss due...

18 Jun 2021 IT & Computers
National AI Portal

Why in News The ‘National AI Portal’, celebrated its first anniversary on 28th May, 2021. Key Points About the National AI Portal:...

14 Jun 2021 IT & Computers
El Salvador Adopts Bitcoin as Legal Tender

Why in News El Salvador, a small coastal country in Central America has become the first in the world to adopt Bitcoin, as legal tender. Legal...

11 Jun 2021 IT & Computers
Railways Gets 5 MHz Spectrum

Why in News Recently, the Union Cabinet approved the allotment of 5 MHz spectrum in the 700 MHz frequency band to the Indian Railways for improving...

10 Jun 2021 IT & Computers
Satellite Internet

Why in News According to an estimate, 1,250 satellites will be launched annually this decade, with 70% of them for commercial purposes. Various...

04 Jun 2021 IT & Computers
The Big Picture: Social Media- New Rules & Implications

Why in News Recently, the Government of India announced the New IT Rules for social media platforms in the 'Significant Social Media...

01 Jun 2021 IT & Computers
Cryptocurrency and India

This article is based upon “Catching the New Tech Wave” which was published in the Indian Express on 31/05/2021. It talks about the...

31 May 2021 IT & Computers
Information Technology Rules, 2021

This article is based on “Nine-pin bowling aimed at free speech, privacy” which was published in The Hindu on 28/05/2021. It talks...

28 May 2021 IT & Computers
Traceability Provision in New IT Rules 2021

Why in News Recently, messaging platform WhatsApp has moved the Delhi High Court to challenge the traceability provision in the New IT Rules...

27 May 2021 IT & Computers
Data Protection in India

Why in News Recently, the Ministry of Electronics and IT (MeitY) has sent a notice to WhatsApp asking it to withdraw a controversial update to its...

24 May 2021 IT & Computers
Critical Infrastructure Protection

This article is based on “Cyber attacks on critical infrastructure: Is India ready?” which was published in The Hindustan Times on...

21 May 2021 IT & Computers
5G Trial

Why in News The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) has given permissions to Telecom Service Providers (TSPs) for conducting trials for use and...

07 May 2021 IT & Computers
#FOSS4GOV Innovation Challenge

Why in News Recently, the Ministry of Electronics & IT (MeitY) has announced #FOSS4GOV Innovation Challenge to accelerate adoption of Free and...

26 Apr 2021 IT & Computers
Britain Considering New Digital Currency Britcoin

Why in News British authorities are exploring the possibility of creating a Central Bank Digital Currency, being touted as "Britcoin." It is a...

20 Apr 2021 IT & Computers
Initiatives of National Internet Exchange of India

Why in News Recently, the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) has inaugurated three new initiatives/services of National...

16 Apr 2021 IT & Computers
Data Protection Regime

This article is based on “Why the Personal Data Protection Bill matters” which was published in The Hindu on 12/04/2021. It talks about...

13 Apr 2021 IT & Computers
Ethical Challenges Posed By AI

This article is based on “Responsible AI — the need for ethical guard rails” which was published in The Hindu on 17/03/2021. It...

17 Mar 2021 IT & Computers
Information Technology Rules, 2021

This article is based on “The new media rules are a tightening noose” which was published in The Hindu on 13/03/2021. It talks about...

13 Mar 2021 IT & Computers
Licensing Conditions for Telecom Companies Amended

Why in News The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) has amended licensing conditions for telecom companies. The new norms will be implemented...

12 Mar 2021 IT & Computers

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		'article_id' => (int) 8639,
		'category_id' => (int) 21,
		'title' => 'Changes in Cable Television Network Rules',
		'description' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>The central government issued a<strong> notification</strong> amending the<strong> Cable Television Network Rules, 1994</strong> thereby providing a <strong>statutory mechanism for redressal of grievances/complaints</strong> of citizens.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>These grievances/complaints are related to content broadcast by television channels in accordance with the provisions of the <strong>Cable Television Network Act, 1995.</strong></li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>About the Notification:</strong> The notification issues <strong>Cable Television Networks (Amendment) Rules, 2021.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It provides for a<strong> three-level grievance redressal mechanism &mdash;</strong> self-regulation by <strong>broadcasters,</strong> self-regulation by the <strong>self-regulating bodies</strong> of the broadcasters, and oversight by an Inter-Departmental Committee at the level of the <strong>Union government.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Significance Cable Television Networks (Amendment) Rules, 2021:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Various <strong>Self-regulatory bodies</strong> like News Broadcasters Standards Authority (NBSA) and Broadcasting Content Complaints Council (BCCC) will <strong>get legal recognition.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li><strong>At present,</strong> there is<strong> an institutional mechanism</strong> by way of <strong>an Inter-Ministerial Committee</strong> to address grievances of citizens relating to violation of the Programme/Advertising Codes under the Rules.</li>
<li>Various <strong>broadcasters</strong> have also developed their <strong>internal self-regulatory mechanism</strong> for addressing grievances.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>There are <strong>over 900 television channels</strong> that have been granted permission by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB). <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The recent notification is significant as it paves the way for a strong<strong> institutional system for redressing grievances</strong> while placing<strong> accountability and responsibility on the broadcasters</strong> and their self-regulating bodies.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>This will bring the television&rsquo;s self-regulatory mechanism <strong>at par with that being set-up for OTT players and digital news publishers,</strong> as envisaged in the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/information-technology-rules-2021" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021.</strong></a></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Cable Television Network Act, 1995:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Objective:</strong> The Act aimed at <strong>regulating content and operation</strong> of cable networks. This Act regulates the<strong> &lsquo;haphazard mushrooming</strong> of cable television networks&rsquo;.</li>
<li><strong>Important Provisions:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li><strong>Section 2:</strong> Under the Act, district magistrates, sub-divisional magistrates and police commissioners are the <strong>&lsquo;authorised officers&rsquo;</strong> to ensure that the Programme Code is not breached.</li>
<li><strong>Section 3:</strong> No person shall operate a cable television network unless he is registered as a cable operator under this Act.</li>
<li><strong>Section 4A:</strong> It is obligatory for cable operators to transmit programmes of any channel in an encrypted form through a digital addressable system when the centre asks them to do so.</li>
<li><strong>Section 16:</strong> Whoever contravenes any of the provisions of this Act shall be punishable.</li>
<li><strong>Section 19:</strong> Authorised officer has power to prohibit transmission of certain programmes in public interest if it promotes, disharmony or feelings of enmity, hatred or ill-will between different religious, racial, linguistic or regional groups or castes or communities.</li>
<li><strong>Section 20:</strong> Parliament has power to prohibit operation of cable television networks in public interest.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://indianexpress.com/article/india/govt-amends-cable-tv-network-rules-7364057/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source: IE</strong></a></p>',
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		'article_id' => (int) 8638,
		'category_id' => (int) 21,
		'title' => 'Helpline for Cyber Fraud',
		'description' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>The <strong>Ministry of Home Affairs</strong> has operationalised the<strong> national Helpline 155260</strong> and <strong>Reporting Platform for preventing</strong> financial loss due to <strong>cyber fraud.</strong> The helpline was <strong>soft-launched on 1<sup>st</sup> April.</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The National Helpline and Reporting Platform <strong>provides a mechanism for persons cheated in cyber frauds</strong> to report such cases to prevent loss of their hard earned money.</li>
<li>Also, a <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/national-cyber-security-strategy-2020" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>National Cyber Security Strategy 2020</strong> </a>is being formulated by the Office of National Cyber Security Coordinator at the National Security Council Secretariat.</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Cyber Security</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><a href="/to-the-points/paper3/cyber-security#:~:text=Strategies%20under%20National%20Cyber%20Policy,through%20national%20systems%20and%20processes." target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Cyber Security</strong></a> is <strong>protecting cyber space</strong> including critical information infrastructure from attack, damage, misuse and economic espionage.</li>
<li><strong>Critical Information Infrastructure:</strong> According to<strong> Section 70(1) of the Information Technology Act,</strong> CII is defined as a &ldquo;computer resource, the incapacitation or destruction of which, shall have <strong>debilitating impact on national security, economy, public health or safety&rdquo;.</strong></li>
<li><strong>Cyber Fraud:</strong> It is the crime committed via a computer <strong>with the intent to corrupt another individual&rsquo;s personal and financial information</strong> stored online. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It is the most common type of fraud and individuals and organisations need to be vigilant and protect their information from fraudsters.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</div>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>About:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The helpline has been made<strong> operational by the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C),</strong> in coordination with the <a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-national-institutions/important-institutions-national-institution-reserve-bank-of-india" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Reserve Bank of India</strong></a>, all major banks, <a href="/to-the-points/paper3/payment-banks" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>payment banks</strong></a>, wallets and online merchants.</li>
<li>The <strong>Citizen Financial Cyber Fraud Reporting and Management System</strong> has been developed by I4C to integrate Law Enforcement Agencies and Banks and Financial Intermediaries.</li>
<li>The facility <strong>empowers both the banks and the police,</strong> by leveraging new-age technologies <strong>for sharing online fraud related information</strong> and taking action in almost real time.</li>
<li>Since its soft launch, in a short span of two months, the helpline has assisted in saving <strong>more than Rs 1.85 crore.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The scheme to<strong> set up I4C</strong> was approved<strong> in October 2018,</strong> to deal with all types of cybercrimes in a comprehensive and coordinated manner.</li>
<li>It has <strong>seven components:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>National Cyber Crime Threat Analytics Unit</li>
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/new-facility-to-tackle-cyber-crimes" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal</strong></a></li>
<li>National Cyber Crime Training Centre</li>
<li>Cyber Crime Ecosystem Management Unit</li>
<li>National Cyber Crime Research and Innovation Centre</li>
<li>National Cyber Crime Forensic Laboratory Ecosystem</li>
<li>Platform for Joint Cyber Crime Investigation Team.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>15 States and Union Territories have given their consent to set up Regional Cyber Crime Coordination Centres.</li>
<li>This state-of-the-art Centre is<strong> located in New Delhi.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Other Initiatives to Tackle Cybercrime:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/cyber-crime-data-deprivation-and-data-localisation" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Draft Personal Data Protection Bill</strong></a>, 2018 (based on the recommendation of <strong>Justice BN Srikrishna Committee</strong>) to secure citizens data.</li>
<li><strong>Cyber Swachhta Kendra:</strong> The "Cyber Swachhta Kendra" (Botnet Cleaning and Malware Analysis Centre) is a part of the Government of India's <a href="/loksabha-rajyasabha-discussions/in-depth-digital-india" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Digital India initiative</strong></a> under the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY).</li>
<li><strong><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/35-percent-of-cyber-attacks-on-indian-sites-from-china" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Indian Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT</a>-IN)</strong>: It is an organisation of the MeitY, with the objective of securing Indian cyberspace. It is the nodal agency which deals with cybersecurity threats like hacking and phishing.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Related International Convention (Budapest Convention):</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The <strong>Council of Europe&rsquo;s (CoE) Cybercrime Convention,</strong> also known as the Budapest Convention is the sole legally binding international multilateral treaty on cybercrime. It coordinates<strong> cybercrime investigations between</strong> nation-states and criminalizes certain cybercrime conduct.</li>
<li>It was opened for <strong>signature in 2001</strong> and came into<strong> force in 2004.</strong></li>
<li>The Budapest Convention is supplemented by a <strong>Protocol on Xenophobia and Racism</strong> committed through computer systems.</li>
<li>India is <strong>not a party</strong> to it. India recently <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/convention-on-global-cybercrime" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>voted in favour of a Russian-led UN resolution</strong></a> to set up a separate convention. The resolution seeks to set up new cyber norms considered as a counter alternative to the US backed Budapest Accord.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/amit-shah-launches-helpline-for-cyber-fraud/article34843393.ece" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source: TH</strong></a></p>',
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		'article_id' => (int) 8599,
		'category_id' => (int) 21,
		'title' => 'National AI Portal',
		'description' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>The <strong>&lsquo;National AI Portal&rsquo;,</strong> celebrated its <strong>first anniversary on 28<sup>th</sup> May, 2021.</strong></p>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>About the National AI Portal:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It is <strong>a joint initiative by the Ministry of Electronics and IT (MeitY), National e-Governance Division (NeGD) and NASSCOM.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li><strong>NeGD:</strong> In 2009, NeGD was created as an Independent Business <strong>Division under the <a href="/loksabha-rajyasabha-discussions/in-depth-digital-india" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Digital India</a> Corporation</strong> (a not-for-profit company set up by MeitY).</li>
<li><strong>NASSCOM:</strong> A <strong>not-for-profit industry association</strong>, is the <strong>apex body for the IT and IT enabled products and services sector</strong> in India.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>It serves as <strong>a central hub for Artificial Intelligence (AI) related news, learning, articles, events and activities etc.</strong>, in India and beyond.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>About Artificial Intelligence (AI):</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It describes the<strong> action of machines accomplishing tasks</strong> that have historically required human intelligence.</li>
<li>It includes technologies like <strong>machine learning, pattern recognition, big data, neural networks, self algorithms etc.</strong></li>
<li>AI involves complex things such as <strong>feeding a particular data into the machine and making it react as per the different situations.</strong></li>
<li>AI is being <strong>used across different industries</strong> including finance and healthcare.</li>
<li>As per a report by PwC, India reported<a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/rise-in-ai-adoption-in-india-amidst-pandemic" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong> a 45% increase in the use of AI</strong></a>, the highest among all countries, following the outbreak of the virus.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Recent Examples of Use of AI in India:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>For the Covid-19 Response: </strong>An<strong><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/mygov-corona-helpdesk-chatbot" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> AI-enabled Chatbot</a></strong>was used by<strong> MyGov </strong>for ensuring communications.</li>
<li><strong>In Judicial System:</strong> An AI based <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/ai-portal-supace" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>portal &lsquo;SUPACE&rsquo;</strong></a> is aimed at assisting judges with legal research.</li>
<li><strong>In Agriculture:</strong> ICRISAT has developed an <strong>AI-power sowing app</strong>, which utilises weather models and data on local crop yield and rainfall to more accurately predict and advise local farmers on when they should plant their seeds.</li>
<li><strong>In Disaster Management</strong>: An <strong>AI-based flood forecasting model</strong> that has been <strong>implemented in Bihar</strong> is now being expanded to cover the whole of India to ensure that around 200 million people get alerts and warnings 48 hours earlier about impending floods.</li>
<li><strong>In Banking &amp; Financial Services Industry:</strong> Few banks in India have adopted AI <strong>to increase digitisation to improve customer experience and use algorithms in risk</strong> management (for example, fraud detection).</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Initiatives Taken to Boost Use of AI:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The<a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/india-in-the-ai-race" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong> National Strategy for Artificial Intelligence</strong> </a>(NITI Aayog, June 2018) which is focused on inclusive AI (AI for all), and the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/national-education-policy-2020" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>New Education Policy</strong> </a>(NEP, 2020) which addresses the need to inculcate AI in the curriculum are the right strategic steps to encourage core and applied research.</li>
<li>The<strong> Ministry of Tribal Affairs (MTA)</strong> has inked a <strong>MoU with Microsoft</strong> to support the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/initiative-for-digital-transformation-of-tribal-schools" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>digital transformation of schools</strong></a> <strong>such as Eklavya Model Residential Schools (EMRS)</strong> and Ashram Schools, among others under the Ministry.</li>
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/us-india-artificial-intelligence-initiative" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>US India Artificial Intelligence (USIAI) initiative</strong></a> has been launched to scale up the science and technology relationship between India and the United States.</li>
<li>In 2020, India joined the <strong>'<a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/global-partnership-on-artificial-intelligence">Global Partnership on Artificial Intelligence (GPAI)</a>'</strong> as a founding member to support the responsible and human-centric development and use of AI.</li>
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/mega-virtual-summit-on-artificial-intelligence" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>&lsquo;RAISE 2020 - Responsible AI for Social Empowerment 2020</strong></a>&rsquo;, a mega virtual summit, was jointly organised by the NITI Aayog and the MeitY.</li>
<li>The larger aim of the program <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/responsible-ai-for-youth" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>&ldquo;Responsible AI for Youth&rdquo;</strong></a> is to provide an equal opportunity to all Indian youths - in urban, rural and remote corners of India - to become human-centric designers who can create real AI solutions to solve economic and social impact issues of India.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Barriers to Adoption of AI:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Limited understanding of AI</strong>: Many Indian companies may have not yet understood the full benefits of leveraging AI in their companies.</li>
<li><strong>Low Investments and Less Evolved Startup Ecosystem:</strong> Startup/investment funding ecosystem in India is yet to scale up in terms of AI startups and service providers.</li>
<li><strong>Limited Availability of AI Trained Talent:</strong> There is limited infrastructure to &lsquo;democratise&rsquo; and scale-up important AI skills such as deep learning and neural networks.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Way Forward</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Global Lessons:</strong> Countries like China, USA and Israel currently lead the way in terms of AI adoption. India can consider a few learnings from these countries to further scale-up its AI ecosystem while keeping in mind the overall social development and inclusiveness agenda.</li>
<li><strong>Clear Central Strategy and Policy Framework:</strong> AI adoption in India can be accelerated through the formulation of more focused policies related to innovation, for example, patent control and security. <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/artificial-intelligence-and-deepfakes-misuse-and-way-forward" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Malicious use of AI</strong></a> should be managed as well.</li>
<li><strong>Collaboration among Government, Corporates and Academia:</strong> These three critical stakeholders need to work synergistically to undertake actions like nurturing entrepreneurship, promoting re-skilling, encouraging research and development, and driving the policies on the ground.</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://pib.gov.in/PressReleaseIframePage.aspx?PRID=1722559" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source: PIB</strong></a></p>',
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	(int) 3 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) {

		'article_id' => (int) 8586,
		'category_id' => (int) 21,
		'title' => 'El Salvador Adopts Bitcoin as Legal Tender',
		'description' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p><strong>El Salvador, a small coastal country in Central America</strong> has become the <strong>first in the world</strong> to adopt <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/bitcoins" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Bitcoin</strong></a>, as <strong>legal tender.</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Legal tender</strong> is the <strong>legally recognized money</strong> within a given political jurisdiction.</li>
</ul>
<p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1623409710_image4.png" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1623409710_image4.png" caption="false" width="463" height="263" /></a></p>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Bitcoin:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Introduction:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Introduced in 2009, it is a type of <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/cryptocurrency-and-india" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>cryptocurrency</strong></a> that enables instant payments to anyone. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li><strong>Cryptocurrency</strong> is a specific type of <strong>virtual currency,</strong> which is decentralised and protected by cryptographic encryption techniques.</li>
<li><strong>Bitcoin, Ethereum, Ripple</strong> are a few notable examples of cryptocurrencies.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Bitcoin is based on an<strong> open-source protocol</strong> and is not issued by any <strong>central authority.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Use:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Originally, Bitcoin was intended to provide an alternative to <a href="/current-affairs-news-analysis-editorials/news-analysis/05-03-2020/print" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>fiat money</strong> </a>and become a universally accepted medium of exchange directly between two involved parties.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Fiat money is a government-issued currency that is not backed by a commodity such as gold.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Reason behind this Decision:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Loss on Remittances:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li><strong>El Salvador</strong> relies heavily on<strong> money sent back from workers abroad.</strong></li>
<li>Bitcoin adoption may make these <strong>remittances quicker and cheaper.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Boost Financial Inclusion:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>It is also expected to <strong>boost financial inclusion</strong> in their country as the majority of the population does not have access to formal banking channels.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Concerns:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>In the absence of a <strong>central regulating authority</strong>, legalizing bitcoin will have potential for <strong>fraud and money laundering, high energy costs and extreme volatility.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Implications for the Crypto World:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>This could<strong> potentially encourage</strong> other <strong>smaller countries with weaker economies</strong> to open up to<strong> crypto</strong> as an alternative to <strong>fiat currencies,</strong> paving the way for mainstream future adoption worldwide.</li>
<li>Already, <strong>Venezuela and many African countries</strong> have started using cryptocurrencies as a long term store of value, as their currencies are deflating quickly.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Some Lessons for India:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Not a Instance for Monetary Policy:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>El Salvador does not have its <strong>own monetary policy,</strong> hence, no local currency to protect. It runs on the monetary policy of the US Federal Reserve. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Therefore, any changes in Federal Reserve policies will definitely affect the Country. Hence, it is looking at such alternatives.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Since,<strong> India has its own currency and a central bank,</strong> therefore coexistence of bitcoin and rupee side by side becomes difficult.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Impact on Remittances:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The impact <strong>Bitcoin has on remittance inflows</strong> would be worth monitoring for India, which is home to the <strong>largest remittance market in the world.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>According to a <strong><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/report-on-global-remittances-world-bank" target="_blank" rel="noopener">World Bank report</a>, India</strong> received over <strong>USD 83 billion</strong> in remittances in <strong>2020.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Impact on Money Laundering:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The implication of this move for money laundering is unclear at the moment.</li>
<li>Currently, El Salvador is not considered deficient under the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/fatf-retains-pakistan-in-grey-list" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Financial Action Task Force (FATF)</strong> </a>money laundering requirements.</li>
<li>However, with large scale cryptocurrency inflows and outflows, it would be expected that El Salvador would comply with the 2019 FATF guidance on Virtual Currencies.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>India&rsquo;s Current Stand on Cryptocurrency:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>In 2018, <a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-national-institutions/important-institutions-national-institution-reserve-bank-of-india" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>The Reserve Bank of India (RBI)</strong> </a>issued a circular preventing all banks from dealing in cryptocurrencies. This circular was declared unconstitutional by the <a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-national-institutions/supreme-court-of-india" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Supreme Court</strong> </a>in May 2020.</li>
<li>Recently, the government has announced to introduce a bill; <strong>Cryptocurrency and Regulation of Official Digital Currency Bill, 2021,</strong> to create a sovereign digital currency and simultaneously ban all private cryptocurrencies.</li>
<li>In India, the funds that have gone into the Indian blockchain start-ups account for less than 0.2% of the amount raised by the sector globally.</li>
<li>The current approach towards cryptocurrencies makes it near-impossible for blockchain entrepreneurs and investors to acquire much economic benefit.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Way Forward</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The <strong>overall takeaway</strong> for India from the El Salvador case is <strong>not</strong> in the<strong> monetary sense</strong> at all but as an example of how far countries are willing to go to attract what they believe is the ultimate prize &ndash; <strong>innovators and entrepreneurs working on this emerging sector.</strong></li>
<li>This is the <strong>wealth that India has definitely and has barely protected with policy.</strong></li>
<li>While deliberations continue in India on the monetary and financial regulations around cryptocurrency, it is important that attention be paid to incentives for India&rsquo;s developers working on key innovations in the space.</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/explained-what-el-salvador-legalising-bitcoin-means-for-india-7351272/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source: IE</strong></a></p>',
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	(int) 4 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) {

		'article_id' => (int) 8570,
		'category_id' => (int) 21,
		'title' => 'Railways Gets 5 MHz Spectrum',
		'description' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Recently, the Union Cabinet approved the allotment of <strong>5 MHz spectrum in the 700 MHz frequency band</strong> to the Indian Railways for <strong>improving its communication and signalling systems.</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Railways has also approved a indigenously developed <strong>Train Collision Avoidance System (TCAS).</strong></li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>About:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The <strong>project, targeted to be completed in five years</strong>, is estimated to <strong>cost over Rs. 25,000 crore.</strong></li>
<li>The <strong><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/spectrum-auctions" target="_blank" rel="noopener">spectrum</a> charges</strong> will be levied based on formula as prescribed by Department of Telecommunications for Royalty Charges and License Fee for captive use as recommended by the <strong><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/telecom-firms-oppose-trai%E2%80%99s-public-wi-fi-model" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI)</a>.</strong></li>
<li>With this spectrum, the <strong>railways will introduce Long-Term Evolution (LTE)-based Mobile Train Radio Communication (MTRC)</strong> on its routes.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The Railways <strong>currently relies on <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/new-technique-for-monitoring-of-power-transmission-cables" target="_blank" rel="noopener">optical fibre</a></strong> for its communication network but with the allocation of fresh spectrum, it<strong> will be able to use high-speed radio on a real-time basis.</strong></li>
<li><strong>LTE</strong> is a <strong><a href="/to-the-points/paper3/fifth-generation-cellular-technology-5g" target="_blank" rel="noopener">fourth-generation (4G)</a> wireless standard</strong> that provides increased network capacity and speed for cellphones and other cellular devices compared with third-generation (3G) technology.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Benefits:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Seamless Connection:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>It will be used for modern signalling and train protection systems and ensure seamless communication between loco pilots and guards.</li>
<li>The purpose of the LTE for Indian Railways is to <strong>provide secure and reliable voice</strong>, video and data communication services for operational, safety and security applications.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Reduced Accidents &amp; Delays:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>It will help <strong>prevent train accidents and reduce delays</strong> by enabling real-time interaction between the Loco Pilot, Station Master and the Control Centre.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Internet of Things:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>This will also enable the railways to undertake <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/india-must-get-on-the-iot-highway-fast#:~:text=Internet%20Of%20Things%20(IoT)%20is%20a%20computing%20concept%20that%20describes,than%20the%20object%20by%20itself." target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Internet of Things (IoT)</strong></a> based remote asset monitoring, particularly of coaches, wagons and locos, and monitor live video feed of <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/cctv-in-police-stations-sc" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>CCTV</strong></a> cameras in the coaches to ensure efficient, safer and faster train operations.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li><strong>IoT</strong> is a<strong> computing concept that describes the idea of everyday physical objects being connected to the internet</strong> and being able to identify themselves to other devices.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Train Collision Avoidance System (TCAS).</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It is a microprocessor based control system, which <strong>continuously monitors the speed, direction of travel, distance travelled</strong>, aspect of the signal passed and alertness of the motorman and thus increases the safety of the railway system.</li>
<li>It will help in <strong>improving the safety and increasing the line capacity to accommodate more trains using the existing infrastructure.</strong> The modern rail network will result in <strong>reduced transportation cost and higher efficiency.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Radio Spectrum</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The radio spectrum (also known as Radio Frequency or RF) is a part of the <strong>electromagnetic spectrum</strong>, electromagnetic waves in this frequency range are called radio frequency bands or simply &lsquo;<a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/ham-radio" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>radio waves</strong></a>&rsquo;. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Radio waves</strong> have the longest wavelengths in the electromagnetic spectrum. These were discovered by Heinrich Hertz in the late 1880s.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>RF bands spread in the range between <strong>30 kHz and 300 GHz</strong> (alternative point of view offers coverage 3 KHz &ndash; 300 GHz).</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1623315257_pasted%20image 0.png" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1623315257_pasted image 0.png" width="500" caption="false" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" /></a></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>To prevent interference between different users, the <strong>generation and transmission of radio frequency bands is strictly regulated by national laws</strong>, coordinated by an international body, the <strong><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/important-facts-for-prelims-12th-march-2019" target="_blank" rel="noopener">International Telecommunication Union (ITU)</a>.</strong></li>
</ul>
</div>
<p><a href="https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/cabinet-approves-allocation-of-5mhz-spectrum-for-railways/article34769380.ece" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source:TH</strong></a></p>',
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	(int) 5 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) {

		'article_id' => (int) 8522,
		'category_id' => (int) 21,
		'title' => 'Satellite Internet ',
		'description' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>According to an estimate, 1,250 satellites will be launched annually this decade, with 70% of them for commercial purposes.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Various private companies are <strong>aiming to deliver broadband satellite Internet</strong> around the world <strong>through</strong> their fleet of <strong><a href="/printpdf/gsat-29-satellite-launched-1-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Low Earth Orbit (LEO)</a> satellites.</strong></li>
<li>The idea of a <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/space-internet" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>space internet</strong> </a>system is not new. It is being used through <strong>Geostationary Satellite</strong> for selective users.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Satellite Internet and LEO Technology:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Positioning of Satellites:</strong> LEO satellites are <strong>positioned around 500km-2000km from earth, compared to stationary orbit satellites</strong> which are approximately <strong>36,000km away.</strong></li>
<li><strong>Latency:</strong> Latency, or the time needed for data to be sent and received, is contingent on proximity. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>As LEO satellites orbit closer to the earth, they are able to <strong>provide stronger signals and faster speeds</strong> than traditional fixed-satellite systems.</li>
<li>Additionally, because signals travel faster through space than through fibre-optic cables, they also have the potential to rival if not exceed existing ground-based networks.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Higher Investment:</strong> LEO satellites <strong>travel at a speed of 27,000 kph</strong> and complete a full circuit of the planet in 90-120 minutes. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>As a result, individual satellites can only make direct contact with a land transmitter for a short period of time thus requiring massive LEO satellite fleets and consequently, a<strong> significant capital investment.</strong></li>
<li>Due to these costs, of the three mediums of Internet &ndash; fibre, spectrum and satellite &ndash; the latter is the most expensive.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Geostationary Satellite Internet:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Positioning of Satellites:</strong> Geostationary orbit is <strong>located at a height of 35,786 km over the Earth&rsquo;s surface</strong>, directly <strong>above the Equator.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Most of the existing space-based Internet systems use satellites in geostationary orbit.</li>
<li>Satellites in this orbit <strong>move at speeds of about 11,000 km per hour, </strong>and <strong>complete one revolution of the Earth at the same time that the earth rotates once on its axis.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>To the observer on the ground, therefore, a satellite in a geostationary orbit appears stationary.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Coverage:</strong> The signals from one geostationary satellite can <strong>cover roughly a third of the planet</strong> &mdash; and three to four satellites would be enough to cover the entire Earth.</li>
<li><strong>Easier Connectivity:</strong> As satellites appear to be stationary, it is easier to link to them.</li>
<li><strong>Latency Issues:</strong> The transmission from a satellite in geostationary orbit has a <strong>latency of about 600 milliseconds.</strong> The geostationary satellites are located at higher altitudes compared to LEO, thus the longer the distance that needs to be covered results in greater latency.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Related Initiatives:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>&lsquo;Five to 50&rsquo; service (OneWeb):</strong> OneWeb, a private company, has successfully launched constellations of 218 satellites in LEO. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The company only has one more launch to complete before it obtains the capacity to enable its <strong>&lsquo;Five to 50&rsquo; service</strong> of offering internet connectivity to all regions <strong>north of 50 degrees latitude.</strong></li>
<li>The Five to 50 service is expected to be switched on by June 2021 with global services powered by 648 satellites available in 2022.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Starlink:</strong> It is a venture of SpaceX.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/space-internet" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Starlink</strong></a> currently has 1,385 satellites in orbit and has already started beta testing in North America and initiating pre-orders in countries like India.</li>
<li>However, Starlink&rsquo;s satellites fly closer to the earth and therefore, the company requires a larger fleet to provide global connectivity than OneWeb.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Project Kuiper:</strong> It is <strong>a project of Amazon</strong> announced in 2019.</li>
<li><strong>Loon Project:</strong> Google launched its &lsquo;Loon&rsquo; project in 2013, using high-altitude balloons to create an aerial wireless network. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>After testing the service in rural Kenya, Google&rsquo;s parent company, Alphabet, abandoned the project in 2021.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Issues in LEO Satellites Launch:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Regulation Issues:</strong> During the days of the Sputnik and Apollo missions, governments dominated and regulated space-based activities. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>However, today, the balance of power has shifted from countries to companies.</li>
<li>As a result, there are questions related to who regulates these companies, especially given the large number of nations that contribute to individual projects.</li>
<li>It makes the regulatory framework complicated.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Logistic Challenge:</strong> There are logistical challenges with launching thousands of satellites into space as well.</li>
<li><strong>Difficulty in Space Observation:</strong> Satellites can sometimes be seen in the night skies which creates difficulties for astronomers as the satellites reflect sunlight to earth, leaving streaks across images.</li>
<li><strong>Interruptions:</strong> Satellites travelling at a lower orbit can also <strong>interrupt the frequency</strong> of those orbiting above them.</li>
<li><strong>Space Junk:</strong> There are already almost 1 million objects larger than 1cm in diameter in orbit, a byproduct of decades of space activities. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Those objects, colloquially referred to as &lsquo;space junk,&rsquo; have the <strong>potential to damage spacecraft</strong> or collide with other satellites.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/oneweb-satellites-starlink-project-kuiper-7341366/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source: IE</strong></a></p>',
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	(int) 6 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) {

		'article_id' => (int) 8501,
		'category_id' => (int) 15,
		'title' => 'The Big Picture: Social Media- New Rules & Implications',
		'description' => '<p style="text-align: center;"><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/CvgPrnwtMmg" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></p>
<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Recently, the Government of India announced the <a href="/current-affairs-news-analysis-editorials/news-analysis/27-05-2021#8466" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>New IT Rules</strong></a> for social media platforms in the <strong>'Significant Social Media Intermediaries (SSMIs)' category.</strong></p>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>New IT Rules, 2021:</strong>
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The Union government notified the &lsquo;<a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/new-it-rules-2021" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>The Information Technology (Guidelines for Intermediaries and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021</strong></a>&rsquo; in February 2021 and provided a <strong>three-month compliance window.</strong>
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The rules came in after a huge demand by people with regard to the harassment and other unlawful activities that take place on the social media platforms.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Aim:</strong> The rules are aimed at substantially <strong>empowering the ordinary users of digital platforms</strong> by seeking redressal for their grievances and commanding accountability in case of infringement of their rights.
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The guidelines are framed to ensure social media remains a source of healthy information.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Coverage:</strong> The New IT Rules pertain to <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/over-the-top-platform-in-india" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>OTT platforms</strong></a>, <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/society-and-social-media" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>social media</strong></a> as well as <strong>digital news media organisations.</strong>
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>However, digital news media organisations are already bound by the<a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/press-council-of-india" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong> Press Council of India</strong></a><strong>&rsquo;s code of ethics.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Associated Supreme Court Cases:</strong>
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The genesis of these rules lies in the<a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/draft-it-rules-issued-by-government" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><em><strong> Prajwala case v/s union of India</strong></em></a>, the <a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-national-institutions/supreme-court-of-india" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Supreme Court (SC)</strong></a> ordered the government to<strong> frame the necessary guidelines/Standard Operating Procedure (SOP)</strong> and implement them to &ldquo;eliminate child pornography, rape and gang rape imagery, videos, and sites in content hosting platforms and other applications&rdquo;.</li>
<li>In <strong><em>Tehseen S. Poonawalla</em></strong>, 2018 case, the SC gave the government full freedom to stop/curb dissemination of &ldquo;irresponsible and explosive messages on various social media platforms, which have a tendency to incite mob violence and lynching of any kind&rdquo;.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>An Overview of the Guidelines</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Classification of Social Media Intermediaries:</strong> The guidelines call upon the categories of social media intermediaries:
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Regular Social Media Intermediaries (RSMIs)</strong></li>
<li><strong>Significant Social Media Intermediaries (SSMIs)</strong>
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The SSMIs are the intermediaries having more than 5 million (or 50 lakh users.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Appointment of Officers:</strong> The SSMIs are required to appoint following officers, all of whom shall be the residents of India:
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>A<strong> Chief Compliance Officer</strong></li>
<li>A <strong>Nodal Contact Officer</strong> who should be available 24*7</li>
<li>A <strong>Resident Grievance Officer.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Grievance Redressal Mechanism:</strong> The guidelines ask the social media platforms to have a grievance redressal mechanism so that any content shared violates the public order or is not regulatory, a complaint regarding the same can be lodged to the Grievance Redressal Officer.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The officer will be required to acknowledge the complaint within 24 hours and resolve it within 15 days.</li>
<li>In the cases specifically related to crime against women, the obligation is to resolve the complaint within 24 hours.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Monthly Reports:</strong> The SSMIs are also required to publish a monthly report mentioning the number of complaints received and the actions taken in response.</li>
<li><strong>Verification:</strong> Social media platforms are also required to have a voluntary verification mechanism like Twitter offers a blue-tick mechanism for verified users.</li>
<li><strong>Identifying Originators of Messages:</strong> The new rules make it mandatory for platforms such as WhatsApp, Signal and Telegram to aid in identifying &ldquo;originators&rdquo; of &ldquo;unlawful&rdquo; messages, while also requiring social media networks to take down such messages within a specific time frame.</li>
<li><strong>Non-compliance of these laws</strong> can result for the SSMIs in losing the &lsquo;safe harbour&rsquo; protection offered under the<a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/indian-laws-and-blocking-of-internet-content-centre-vs-twitter#:~:text=Section%2079%20of%20the%20IT,his%20capacity%20as%20an%20intermediary." target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong> Section 79 of the IT Act.</strong></a>
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It grants protection against liability (civil as well as criminal) for content posted on the social media platform by third party users.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Issues Associated</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Violation of Fundamental Rights:</strong> Traceability of content is the very opposite of end-to-end encryption.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Traceability of content originator and content infringes upon the users&rsquo; fundamental <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/right-to-privacy-legitimate-state-interest#:~:text=The%20Supreme%20Court%20described%20privacy,decision%20of%20K.S.%20Puttaswamy%20v.&amp;text=The%20right%20to%20privacy%20is%20protected%20as%20an%20intrinsic%20part,Part%20III%20of%20the%20Constitution." target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Rights to privacy</strong></a>.</li>
<li>The rules place fetters upon the<a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/right-to-dissent#:~:text=Significance%20of%20Right%20to%20Dissent,assemble%20peaceably%20and%20without%20arms." target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong> freedom of speech</strong></a> by fixing the Government as the ultimate adjudicator of objectionable speech online.</li>
<li>These guidelines also undermine the <strong>principles of an open and accessible Internet.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Rules Introduced Without Proper Legislation:</strong> There has been criticism about bringing in a plethora of new rules that ought to be normally triggered only via legislative action.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>These new rules are not based on any parliamentary approval and have been &ldquo;arbitrarily made&rdquo; using<strong> Section 79 of the IT Act.</strong></li>
<li>Also, there was not much public consultation.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Concerns for the Intermediaries:</strong> These rules lead to an erosion of the &lsquo;safe harbour&rsquo; protection given to intermediaries under Section 79 of the IT Act.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Moreover, the rules at all levels, require more expenses and labour on the part of the platforms.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Depriving of Fair Recourse:</strong> An intermediary is now supposed to take down content within 36 hours upon receiving orders from the Government.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>This deprives the intermediary of a fair recourse in the event that it disagrees with the Government&rsquo;s order due to a strict timeline.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Absence of Data Protection Law:</strong> In a country where the citizens still do not have a <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/data-protection-regime#:~:text=Large%20Vacuum%20for%20Data%20Protection,large%20amounts%20of%20personal%20data." target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Data Protection Law</strong></a> to guard themselves against excesses committed by any party, such rules can do more harm than good.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Way Forward</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Putting Accountability in Place:</strong> The social media platforms do not consider themselves liable if any objectionable content is shared. However, they often edit, promote and block content on their platforms.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Considering the fact that some platforms even have about 50 crore Indian users and have their reach even in hinterlands.</li>
<li>The guidelines, seeing from a positive aspect, will help in holding these platforms accountable for ensuring the prevention of any crime.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Data Protection Law:</strong> In order to secure the right of privacy of the citizens and for making the IT rules serve their ultimate purpose, there is a need to expedite the passing of the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/personal-data-protection-bill-2019" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Personal Data Protection Bill, 2019.</strong></a></li>
<li><strong>Deliberating with Stakeholders:</strong> There are indeed many problems with the new rules, but the major issue was that these were introduced without much public consultation.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The solution to ongoing criticism about these rules is to start afresh with the publication of a white paper.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Conclusion</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The guidelines, ultimately, are about the end users of social media platforms, the growth of the latter depends upon the former.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Ensuring the interests of the end users must be the priority and rules and regulations must not be formed in any way that violates their basic rights.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Moreover, there is a strong need to have a law &amp; order in place to curb the falsehoods of the information but also ensure that the privacy of the citizens is not compromised.</li>
</ul>',
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		'article_id' => (int) 8492,
		'category_id' => (int) 22,
		'title' => 'Cryptocurrency and India',
		'description' => '<div class="border">
<p>This article is based upon<a href="https://indianexpress.com/article/opinion/columns/cryptocurrency-bitcoin-global-economy-7337200/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong> &ldquo;Catching the New Tech Wave&rdquo;</strong></a> which was published in the Indian Express on 31/05/2021. It talks about the increasing significance of Cryptocurrencies across the world and why India needs to accept it in order to go hand in hand with the world in the upcoming phase of digital revolution.</p>
</div>
<p>With the creation of <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/bitcoins" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Bitcoin</strong></a> in 2008 till present date, cryptocurrencies have gained much significance all around the world. The gains made by this sector since the onset of <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/coronavirus-disease-named-covid-19" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Covid-19 pandemic</strong></a> in January 2020 are astounding; the &ldquo;cryptomarket&rdquo; grew by over 500%.</p>
<p>However, in the 2018-19 <a href="/to-the-points/paper3/government-budgeting" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>budget</strong> </a>speech, the Finance Minister announced that the government does not consider cryptocurrencies as legal tender.</p>
<p>Considering the fact India was a late adopter in all the previous phases of the digital revolution &ndash; when semiconductors, the internet and smartphones made their mark, there is a need for a change in the thoughts and acceptance for these virtual currencies as they mark India&rsquo;s first step towards entering the new phase of digital revolution.</p>
<h3>Cryptocurrencies</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Rise of Cryptocurrencies:</strong> The pioneer cryptocurrency, Bitcoin, was traded at just $0.0008 in 2010 and commanded a market price of about $65,000 in April 2021.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Many newer coins have also been introduced since Bitcoin&rsquo;s launch and their cumulative market value touched $2.5 trillion by May 2021.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Significance of Cryptocurrencies:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Corruption Check:</strong> As blocks run on a peer-to-peer network, it helps keep corruption in check by tracking the flow of funds and transactions.</li>
<li><strong>Time Effective:</strong> Cryptocurrencies can help save money and substantial time for the remitter and the receiver, as it is conducted entirely on the Internet, runs on a mechanism that involves very less transaction fees and is almost instantaneous.</li>
<li><strong>Cost Effective:</strong> Intermediaries such as banks, credit card and payment gateways draw almost 3% from the total global economic output of over $100 trillion, as fees for their services. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Integrating blockchain into these sectors could result in hundreds of billions of dollars in savings.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Cryptocurrencies in India:</strong> In 2018, The RBI issued a circular preventing all banks from dealing in cryptocurrencies. This circular was declared unconstitutional by the Supreme Court in May 2020. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Recently, the government has announced to introduce a bill;<strong> Cryptocurrency and Regulation of Official Digital Currency Bill, 2021,</strong> to create a sovereign digital currency and simultaneously ban all private cryptocurrencies.</li>
<li>In India, the funds that have gone into the Indian blockchain start-ups account for less than 0.2% of the amount raised by the sector globally. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The current approach towards cryptocurrencies makes it near-impossible for blockchain entrepreneurs and investors to acquire much economic benefit.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Issues Associated with Banning Decentralised Cryptocurrencies</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Blanket Ban:</strong> The intended ban is the essence of the Cryptocurrency and Regulation of Official Digital Currency Bill, 2021. It seeks to prohibit all private cryptocurrencies in India. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>However, categorising the cryptocurrencies as public (government-backed) or private (owned by an individual) is inaccurate as the cryptocurrencies are <strong>decentralised but not private.</strong></li>
<li>Decentralised cryptocurrencies such as bitcoin aren&rsquo;t or rather, can&rsquo;t be controlled by any entity, private or public.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Brain-Drain:</strong> Ban of cryptocurrencies is most likely to <strong>result in an exodus of both talent and business from India,</strong> similar to what happened after the RBI&rsquo;s 2018 ban.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Back then, blockchain experts moved to countries where crypto was regulated, such as Switzerland, Singapore, Estonia and the US.</li>
<li>With a blanket ban, blockchain innovation, which has uses in governance, data economy and energy, will come to a halt in India.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Deprivation of Transformative Technology:</strong> A ban will deprive India, its entrepreneurs and citizens of a transformative technology that is being rapidly adopted across the world, including by some of the largest enterprises such as Tesla and MasterCard.</li>
<li><strong>An Unproductive Effort:</strong> Banning as opposed to regulating will only create a parallel economy, encouraging illegitimate use, defeating the very purpose of the ban. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>A ban is infeasible as any person can purchase cryptocurrency over the internet.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Contradictory Policies:</strong> Banning cryptocurrency is inconsistent with the Draft National Strategy on Blockchain, 2021 of the Ministry of Electronics and IT (MeitY), which hailed blockchain technology as transparent, secure and efficient technology that puts a layer of trust over the internet.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Way Forward</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Regulation is the Solution:</strong> Regulation is needed to prevent serious problems, to ensure that cryptocurrencies are not misused, and to protect unsuspecting investors from excessive market volatility and possible scams. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The regulation needs to be clear, transparent, coherent and animated by a vision of what it seeks to achieve.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Clarity on Crypto-currency definition:</strong> A legal and regulatory framework must first define crypto-currencies as securities or other financial instruments under the relevant national laws and identify the regulatory authority in charge.</li>
<li><strong>Strong KYC Norms:</strong> Instead of a complete prohibition on cryptocurrencies, the government shall rather regulate the trading of cryptocurrencies by including stringent KYC norms, reporting and taxability.</li>
<li><strong>Ensuring Transparency:</strong> Record keeping, inspections, independent audits, investor grievance redressal and dispute resolution may also be considered to address concerns around transparency, information availability and consumer protection.</li>
<li><strong>Igniting the Entrepreneurial Wave:</strong> Cryptocurrencies and Blockchain technology can reignite the entrepreneurial wave in India&rsquo;s startup ecosystem and create job opportunities across different levels, from blockchain developers to designers, project managers, business analysts, promoters and marketers.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Conclusion</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>India is currently on the cusp of the next phase of digital revolution and has the potential to channel its human capital, expertise and resources into this revolution, and emerge as one of the winners of this wave. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>All that is needed to do is to get the policymaking right.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Blockchain and crypto assets will be an integral part of the Fourth Industrial Revolution, Indians shouldn&rsquo;t be made to simply bypass it.</li>
</ul>
<table border="1" style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 100%;">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="width: 100%; border-style: dotted; border-color: #ff0000; background-color: #f5fff7;">
<p><span style="color: #000080;"><em><strong>Drishti Mains Question</strong></em></span></p>
<p>&ldquo;It is time for India to shift from the mainstream payment systems and become one of the most active participants of the upcoming digital revolution. Cryptocurrencies play a significant role in fulfilling this notion&rdquo;. Discuss the positive and negative aspects associated with the same.</p>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
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		'article_id' => (int) 8476,
		'category_id' => (int) 22,
		'title' => 'Information Technology Rules, 2021',
		'description' => '<div class="border">
<p>This article is based on <a href="https://www.thehindu.com/opinion/lead/nine-pin-bowling-aimed-at-free-speech-privacy/article34661717.ece" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>&ldquo;Nine-pin bowling aimed at free speech, privacy&rdquo;</strong></a> which was published in The Hindu on 28/05/2021. It talks about the challenges associated with the Information Technology (Guidelines for Intermediaries and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021.</p>
</div>
<p>The Government of India had framed the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/information-technology-rules-2021#:~:text=Recently%2C%20the%20Ministry%20of%20Electronics,OTT)%20platforms%20and%20digital%20news." target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Information Technology (Guidelines for Intermediaries and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021,</strong></a> in February this year. These rules require the social media intermediaries/ platforms to adhere to a vastly tighter set of rules within three months, which ended on May 25.</p>
<p>Till now almost all major social media intermediaries have not adhered to all the requirements.</p>
<p>But non-compliance can only make things worse, especially in a situation in which the relationship between some platforms such as Twitter and the Government seems to have broken down.</p>
<p>While there are positive aspects about the said guidelines, there are, equally, glaring ambiguities and susceptibilities that appear to be in conflict with the basic tenets of democracy and constitutional values.</p>
<h3>Positives of The Rules</h3>
<p>The Rules must be credited for they mandate duties such as:</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Removal of non-consensual intimate pictures within 24 hours,</li>
<li>Publication of compliance reports to increase transparency,</li>
<li>Setting up a dispute resolution mechanism for content removal,</li>
<li>Adding a label to information for users to know whether content is advertised, owned, sponsored or exclusively controlled.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Associated Issues With the Rules</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Rules Ultra-vires to the IT Act:</strong> It is of significant concern that the purview of the IT Act, 2000, has been expanded to bring digital news media under its regulatory ambit without legislative action.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>There has been criticism about bringing in a plethora of new rules that ought to be normally triggered only via legislative action.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Depriving of Fair Recourse:</strong> An intermediary is now supposed to take down content within 36 hours upon receiving orders from the Government. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>This deprives the intermediary of a fair recourse in the event that it disagrees with the Government&rsquo;s order due to a strict timeline.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Undermining Free Speech:</strong> The rules place fetters upon free speech by fixing the Government as the ultimate adjudicator of objectionable speech online.</li>
<li><strong>Traceability Issue:</strong> Till now social media platforms have the immunity that users received from end-to-end encryption was that intermediaries did not have access to the contents of their messages.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Imposing this mandatory requirement of traceability will break this immunity, thereby weakening the security of the privacy of these conversations.</li>
<li>The threat here is not only one of privacy but to the extent of invasion and deprivation from a safe space.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Counterproductive in Absence of Data Privacy Law:</strong> It could prove counterproductive in a country where the citizens still do not have a data privacy law to guard themselves against excesses committed by any party.</li>
<li><strong>Compliance Burden:</strong> The Rules create futile additional operational costs for intermediaries by requiring them to have Indian resident nodal officers, compliance officers and grievance officers. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>This may not be in favour of many small digital entities and may open the floodgates for all kinds of interventions.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Way Forward</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Uniform Application of Law:</strong> Regulation has an important place in the scheme of things, and no one advocates giving a free pass to digital platforms. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Further, the laws to combat unlawful content are already in place. What is required is their uniform application.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Deliberating with Stakeholders:</strong> There are indeed many problems with the new rules, but the major issue was that these were introduced without much public consultation.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The solution to ongoing criticism about these rules is to start afresh with the publication of a white paper.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Statutory Backing:</strong> After that, if regulation is still deemed to be necessary, then it must be implemented through legislation that is debated in Parliament instead of relying upon executive rule-making powers.</li>
<li><strong>Expediting Data Protection Law:</strong> Making platforms share more information could prove counterproductive in a country where the citizens still do not have a data privacy law to guard themselves against excesses committed by any party.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>In this context, there is a need to expedite the passing of the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/personal-data-protection-bill-2019" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>personal data protection bill, 2019.</strong></a></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Conclusion</h3>
<p>The Supreme Court, in the case of Life Insurance Corpn. Of India vs Prof. Manubhai D. Shah (1992) had elevated &lsquo;the freedom to circulate one&rsquo;s views as the lifeline of any democratic institution&rsquo;.</p>
<p>In this context, five industry bodies, including the CII, FICCI and the U.S.-India Business Council have sought an extension of 6-12 months for compliance. This is an opportunity for the Government to hear out the industry, and also shed its high-handed way of rule-making.</p>
<table border="1" style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 100%;">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="width: 100%; border-style: dotted; background-color: #fcfcf0; border-color: #ff0000;">
<p><span style="color: #333399;"><em><strong>Drishti Mains Question</strong></em></span></p>
<p>While there are positive aspects about the Information Technology (Guidelines for Intermediaries and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021, there are, equally, glaring ambiguities and susceptibilities. Discuss.</p>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>',
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	(int) 9 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) {

		'article_id' => (int) 8466,
		'category_id' => (int) 21,
		'title' => 'Traceability Provision in New IT Rules 2021',
		'description' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Recently, messaging platform WhatsApp has moved the Delhi High Court to challenge the <strong>traceability provision</strong> in the <strong><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/new-it-rules-2021" target="_blank" rel="noopener">New IT Rules 2021</a>.</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Earlier the Ministry of Electronics and IT (MeitY) had sent a <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/data-protection-in-india" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>notice to WhatsApp asking it to withdraw a controversial update to its privacy policy</strong></a> which might be a threat to Data Protection of Indians.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Traceability Provision:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It <strong>requires intermediaries to enable identification of the first originator</strong> of information on their platforms.</li>
<li>Rule 4(2) of the Intermediary Rules states that <strong>a significant social media intermediary</strong> providing services primarily in the nature of <strong>messaging shall enable the identification of the first originator of the information</strong> on its computer resource <strong>as may be required by a judicial order or an order passed by a competent authority under the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/indian-laws-and-blocking-of-internet-content-centre-vs-twitter#:~:text=Information%20Technology%20Act%2C%202000%3A,computer%20resources%20and%20electronic%20records." target="_blank" rel="noopener">Information and Technology (IT) Act 2000</a>.</strong></li>
<li>Failure to comply with this requirement would <strong>take away the indemnity</strong> provided to social media intermediaries under<strong><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/indian-laws-and-blocking-of-internet-content-centre-vs-twitter#:~:text=Section%2079%20of%20the%20IT,his%20capacity%20as%20an%20intermediary." target="_blank" rel="noopener"> Section 79 of the IT Act</a>.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Concerns Raised:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Infringes Rights to privacy and freedom of speech:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>This breaks end-to-end encryption and impermissibly infringes upon users&rsquo; fundamental <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/right-to-privacy-legitimate-state-interest#:~:text=The%20Supreme%20Court%20described%20privacy,decision%20of%20K.S.%20Puttaswamy%20v.&amp;text=The%20right%20to%20privacy%20is%20protected%20as%20an%20intrinsic%20part,Part%20III%20of%20the%20Constitution." target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Rights to privacy</strong></a> and <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/right-to-dissent#:~:text=Significance%20of%20Right%20to%20Dissent,assemble%20peaceably%20and%20without%20arms." target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Freedom of speech</strong></a>.</li>
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/access-to-internet" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Article 19(1)(a)</strong></a> of the Indian Constitution guarantees the <strong>freedom of speech and expression.</strong></li>
<li>The <strong>right to privacy is protected as an intrinsic part of the right to life and personal liberty</strong> under <a href="/to-the-points/Paper2/fundamental-rights-part-1#:~:text=Protection%20of%20Life%20and%20Personal,both%20citizens%20and%20non%2Dcitizens." target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Article 21</strong></a> and as a part of the freedoms guaranteed by Part III of the Constitution <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/privacy-judgement-and-the-aftermath#:~:text=Context,and%20liberty%20under%20Article%2021." target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>(Puttaswamy Judgement 2017)</strong></a>.</li>
<li><strong>States throughout the world have recognised</strong> the &ldquo;important benefits&rdquo; of <strong>end-to-end encryption</strong> and the dangers of undermining that security protocol.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Discourages Free Expression:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Freedom of Speech and Right to Privacy <strong>encourages users to express their ideas and opinions, report unlawful activities</strong>, and <strong>challenge popular views without fear of reprisal</strong>, whereas enabling the identification of the first originator of information in India subverts privacy and <strong>discourages free expression of views.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Will Curb Freedom of Media:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Such a requirement would <strong>put journalists at risk of retaliation for investigating issues that may be unpopular, civil or</strong> for discussing certain rights and criticizing or advocating for politicians or policies.</li>
<li><strong>Clients and attorneys</strong> who could become reluctant to share confidential information for fear that the privacy and security of their communications are <strong>no longer ensured.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Traceability not Effective in Finding Originator:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Traceability would not be effective in finding the originator of a particular message because <strong>people commonly see content on websites or social media platforms and then copy and paste them into chats.</strong></li>
<li>It would also be <strong>impossible to understand the context</strong> of how it was originally shared.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Section 79 of the IT Act 2000</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>It says any <strong>intermediary shall not be held legally</strong> <strong>or otherwise liable for any third party information, data, or communication link</strong> made available or hosted on its platform. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Third party information</strong> means any information dealt with by a network service provider in his capacity as an intermediary.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>This <strong>protection shall be applicable if the said intermediary does not</strong> in any way <strong>initiate the transmission</strong> of the message in question, <strong>select the receiver of the transmitted message</strong> and <strong>does not modify any information</strong> contained in the transmission.</li>
<li>It is <strong>not granted if the intermediary, despite being informed or notified by the government or its agencies, does not immediately disable access</strong> to the material under question.</li>
<li>The intermediary <strong>must not tamper with any evidence of these messages or content</strong> present on its platform, failing which it loses its protection under the Act.</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>End-to-End Encryption vs Traceability</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>End-to-end encryption was <strong>designed to help ensure that nobody other than the person you are talking to can know that you sent a particular message.</strong> This is the exact opposite of traceability, which would reveal who sent what to whom.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>End-to-end encryption</strong> is a system of communication where only the communicating users can read the messages.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Traceability would force private companies to collect and store who-said-what and who-shared-what for billions of messages sent each day.</strong> This will require platforms to collect more data than they need, solely for the purpose of turning it over to law enforcement agencies.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<p><a href="https://indianexpress.com/article/technology/tech-news-technology/tracing-messages-will-violate-privacy-chill-free-speech-whatsapp-7331846/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source:IE</strong></a></p>',
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	(int) 10 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) {

		'article_id' => (int) 8430,
		'category_id' => (int) 21,
		'title' => 'Data Protection in India',
		'description' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Recently, the <strong>Ministry of Electronics and IT (MeitY)</strong> has sent a notice to <strong>WhatsApp</strong> asking it to withdraw a controversial update to its privacy policy which might be a <strong>threat to Data Protection of Indians.</strong></p>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1621848431_image2.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1621848431_image2.jpg" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="700" caption="false" /></strong></a></p>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>About the Issue:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>According to <a href="/loksabha-rajyasabha-discussions/whatsapp-and-violation-of-privacy#:~:text=The%20policy%20allows%20WhatsApp%20and,that%20transact%20on%20these%20platforms." target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>WhatsApp&rsquo;s updated privacy policy</strong></a>, <strong>users would no longer be able to stop the app from sharing data</strong> (such as location and number) <strong>with its parent Facebook </strong>unless they delete their accounts altogether. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Its privacy updates are <strong>designed to make the business interactions</strong> that take place on its platform easier while also personalising ads on Facebook. That is how it will have to make its money.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>According to the <strong>Government</strong>, the messaging app <strong>discriminates against Indian users vis-&agrave;-vis users in Europe</strong> on the matter of a choice to opt-out of the new privacy policy.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>WhatsApp users in Europe can opt-out of the new privacy policy owing to the <strong>laws in the European Union (EU) called the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR)</strong>, which shield them from sharing data from Facebook or grant them the power to say no to WhatsApp&rsquo;s new terms of service.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Data Protection (Meaning):</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Data protection is the <strong>process of safeguarding important information from corruption, compromise or loss.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li><strong>Data</strong> is the large collection of information that is stored in a computer or on a network.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The <strong>importance</strong> of data protection <strong>increases as the amount of data created and stored continues to grow at unprecedented rates.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Need:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>According to the <strong><a href="/printpdf/the-big-picture-election-code-and-new-age-media" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Internet and Mobile Association of India (IAMAI)</a>'s Digital in India report 2019</strong>, there are about <strong>504 million active web users and India&rsquo;s online market is second only to China.</strong></li>
<li>Large collection of information about individuals and their online habits has become an <strong>important</strong> <strong>source of profits.</strong> It is also a <strong>potential avenue for invasion of privacy</strong> because it can reveal extremely personal aspects. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Companies, governments, and political parties find it<strong> valuable</strong> because they can use it to find the most convincing ways to advertise to you online.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Laws for Data Protection across the Globe:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong><a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-international-institution/european-union" target="_blank" rel="noopener">European Union</a>:</strong> The primary aim of the <strong>General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR)</strong> is to <strong>give individuals control over their personal data.</strong></li>
<li><strong>US:</strong> It has <strong>sectoral laws to deal with matters of digital privacy</strong> such as the US Privacy Act, 1974, Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act etc.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Initiatives in India:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/indian-laws-and-blocking-of-internet-content-centre-vs-twitter#:~:text=Information%20Technology%20Act%2C%202000%3A,computer%20resources%20and%20electronic%20records." target="_blank" rel="noopener">Information Technology Act, 2000</a>:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>It provides for<strong> safeguard against certain breaches in relation to data from computer systems.</strong> It contains provisions to prevent the unauthorized use of computers, computer systems and data stored therein.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Personal Data Protection Bill 2019:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The Supreme Court maintained the <strong>right to privacy as a fundamental right in the landmark decision of <a href="/to-the-points/Paper2/important-judgements-of-independent-india#:~:text=Union%20of%20India%20(2017),21%20of%20the%20Indian%20constitution.&amp;text=The%20Puttaswamy%20judgement%20of%202017,fundamental%20right%20in%20Indian%20Jurisprudence." target="_blank" rel="noopener">K.S. Puttaswamy v. Union of India 2017</a></strong> after which the Union government had appointed <strong>Justice B.N. Srikrishna Committee</strong> for proposing skeletal legislation <strong>in the discipline of data protection.</strong></li>
<li>The Committee came up with its report and draft legislation in the form of the <strong>Personal Data Protection Bill, 2018.</strong></li>
<li>In 2019, Parliament again revised the Bill and much deviation from the 2018 Bill was evident. The new Bill was named as <strong><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/personal-data-protection-bill-2019#:~:text=Personal%20Data%3A%20The%20Bill%20requires,be%20stored%20only%20in%20India.&amp;text=Critical%20Personal%20Data%3A%20Critical%20personal,non%2Dpersonal%20data%20when%20demanded." target="_blank" rel="noopener">Personal Data Protection Bill, 2019</a>.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The purpose of this Bill is to provide for protection of privacy of individuals relating to their Personal Data and to establish a Data Protection Authority of India for the said purposes and the matters concerning the personal data of an individual.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Concerns Related to Personal Data Protection Bill 2019:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It is like a two-sided sword. While it <strong>protects the personal data of Indians by empowering them with data principal rights</strong>, on the other hand, it <strong>gives the central government with exemptions</strong> which are against the principles of processing personal data.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The <strong>government can process even sensitive personal data when</strong> <strong>needed</strong>, without explicit permission from the data principals.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Way Forward</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>In this digital age, data is a valuable resource that should not be left unregulated. In this context, <strong>the time is ripe for India to have a robust data protection regime.</strong></li>
<li>It is time that <strong>requisite changes are made in the Personal Data Protection Bill, 2019.</strong> It needs to be reformulated to ensure that <strong>it focuses on user rights with an emphasis on user privacy.</strong> A <strong>privacy commission</strong> would have to be established to enforce these rights.</li>
<li>The <strong>government would also have to respect the privacy</strong> of the citizens while <strong>strengthening the right to information.</strong> Additionally, the <strong>technological leaps made in the last two to three years also need to be addressed</strong> knowing that they have the capacity of turning the law redundant.</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://www.thehindu.com/opinion/editorial/fitful-approach-the-hindu-editorial-on-whatsapp-privacy-policy-and-need-for-data-protection-laws/article34617901.ece" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source:TH</strong></a></p>',
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	(int) 11 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) {

		'article_id' => (int) 8420,
		'category_id' => (int) 22,
		'title' => 'Critical Infrastructure Protection',
		'description' => '<div class="border">
<p>This article is based on <a href="https://www.hindustantimes.com/opinion/cyber-attacks-on-critical-infrastructure-is-india-ready-101621514744151.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>&ldquo;Cyber attacks on critical infrastructure: Is India ready?&rdquo;</strong> </a>which was published in The Hindustan Times on 20/05/2021. It talks about the need for securing critical infrastructure in India.</p>
</div>
<p>Recently, a major cyber attack crippled one of the largest pipelines in the United States (US), Colonial Pipeline, which carries about 45% of all fuel consumed on the country&rsquo;s East Coast. The attack disrupted fuel supplies and caused a surge in gas prices in some parts of the country.</p>
<p>This was a case of ransomware attack, where hackers usually threaten to block the system or publish the targeted company or victim&rsquo;s confidential data, unless a ransom is paid.</p>
<p>The attack on Colonial Pipeline fits the broader trend witnessed in recent years of cyberattacks on critical infrastructure which require to be operational at all times such as traffic systems, banks, power grids, oil pipelines and nuclear reactors.</p>
<p>Given the increasing number of cyber attacks on critical infrastructure, it is essential for countries like India to develop a robust <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/cyber-security-framework-in-india" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>cyber security architecture.</strong></a></p>
<h3>What is Critical Infrastructure?</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Critical infrastructure is the body of systems, networks and assets that are so essential that their continued operation is required to ensure the security of a given nation, its economy, and the public&rsquo;s health and/or safety.</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1621599533_image%200.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1621599533_image 0.jpg" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="500" caption="false" /></a></p>
<h3>Need For A Cyber Security Framework</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Increasing Attack on Critical Infrastructure:</strong> In recent years, attacks targeting critical infrastructure and businesses have surged. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>These include the 2017 WannaCry and NotPetya ransomware attacks, the 2015 attack on Ukrainian power grids and 2010 Stuxnet attack on Iranian nuclear reactor.</li>
<li>Most recently, in 2020, a China-linked hacker group RedEcho targeted India&rsquo;s power sector, ports and parts of the railway infrastructure.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Cyber Wars:</strong> States are deploying cybersecurity attacks in order to have geo-political gains.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Moreover, to escape responsibility for such debilitating attacks, many States use hacking syndicates as proxies.</li>
<li>This has made critical infrastructure protection a major cybersecurity priority for India.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Associated Challenges</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Reluctance in Sharing Information:</strong> A significant challenge in protecting critical infrastructure is the inhibition in the private (and public) sector to share information about the vulnerability of their systems. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>By revealing their vulnerabilities and, therefore, their proprietary information, businesses fear exposing themselves and losing a competitive edge over rivals.</li>
<li>Due to this, Indian regulators have warned that only reactive measures to cyberattacks overlooks the possibility of concerted cyber warfare by adversarial States against India.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Capability Asymmetry:</strong> India lacks indigenization in hardware as well as software cybersecurity tools. This makes India&rsquo;s cyberspace vulnerable to cyberattacks motivated by state and non-state actors.</li>
<li><strong>Absence of a Credible Cyber Deterrence Strategy:</strong> Further, the absence of a credible cyber deterrence strategy means that states and non-state actors alike remain incentivized to undertake low-scale cyber operations for a variety of purposes &mdash; espionage, cybercrime, and even the disruption of critical information infrastructure.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Way Forward: Opportunities In India-Africa Relations</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Doctrine on Cyber Conflicts:</strong> There is a need to clearly articulate a doctrine that holistically captures its approach to cyber conflict, either for conducting offensive cyber operations or the extent and scope of countermeasures against cyber attacks.</li>
<li><strong>Setting a Global Benchmark:</strong> India should see the National Cyber Security Strategy as a key opportunity to articulate how international law applies to cyberspace.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>This could also mould the global governance debate to further India&rsquo;s strategic interests and capabilities.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Specifying Redlines:</strong> National Cyber Security Strategy should include positioning on not just non-binding norms but also legal obligations on &lsquo;red lines&rsquo; with respect to cyberspace-targets, such as health-care systems, electricity grids, water supply, and financial systems.</li>
<li><strong>Promoting Indigenisation:</strong> There is a need to create opportunities for developing software to safeguard cybersecurity and digital communications.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The Government of India may consider including cybersecurity architecture in its Make In India program.</li>
<li>Also, there is a need to create suitable hardware on a unique Indian pattern that can serve localized needs.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Public-Private Partnership:</strong> Given the mutual distrust and vulnerability of the public and private sector, any solution involves sharing responsibility through a public-private partnership for critical infrastructure protection. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>These should focus on building an institutional framework, expanding and deepening capacity, creating security standards and strict audits and evolving a cybersecurity incident reporting framework.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Conclusion</h3>
<p>Given the future of technology under Industrial Revolution 4.0, only an integrated, whole-of-the-ecosystem approach for securing critical infrastructure will be successful.</p>
<table border="1" style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 100%;">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="width: 100%; border-style: dotted; border-color: #ff0000; background-color: #fffdf0;">
<p><span style="color: #000080;"><em><strong>Drishti Mains Question</strong></em></span></p>
<p>New age technologies have made critical infrastructure protection a major cybersecurity priority for India. Discuss.</p>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
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	(int) 12 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) {

		'article_id' => (int) 8321,
		'category_id' => (int) 21,
		'title' => '5G Trial',
		'description' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>The <strong>Department of Telecommunications (DoT)</strong> has given <strong>permissions to Telecom Service Providers (TSPs)</strong> for conducting trials <strong>for use and applications of <a href="/to-the-points/paper3/fifth-generation-cellular-technology-5g" target="_blank" rel="noopener">5G technology</a>.</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>This formally <strong>leaves out Chinese companies</strong> like Huawei and ZTE from the 5G race in India.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>About the Trials:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>In the initial phase, these trials <strong>will be for 6 months</strong>, including a 2 month period for procurement and setting up of the equipment.</li>
<li>TSPs will be required to <strong>test their set up in urban areas, semi-urban areas as well as rural areas.</strong></li>
<li>TSPs will be <strong>provided with experimental spectrum</strong> in various bands, such as the mid-band of 3.2 GHz to 3.67 GHz, the millimeter wave band of 24.25 GHz to 28.5 GHz, and others.</li>
<li><strong>Applications</strong> such as tele-medicine, tele-education, augmented/ virtual reality, drone-based agricultural monitoring, etc. will be tested. The <strong>data generated during the trials will be stored in India.</strong></li>
<li><strong>Use of Indigenous Technology:</strong> The TSPs are encouraged to conduct trials using <strong>5Gi technology</strong> in addition to the already known 5G Technology.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The <strong>5Gi technology</strong> was advocated by India and it is approved by <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/important-facts-for-prelims-12th-march-2019" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>International Telecommunications Union (ITU)</strong></a> - the United Nations specialized agency for information and communication technologies &ndash; ICTs.</li>
<li>The 5Gi technology <strong>has been developed by</strong> IIT Madras, Centre of Excellence in Wireless Technology (CEWiT) and IIT Hyderabad.</li>
<li>It <strong>facilitates much larger reach of the 5G towers and Radio networks.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Need for 5G Trial:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The <strong>telecom market in India is left with only three private telcos</strong>, with the rest having surrendered to the <strong>low returns on investments</strong> over the years. The <strong>two state-run companies, MTNL and Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL)</strong> have survived but are making losses.</li>
<li>In order <strong>to increase their average revenue per user</strong>, it is pertinent for telcos to start offering the new 5G technology as soon as possible.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Chinese Telecom Companies in India:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>India's telecom ministry <strong>has left out Chinese equipment makers Huawei and ZTE from its 5G trials</strong>, becoming <strong>the latest country to lock the firms out.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The US says <strong>Huawei could be used by China for spying</strong>, via its 5G equipment and its Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has even ordered certain US telecommunications companies to remove Huawei equipment from their network.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>India is yet to implement any type of official ban on the Chinese</strong> <strong>companies</strong>, which currently supply a significant amount of equipment to India's mobile providers.</li>
<li>However, the <strong>government has signalled a tighter, more security-oriented approach to the country's networks</strong>, which is widely <strong>expected to work against the Chinese companies.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>In December 2020, the government said <strong>it would identify "trusted" sources of telecoms gear its carriers can use</strong> in their networks as part of the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/national-security-directive" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>new security directive</strong></a> for the sector.</li>
<li>Those new procurement rules are expected to come into effect in June 2021, and will restrict Indian network providers to buying certain types of equipment from "trusted sources". It<strong> might also include a list of banned suppliers.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>5G Technology</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Features of 5G Technology:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Bands in 5G:</strong> 5G mainly work in 3 bands, namely low, mid and high frequency spectrum &mdash; all of which have their own uses as well as limitations.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li><strong>Low band spectrum:</strong> It has shown great promise in terms of coverage and speed of internet and data exchange however the maximum speed is limited to 100 Mbps (Megabits per second).</li>
<li><strong>Mid-band spectrum:</strong> It offers higher speeds compared to the low band, but has limitations in terms of coverage area and penetration of signals.</li>
<li><strong>High-band spectrum:</strong> It has the highest speed of all the three bands, but has extremely limited coverage and signal penetration strength.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Upgraded LTE:</strong> 5G is the <strong>latest upgrade in the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/5g-technology" target="_blank" rel="noopener">long-term evolution</a> (LTE) mobile broadband networks.</strong></li>
<li><strong>Internet Speed and Efficiency:</strong> In the high-band spectrum of 5G, internet speeds have been tested to be as high as 20 Gbps (gigabits per second) as compared to the maximum internet data speed in 4G recorded at 1 Gbps.
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>5G will provide up to three times greater spectrum efficiency and ultra low latency. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Latency is the amount of time data takes to travel between its source and destination.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Utility of 5G Applications:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Trigger Fourth Industrial Revolution:</strong> Combined with <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/india-must-get-on-the-iot-highway-fast" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>IoT</strong></a>, cloud, <a href="/to-the-points/paper3/big-data-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>big data</strong></a>, <a href="/loksabha-rajyasabha-discussions/in-depth-artificial-intelligence" target="_blank" rel="noopener">AI</a>, and <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/edge-computing#:~:text=Edge%20computing%20is%20defined%20as,as%20endpoints%20like%20laptops%2C%20tablets." target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>edge computing</strong></a>, 5G could be a critical enabler of the <strong><a href="/loksabha-rajyasabha-discussions/in-depth-industrial-revolution-4-0" target="_blank" rel="noopener">fourth industrial revolution</a>.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li><strong>Real Time Relay of Information:</strong> One of the primary applications of 5G will be implementation of sensor-embedded networks that will allow real time relay of information across fields such as manufacturing, consumer durables and agriculture.</li>
<li><strong>Efficient Transport Infrastructure:</strong> 5G can also help make transport infrastructure more efficient by making it smart. 5G will enable vehicle-to-vehicle and vehicle-to-infrastructure communication, making driverless cars, among other things, a reality.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Improve the Accessibility of Services:</strong> 5G networks could improve the accessibility of services such as <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/payment-revolution-in-india" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>mobile banking</strong></a> and <strong>healthcare.</strong></li>
<li><strong>Local Research:</strong> It will stimulate the local Research and Development (R&amp;D) ecosystem to develop innovative applications tailored to commercial needs.</li>
<li><strong>Economic Impact:</strong> 5G is expected to create a cumulative economic impact of USD1 trillion in India by 2035, according to a report by a government-appointed panel (2018).</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Evolution from First Generation to Fifth Generation</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>1G</strong> was launched in the <strong>1980s</strong> and worked on <strong>analog radio signals</strong> and supported <strong>only voice calls.</strong></li>
<li><strong>2G</strong> was launched in the <strong>1990s</strong> which uses <strong>digital radio signals</strong> and supported <strong>both voice and data transmission</strong> with a bandwidth of 64 Kbps.</li>
<li><strong>3G</strong> was launched in the <strong>2000s</strong> with a <strong>speed of 1 Mbps to 2 Mbps</strong> and it has the ability to transmit telephone signals including <strong>digitised voice, video calls and conferencing.</strong></li>
<li><strong>4G</strong> was launched in <strong>2009</strong> with a peak <strong>speed of 100 Mbps to 1 Gbps and it also enables 3D virtual reality.</strong></li>
</ul>
</div>
<p><a href="https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=1715927" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source: PIB</strong></a></p>',
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	(int) 13 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) {

		'article_id' => (int) 8234,
		'category_id' => (int) 21,
		'title' => '#FOSS4GOV Innovation Challenge',
		'description' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Recently, the <strong>Ministry of Electronics &amp; IT (MeitY)</strong> has announced <strong>#FOSS4GOV Innovation Challenge to accelerate adoption of Free and Open Source Software (FOSS) in Government.</strong></p>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Free and Open Source Software (FOSS):</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It <strong>doesn&rsquo;t</strong> mean software is <strong>free of cost.</strong></li>
<li>The <strong>term &ldquo;free&rdquo;</strong> indicates that the <strong>software does not have constraints on copyrights.</strong></li>
<li>It means that<strong> source code of the software is open for all</strong> and anyone is free to use, study and modify the code.</li>
<li>It<strong> allows other people also to contribute to the development and improvement of the software</strong> like a community.</li>
<li>The Free and Open Source Software may also be referred to as <strong>Free/Libre Open Source Software</strong> (FLOSS) or <strong>Free/Open Source Software (F/OSS).</strong></li>
<li><strong>Examples</strong> of FOSS include MySQL, Firefox, Linux, etc.</li>
<li>Another category of software is<strong> &lsquo;Closed Source Software&rsquo;.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The software which uses the proprietary and closely guarded code.</li>
<li>Only the original authors have the authority to access, copy, and alter that software.</li>
<li>In this case one does not purchase the software, but only pay to use it.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>About the Challenge:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It will harness the<strong> innovation potential of the FOSS community</strong> and start-ups<strong> to solve critical issues in Government Technologies (GovTech).</strong></li>
<li>It calls upon FOSS innovators to submit implementable open source product innovations in CRM and ERP with possible applications for Govtech in Health, Education, and Agriculture etc.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li><strong>CRM</strong> stands for <strong>&ldquo;Customer Relationship Management&rdquo;.</strong></li>
<li><strong>ERP</strong> stands for <strong>"Enterprise Resource Planning"</strong> and refers to software and systems used to plan and manage all the core supply chain, manufacturing, services, financial and other processes of an organization.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>It is a key component of <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/govtech-3-0" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>GovTech 3.0</strong></a>, which is about building secure and inclusive <strong>Open Digital Ecosystems (ODEs).</strong></li>
<li>The participants are eligible for incubation support, prize money, mentorship by domain experts, institutional support from eminent organizations for incubation of ideas and listing of solutions on<a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/gem-samvaad" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong> Government e Marketplace (GeM).</strong></a></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Significance:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>India is well positioned to become a vibrant hub for <strong>Free and Open Source Software</strong> (FOSS) innovations, due to the large number of 4G data subscribers in India.</li>
<li><strong>96%</strong> of the subscribers access the digital world via open-source based mobile operating systems (primarily Android).</li>
<li>India&rsquo;s largest-government projects (including <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/aadhar-and-its-voluntary-use" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Aadhaar</strong></a>) and many technology start-ups have also been built using FOSS.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Other Related Initiatives:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The Government of India had issued a <strong>Policy on Adoption of Open Source Software in 2015.</strong></li>
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/nmeict" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Free and Open Source Software for Education (FOSSEE) Project</strong></a>: It is a project <strong>promoting the use of open source software in educational institutions.</strong> It does that through instructional material, such as spoken tutorials, documentation, such as textbook companions, awareness programmes, such as conferences, training workshops, and internships.</li>
<li>The government <strong>has also made the android version of the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/aarogya-setu-app-a-technological-solutionism" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Aarogya Setu</a> app open source.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>GovTech 3.0</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>GovTech1.0</strong> was the era of &ldquo;computerisation&rdquo; of manual processes such as putting income tax forms online.</li>
<li><strong>GovTech 2.0</strong> was about building systems which digitised end-to-end processes, for example, the government&rsquo;s<strong> &ldquo;e-office&rdquo;</strong> file management system.</li>
<li>GovTech 3.0 is<strong> focussed on Open Digital Ecosystems (ODEs),</strong> the underlying philosophy suggests that the government should focus on creating the &ldquo;digital commons&rdquo;.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It<strong> envisages the government becoming a facilitator by creating digital infrastructure on which innovators can collaboratively build solutions</strong> for the public good.</li>
<li>ODEs are: &ldquo;open and secure digital platforms that enable a community of actors to unlock transformative solutions for society, based on a robust governance framework&rdquo;.</li>
<li>Several path-breaking ODEs are already in play in India: <strong>Unified Payments Interface (UPI)</strong> in the financial services space; the National Digital Infrastructure for Teachers called <strong>DIKSHA;</strong> etc.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1619424022_image1.png" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1619424022_image1.png" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" caption="false" width="650" height="359" /></a></p>
</div>
<p><a href="https://pib.gov.in/PressReleseDetailm.aspx?PRID=1713452" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source:PIB</strong></a></p>',
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	(int) 14 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) {

		'article_id' => (int) 8194,
		'category_id' => (int) 21,
		'title' => 'Britain Considering New Digital Currency Britcoin',
		'description' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>British authorities are exploring the possibility of creating a Central Bank Digital Currency, being touted as "Britcoin."</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>It is a step towards future proofing Pound Sterling (currency of the United Kingdom) against <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/crypto-currency-exchange" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>cryptocurrencies</strong></a> and improving the payments system.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>About Britcoin:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>In the wake of declining cash payments in the country partly due to the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/coronavirus-disease-named-covid-19" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Corona pandemic</strong></a>, the Bank of England and the Treasury are considering creating <strong>Digital Currency.</strong></li>
<li>The Digital currency, if passed, <strong>would exist alongside cash and bank deposits and act as a new form of money</strong> to be used by households and businesses in England.</li>
<li>It would <strong>sit at the interface between cash and private payments systems</strong> and would <strong>not necessarily be based on <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/important-facts-for-prelims-24-august-2018" target="_blank" rel="noopener">distributed ledger technology.</a></strong></li>
<li>This &lsquo;britcoin&rsquo; <strong>would be tied to the value of the pound</strong> to eliminate holding it as an asset to derive profit.</li>
<li>The move <strong>could have an economic impact in the form of wider investment</strong> into the UK tech sector and lower transaction costs for international businesses.</li>
<li>Britain&rsquo;s digital currency would be different in a key sense as if passed, it <strong>would be issued by state authorities.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Currently, only the Bahamas has such a currency, though China is trialing it in several cities.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Digital Currency:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Digital currency is<strong> a payment method which is in electronic form and is not tangible.</strong></li>
<li>It can be transferred between entities or users with the help of technology like computers, smartphones and the internet.</li>
<li>Although it is similar to physical currencies, digital money allows borderless transfer of ownership as well as instantaneous transactions.</li>
<li>Digital currency is also known as digital money and cybercash. <strong>E.g. Cryptocurrency.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Central Bank Digital Currency:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>A central bank digital currency (CBDC) uses an electronic record or digital token to <strong>represent the virtual form of a fiat currency</strong> of a particular nation (or region).<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li><strong>Fiat Currency:</strong> It is government-issued currency that is not backed by a physical commodity, such as gold or silver, but rather by the government that issued it.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>A CBDC<strong> is centralized;</strong> it is issued and regulated by the competent monetary authority of the country.</li>
<li>Each unit acts as a secure digital instrument equivalent to a paper bill and can be used as a mode of payment, a store of value, and an official unit of account.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Benefits:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>CBDC <strong>aims to bring in the best of both worlds</strong>&mdash;the convenience and security of digital form like cryptocurrencies, and the regulated, reserved-backed money circulation of the traditional banking system.</li>
<li>New forms of digital money <strong>could provide a parallel boost to the vital lifelines that remittances provide</strong> to the poor and to developing economies.</li>
<li>It will ensure that <strong>people are protected from financial instability</strong> caused due to the failure of private payments systems.</li>
<li><strong>Ensures that central banks retain control over <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/monetary-policy-report" target="_blank" rel="noopener">monetary policy</a></strong> against the remote possibility that payments might migrate into cryptocurrencies over which they have no leverage.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Risk Associated:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>There is a need to enforce strict compliance of Know Your Customer (KYC) norms to prevent the<strong> currency&rsquo;s use for terror financing or money laundering.</strong></li>
<li>Existence of digital money<strong> could undermine the health of commercial banks</strong> as it removes deposits on which they primarily rely for income.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>India&rsquo;s Stand on Digital Currency:</strong>
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-national-institutions/important-institutions-national-institution-reserve-bank-of-india" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Reserve Bank India (RBI)</strong> </a>had considered cryptocurrencies as a poor unit of account and also demonstrated by their frequent and high fluctuation in value.</li>
<li>According to RBI, it pose several risks, including anti-money laundering and terrorism financing concerns (AML/CFT) for the state and liquidity, credit, and operational risks for users.</li>
<li>However, it is <strong>considering developing a sovereign digital currency</strong> when the time is appropriate.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/technology/britcoin-digital-currency-being-considered-by-uk/article34364721.ece" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source: TH</strong></a></p>',
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		'article_id' => (int) 8163,
		'category_id' => (int) 21,
		'title' => 'Initiatives of National Internet Exchange of India',
		'description' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Recently, the <strong>Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY)</strong> has inaugurated <strong>three new initiatives/services</strong> of <strong>National Internet Exchange of India (NIXI).</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>IP Guru, NIXI Academy, NIXI-IP-INDEX</strong> have been launched to facilitate adoption of IPv6 and create an environment to ensure smooth transition from IPv4 to IPv6.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>About the National Internet Exchange of India (NIXI):</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>NIXI is a <strong>not-for-profit organization</strong> (<a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/personal-protective-equipment-for-sanitation-workers" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>section 8</strong></a> of the Companies Act 2013) working <strong>since 2003</strong> for <strong>spreading the internet infrastructure</strong> to the citizens of India through the following activities:<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li><strong>Internet Exchanges</strong> through which the internet data is exchanged amongst Internet Service Providers (ISP&rsquo;s), Data Centers and Content Delivery Network (CDNs).</li>
<li>.IN Registry, <strong>managing and operation of .IN country code domain</strong> and .BHARAT IDN (Internationalized Domain Name) domain for India.</li>
<li>Indian Registry for Internet <strong>Names and Numbers</strong> (IRINN), managing and operating <strong><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/mac-binding" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Internet Protocol</a> (IPv4/IPv6).</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>About the Three New Initiatives:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>IPv6 Expert Panel (IP Guru):</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>It is <strong>a group to extend support to all the Indian entities</strong> who are finding it technically challenging <strong>to migrate and adopt IPv6.</strong> It will be <strong>offering its services free of cost.</strong></li>
<li>It&rsquo;s a joint effort of the Department of Telecom <strong>(DOT), MeitY</strong> and industry.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>NIXI Academy:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>NIXI Academy is created <strong>to educate technical/non-technical people</strong> in India to learn and relearn technologies like IPv6 which are normally not taught in Educational Institutes.</li>
<li>Successful candidates (after passing examination) <strong>can take a certificate from NIXI</strong>, which will be useful to find/upgrade jobs in the Industry.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>NIXI-IP-INDEX:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>NIXI has developed <strong>an IPv6 index portal</strong> for the Internet community.</li>
<li>NIXI-IP-INDEX portal will <strong>showcase the IPv6 adoption rate in India and across the world.</strong> It can be used to compare IPv6 Indian adoption rate with other economies in the world.</li>
<li>It will also include <strong>details about web adoption in IPv6, IPv6 traffic etc.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Transition from IPv4 to IPv6</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>IP:</strong> &lsquo;IP&rsquo; stands for &lsquo;Internet Protocol&rsquo;. It is a <strong>set of rules</strong> that dictate how data should be delivered over the public network (Internet).</li>
<li><strong>IPv4:</strong>
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>IPv4 was the first major version of IP. It was deployed for production in the ARPANET in 1983.</li>
<li>It is the most widely used IP version. It is used to identify devices on a network using an addressing system.</li>
<li>The IPv4 <strong>uses a 32-bit address scheme.</strong> Till date, it is considered the primary Internet Protocol and carries 94% of Internet traffic.</li>
<li>It provides <strong>an addressing capability of approximately 4.3 billion addresses.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>IPv6:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It is the <strong>most recent version of the Internet Protocol.</strong> The Internet Engineer Task Force initiated it in early 1994. The design and development of that suite is now called IPv6.</li>
<li>This new IP address version is being deployed to fulfill the need for more Internet addresses.</li>
<li>IPv6 is <strong>also called IPng (Internet Protocol next generation).</strong></li>
<li>It has the <strong>capability to provide an infinite number of addresses.</strong></li>
<li>With <strong>128-bit address space</strong>, it allows 340 undecillion unique address space. It can easily accommodate the growing number of networks worldwide and help solve the IP address exhaustion problem.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Benefit of Transitioning to IPv6:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The most well-known benefit that IPv6 offers is the <strong>exponential address space</strong>, practically inexhaustible in the foreseeable future. Therefore, it allows <strong>simple, seamless, and cost-effective connectivity</strong> for service providers, enterprises and end-users.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>It is considered especially important with the impending move to <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/5g-technology-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>5G</strong></a>, which will massively increase the total number of devices connecting to the Internet.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The IPv6 operating systems <strong>automatically create two IPv6 addresses.</strong> One IPv6 with randomised MAC address in the suffix to hide the device identity and another IPv6 with real MAC address which is only used for end-to-end encrypted applications.</li>
<li>IPv6 has <strong>a privacy protocol</strong> to protect end-user privacy. The current internet (v4) lacks effective privacy and effective authentication mechanisms.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Importance for India:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The sustainable development and evolution of internet infrastructure is <strong>essential to the global cyberspace and digital economy</strong>, and IPv6 root server, which controls and manages the internet, can serve as a great tool.</li>
<li>Creating such critical infrastructure at the national level is important. As a critical internet resource, the IPv6 root server system is <strong>pivotal to manage the security and stability of the internet.</strong></li>
<li>It will <strong>contribute to in-country expertise building on critical information infrastructure</strong> as well as promoting &lsquo;a major technological knowledge base within the country&rsquo;, and having a root server within the country would facilitate surveillance by Indian legal authorities.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=1712056" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source: PIB</strong></a></p>',
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	(int) 16 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) {

		'article_id' => (int) 8138,
		'category_id' => (int) 22,
		'title' => 'Data Protection Regime',
		'description' => '<div class="border">
<p>This article is based on<a href="https://www.thehindu.com/opinion/lead/why-the-personal-data-protection-bill-matters/article34296775.ece" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong> &ldquo;Why the Personal Data Protection Bill matters&rdquo;</strong></a> which was published in The Hindu on 12/04/2021. It talks about how the personal data protection bill, 2019 can help in establishing a strong data protection regime.</p>
</div>
<p>The pandemic has increased people&rsquo;s participation in the digital economy. Unfortunately, the number of personal data breaches from major digital service providers has increased worryingly in the same period.</p>
<p>The recent alleged data breach at MobiKwik could stand to be India&rsquo;s biggest breach with the data of 9.9 crore users at risk. Given the significance of data in this age, robust data protection regimes are necessary to prevent such events and protect users&rsquo; interests.</p>
<p>Presently, how different entities collect and process users&rsquo; personal data in India is mainly governed by the Information Technology Act, 2000, but this data protection regime falls short of providing effective protection to users and their personal data.</p>
<p>However, the<a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/personal-data-protection-bill-2019" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong> Personal Data Protection Bill, 2019</strong></a> (which is now under scrutiny by a Joint Parliamentary Committee) could play a big role in providing robust protections to users and their personal data.</p>
<h3>Associated Issues With IT Act</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Issue of Consent:</strong> Data aggregator entities could override the protections in the regime by taking users&rsquo; consent to process personal data under broad terms and conditions. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>This is problematic given that users might not understand the terms and conditions or the implications of giving consent.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Neglecting Data Privacy:</strong> The frameworks under IT Act emphasize data security but do not place enough emphasis on data privacy. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>In essence, while entities must employ technical measures to protect personal data, they have weaker obligations to respect users&rsquo; preferences in how personal data can be processed.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Large Vacuum for Data Protection:</strong> The data protection provisions under the IT Act also do not apply to government agencies. This creates a large vacuum for data protection when governments are collecting and processing large amounts of personal data.</li>
<li><strong>Becoming Obsolete:</strong> IT Act was enacted in 2000 and further amended in 2008. However, technology and cross-platform integration have increased exponentially.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Therefore, the current data protection regime seems to have become inadequate in addressing risks emerging from new developments in data processing technology.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>How the Personal Data Protection Bill, 2019 can help?</h3>
<p>The Bill seeks to bring a massive and meaningful change to personal data protection in India through this regime. The proposed regime under the Bill seeks to be different from the existing regime in some prominent ways.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Defining the Roles:</strong> The Bill envisages codifying the relationship between individuals and firms/state institutions as one between &ldquo;data principals&rdquo; (whose information is collected) and &ldquo;data fiduciaries&rdquo; (those processing the data) so that privacy is safeguarded by design.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Also, the Bill seeks to apply the data protection regime to both government and private entities across all sectors.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Ensuring Data Privacy:</strong> The Bill seeks to emphasize that data principals will have to maintain security safeguards to protect personal data and also have to fulfill a set of data protection obligations and transparency and accountability measures.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>In nutshell, the provides scrutiny on these entities govern and process personal data to uphold users&rsquo; privacy and interests.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Note:</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The need for a more robust data protection legislation came to the fore in 2017 post the Supreme Court&rsquo;s landmark judgment in Justice K.S. Puttaswamy (Retd) v. Union of India established the right to privacy as a fundamental right.</li>
<li>In the judgment, the Court called for a data protection law that can effectively protect users&rsquo; privacy over their personal data.</li>
<li>Consequently, the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology formed a Committee of Experts under the Chairmanship of Justice (Retd) B.N. Srikrishna to suggest a draft data protection law.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Rights of the Citizens:</strong> The Bill seeks to give users a set of rights over their personal data and means to exercise those rights. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>For instance, a user will be able to obtain information about the different kinds of personal data that an entity has about them and how the entity is processing that data.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Establishing a Regulator:</strong> The Bill seeks to create an independent and powerful regulator known as the Data Protection Authority (DPA). <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The DPA will monitor and regulate data processing activities to ensure their compliance with the regime.</li>
<li>More importantly, the DPA will give users a channel to seek redress when entities do not comply with their obligations under the regime.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Associated Issues With The Bill</h3>
<p>Several provisions in the Bill create cause for concern about the regime&rsquo;s effectiveness. These provisions could contradict the objectives of the Bill by giving wide exemptions to government agencies and diluting user protection safeguards.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Scope for Loopholes:</strong> For instance, under clause 35, the Central government can exempt any government agency from complying with the Bill. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Government agencies will then be able to process personal data without following any safeguard under the Bill.</li>
<li>This could create severe privacy risks for users.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Compromised Concept of Consent:</strong> Similarly, users could find it difficult to enforce various user protection safeguards (such as rights and remedies) in the Bill. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>For instance, the Bill threatens legal consequences for users who withdraw their consent for a data processing activity.</li>
<li>In practice, this could discourage users from withdrawing consent for processing activities they want to opt-out of.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Sweeping Mandate of DPA:</strong> DPA will be tasked with regulating the provisions of the bill to frame regulations on issues such as mechanisms for taking consent, limitations on the use of data, and cross-border transfer of data. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The supervisory mandate of the DPA is sweeping, given the fact that it has to regulate a wide array of preventive obligations, such as security safeguards and transparency requirements.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Conclusion</h3>
<p>In this digital age, data is a valuable resource that should not be left unregulated. In this context, the time is ripe for India to have a robust data protection regime.</p>
<p>The Joint Parliamentary Committee that is scrutinizing the Bill, is expected to submit its final report in the Monsoon Session of Parliament in 2021. This interim period shall be utilized to make some changes in the Bill targeted towards addressing various concerns in it could make a stronger and more effective data protection regime.</p>
<table border="1" style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 100%;">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="width: 100%; border-style: dotted; border-color: #ff0000; background-color: #fefffa;">
<p><span style="color: #000080;"><em><strong>Drishti Mains Question</strong></em></span></p>
<p>In this digital age, data is a valuable resource that should not be left unregulated. In this context, the time is ripe for India to have a robust data protection regime. Discuss.</p>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>',
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	(int) 17 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) {

		'article_id' => (int) 7956,
		'category_id' => (int) 22,
		'title' => 'Ethical Challenges Posed By AI',
		'description' => '<div class="border">
<p>This article is based on <a href="https://www.thehindu.com/opinion/lead/responsible-ai-the-need-for-ethical-guard-rails/article34086236.ece" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>&ldquo;Responsible AI &mdash; the need for ethical guard rails&rdquo;</strong></a> which was published in The Hindu on 17/03/2021. It talks about the Ethical challenges associated with Artificial Intelligence.</p>
</div>
<p>In just the last decade, <a href="/loksabha-rajyasabha-discussions/in-depth-artificial-intelligence" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Artificial Intelligence (AI)</strong></a> has evolved at an unprecedented pace. It has already helped increase crop yields, raised business productivity, improved access to credit and made disease detection faster and more precise.</p>
<p>More importantly, the more we use AI, the more data we generate, the smarter it gets. And as these systems become more capable, our world becomes more efficient and consequently richer.</p>
<p>It could contribute more than $15 trillion to the world economy by 2030, adding 14% to global GDP. A study published in Nature reviewing the impact of AI on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) finds that AI may act as an enabler on 134 &mdash; or 79% &mdash; of all SDG targets.</p>
<p>However, just as AI has the potential to improve billions of lives, it can also replicate and exacerbate existing problems, and create new ones.</p>
<h3>Ethical Challenges Associated with AI</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Risk of Unemployment:</strong> The hierarchy of labour is concerned primarily with automation. Robotics and AI companies are building intelligent machines that perform tasks typically carried out by low-income workers: self-service kiosks to replace cashiers, fruit-picking robots to replace field workers, etc.;<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Moreover, the day is not far when many desk jobs will also be edged out by AI, such as accountants, financial traders, and middle managers.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Exacerbating Inequalities:</strong> Using artificial intelligence, a company can drastically cut down on relying on the human workforce, and this means that revenues will go to fewer people.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Consequently, individuals who have ownership in AI-driven companies will make all the money. Also, AI could compound digital exclusion.</li>
<li>Further, investment is likely to shift to countries where AI-related work is already established, widening gaps among and within countries.</li>
<li>Therefore, without clear policies on reskilling workers, the promise of new opportunities will in fact create serious new inequalities.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Tech Addiction:</strong> Technological addiction is the new frontier of human dependency. AI has already become effective at directing human attention and triggering certain actions. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>When used right, this could evolve into an opportunity to nudge society towards more beneficial behavior.</li>
<li>However, in the wrong hands, it could prove detrimental.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Discriminating Robots:</strong> We shouldn&rsquo;t forget that AI systems are created by humans, who can be biased and judgemental. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It can lead AI facial recognition and surveillance technology to discriminate against people of color and minorities.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Data Privacy Concerns:</strong> AI also presents serious data privacy concerns. The algorithm&rsquo;s never-ending quest for data has led to our digital footprints being harvested and sold without our knowledge or informed consent.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The case of Cambridge Analytica, in which such algorithms and big data were used to alter voting decisions, should serve as a potent warning of the individual and societal concerns resulting from current AI business models.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>AI Turning Against Humans:</strong> What if artificial intelligence itself turned against humans?<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Imagine an AI system that is asked to eradicate cancer in the world. After a lot of computing, it spits out a formula that does, in fact, bring about the end of cancer &ndash; by killing everyone on the planet.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Way Forward</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Whole of Society Approach:</strong> Many countries, including India, are cognizant of the opportunities and the risks, and are striving to strike the right balance between AI promotion and AI governance &mdash; both for the greater public good.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>NITI Aayog&rsquo;s Responsible AI for All strategy, the culmination of a year-long consultative process, is a case in point.</li>
<li>It recognizes that our digital future cannot be optimized for good without multi-stakeholder governance structures that ensure the dividends are fair, inclusive, and just.</li>
<li>In this scenario, a &ldquo;whole of society&rdquo; approach to AI governance will enable us to develop broad-based ethical principles, cultures, and codes of conduct.</li>
<li>So that societal trust can be developed for AI to flourish and bring about the extraordinary breakthroughs it promises.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Whole of World Approach:</strong> Given the global reach of AI, such a &ldquo;whole of society&rdquo; approach must rest on a &ldquo;whole of world&rdquo; approach.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The UN Secretary-General&rsquo;s Roadmap on Digital Cooperation is a good starting point.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>It lays out the need for multi-stakeholder efforts on global cooperation so AI is used in a manner that is &ldquo;trustworthy, human rights-based, safe and sustainable, and promotes peace&rdquo;.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Similarly, UNESCO has developed a global, comprehensive standard-setting draft Recommendation on the Ethics of Artificial Intelligence to the Member States for deliberation and adoption.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Conclusion</h3>
<p>Just as electricity allowed us to tame time, enabling us to radically alter virtually every aspect of existence, AI can leapfrog us toward eradicating hunger, poverty and disease &mdash; opening up new and hitherto unimaginable pathways for climate change mitigation, education and scientific discovery.</p>
<p>However, without ethical guard rails, AI will widen social and economic schisms, amplifying any innate biases at an irreversible scale and rate and lead to discriminatory outcomes.</p>
<table border="1" style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 100%;">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="width: 100%; border-style: dotted; border-color: #ff0000; background-color: #fbfff7;">
<p><span style="color: #000080;"><em><strong>Drishti Mains Question</strong></em></span></p>
<p>Without adequate safeguards, AI can widen social and economic schisms, leading to discriminatory outcomes. Analyze.</p>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>',
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	(int) 18 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) {

		'article_id' => (int) 7930,
		'category_id' => (int) 22,
		'title' => 'Information Technology Rules, 2021',
		'description' => '<div class="border">
<p>This article is based on<a href="https://www.thehindu.com/opinion/lead/the-new-media-rules-are-a-tightening-noose/article34055841.ece" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong> &ldquo;The new media rules are a tightening noose&rdquo;</strong> </a>which was published in The Hindu on 13/03/2021. It talks about the issues related to recently notified Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021.</p>
</div>
<p>Recently, the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology has notified <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/new-it-rules-2021" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021.</strong></a> These new rules broadly deal with the regulation of social media and over-the-top (OTT) platforms and digital news.</p>
<p>These rules seek to provide compliance of law and a grievance redressal mechanism for users of social media platforms, messaging applications, streaming services as also digital news publishers.</p>
<p>The government envisages controlling hate speech which gets proliferated through these platforms and threatens national security. However, critics pointed that the question of stricter regulation of digital media will lead to restriction of free speech and undermining of democracy.</p>
<h3>Need for Digital Media Regulation</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Ensuring Compliance to Domestic Laws:</strong> Major digital media platforms operating in India are of foreign origin. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The rules emphasize the need for these social media intermediaries and online content providers, whether for entertainment or informative purposes, to strictly comply with the Constitution and domestic laws of India.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Setting Accountability:</strong> It extends its approach to instill a sense of accountability against misuse and abuse by social media users and is the first of its kind to bring social media use under the regulatory framework of the Information Technology Act.</li>
<li><strong>Bringing Uniformity:</strong> There are many laws to combat unlawful content that are already in place. The recent rules envisage bringing their uniform application.</li>
<li><strong>Social Imperative:</strong> It lays a special emphasis on the protection of women against the progression of sexual offenses on social media. It also envisages checking the proliferation of fake news and hate speech.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Associated Issues with the Rules</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Distortion of the Idea of Self-regulation:</strong> For digital publishers of news and current affairs as well as video streaming services, a three-tier structure for grievance redressal has been mandated. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>With an inter-ministerial committee of government officials in effect becoming an appellate authority over the self-regulatory exercise.</li>
<li>This would be self-regulation by the media organization and the industry at the government&rsquo;s pleasure.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Three-Tier Redressal Mechanism</strong></p>
<p>The notified rules set out an elaborate time-bound three-tier process whereby each and every such grievance:</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>First handled at the level of the portal itself by its own grievance officer.</li>
<li>If not satisfactorily settled, it passes on to the self-regulatory body of the sector or industry.</li>
<li>If yet not resolved, moves further up to an inter-ministerial oversight committee of the central government.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Compliance Burden:</strong> The sheer process of such grievance handling can impede the operations of a relatively smaller digital venture in the news and current affairs space. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>A measure like this, moreover, jeopardizes the very sustenance of the already financially straitened and functionally beleaguered digital news media.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Potential Misuse:</strong> Apart from imposing a compliance burden on digital publishers, this also opens the floodgates for all kinds of interventions.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Any criticism of the ruling party or government could trigger an orchestrated avalanche of grievances.</li>
<li>This is more worrisome in the already vitiated climate of political and religious majoritarianism.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Arbitrary Powers:</strong> The notification gives the Secretary, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, ad hoc emergency powers to block any content the government considers problematic even without such token procedure.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Also, a negative list of content that shall not be published would be encountered under law as reasonable restrictions to free speech.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Eroding Pillars of Democracy:</strong> The freedom of the press is an implicitly prescribed fundamental right in the Articles 19(1)(a) of the Indian Constitution. It gives every citizen the right to free speech and expression.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>These freedoms have in practice become constitutive and definitive of the fourth estate in the country.</li>
<li>As any government presence could have a chilling effect on free speech and conversations, these rules weaken the dynamic relationship of checks and balances vis-&agrave;-vis the Media and other three pillars: the executive, the legislature, and the judiciary.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Problems in Tracking the First Originator:</strong> The rules require messaging apps such as WhatsApp and Signal to trace problematic messages to the originator.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>However, it raises uneasy questions about how such apps will be able to adhere to such orders, as their messages are encrypted end-to-end.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Way Forward</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Deliberating with StakeHolders:</strong> The solution to ongoing criticism about these rules is to start afresh with the publication of a white paper.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The white paper should clearly outline the harms that are sought to be addressed through regulation of online video streaming platforms and meaningful public consultation which is not limited to industry representatives.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Statutory Backing:</strong> After that, if regulation is still deemed to be necessary, then it must be implemented through legislation that is debated in Parliament instead of relying upon executive rule-making powers under Section 69A of the IT Act.</li>
<li><strong>Expediting Data Protection Law:</strong> Making platforms share more information could prove counterproductive in a country where the citizens still do not have a data privacy law to guard themselves against excesses committed by any party.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>In this context, there is a need to expedite the passing of the personal data protection bill, 2019.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Conclusion</h3>
<p>Regulation has an important place in a liberal democracy. However, given an environment where people are sensitive to content, the regulatory mechanism with a scope of strong government intervention could become an operational nightmare and hamper creativity &amp; freedom of expression.</p>
<table border="1" style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 100%;">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="width: 100%; border-style: dotted; border-color: #ff0000; background-color: #f7f7ff;">
<p><span style="color: #000080;"><em><strong>Drishti Mains Question</strong></em></span></p>
<p>The question of stricter regulation of digital media will lead to restriction of free speech and undermining of democracy. Analyze the statement in light of recently notified Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021.</p>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
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	(int) 19 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) {

		'article_id' => (int) 7910,
		'category_id' => (int) 21,
		'title' => 'Licensing Conditions for Telecom Companies Amended',
		'description' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>The <strong>Department of Telecommunications (DoT)</strong> has amended<strong> licensing conditions for telecom companies.</strong> The new norms will be implemented from <strong>15<sup>th</sup> June 2021.</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>In March 2021, the Union Cabinet approved <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/pli-scheme-for-telecom-sector" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>the Production-Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme for the telecom sector</strong></a> to <strong>reduce imports</strong> and move towards <strong>self-reliance.</strong></li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>New Licensing Conditions:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Aim:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>To<strong> include defence and national security as parameters</strong> when purchasing <strong>&lsquo;trusted telecom products&rsquo;</strong> and sourcing equipment from <strong>&lsquo;trusted telecom equipment sources&rsquo;.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Provisions:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Telecom companies can use<strong> telecom products only from trusted sources</strong> in its network and <strong>must take permission</strong> from the designated authority<strong> (National Cyber Security Coordinator)</strong> if they plan to upgrade their existing network <strong>using telecom equipment that has not been designated as a trusted product.</strong></li>
<li>The new norms <strong>will not impact the annual maintenance contracts or upgrades to existing equipment</strong> already being used by the telcos in their networks.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Trusted Telecom Products/Trusted Telecom Equipment Source:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>About:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>It is simply<strong> a product, a company, or a technology that has been deemed safe by the government</strong> of a nation for use in its crucial and critical infrastructure.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Classification:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>In December 2020, India&rsquo;s Cabinet Committee on Security had approved the setting up of a new <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/national-security-directive" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>National Security Directive</strong> </a>on the telecommunication sector with an intent <strong>to classify telecom products</strong> and their sources under the <strong>&lsquo;trusted&rsquo;</strong> and <strong>&lsquo;non-trusted&rsquo;</strong> categories.</li>
<li><strong>National Cyber Security Coordinator</strong> has been made the<strong> designated authority for deciding on the list of trusted and non-trusted telecom</strong> equipment sources and products.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Its decisions will be made based on approval of a committee headed by the deputy <strong><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/unified-commanders-conference#:~:text=The%20National%20Security%20Advisor%20acts,Security%20Advisor%20is%20Ajit%20Doval." target="_blank" rel="noopener">National Security Advisor</a> (NSA).</strong></li>
<li>Apart from the deputy NSA,<strong> the expert committee will have members from other departments and ministries, and independent experts as well</strong> as two members from the industry.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Impact:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The new policy could potentially make it more<strong> difficult for Chinese telecom equipment vendors</strong> like Huawei and ZTE to supply equipment to Indian telecom players in the future. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Both Huawei and ZTE <strong>have been under global scrutiny for allegedly installing &lsquo;backdoor&rsquo; or &lsquo;trapdoor&rsquo; vulnerabilities</strong> and<strong> spying for the Chinese government</strong> and have been banned by several countries.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Significance:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Telecom equipment plays a vital role in telecom connectivity and data transfer, which has a direct impact on the national security of India therefore this change will <strong>help in strengthening national security of India.</strong></li>
<li>Demand for local equipment will rise which will further promote the vision of<a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/assessment-of-make-in-india" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong> Make-in-India</strong> </a>and <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/atmanirbhar-bharat-and-economic-stimulus" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Atmanirbhar Bharat</strong></a>.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://www.thehindu.com/business/govt-to-telcos-buy-only-from-trusted-sources/article34038934.ece" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source:TH</strong></a></p>',
		'posturl' => 'licensing-conditions-for-telecom-companies-amended',
		'publishon' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
		'tag' => 'IT & Computers',
		'[new]' => false,
		'[accessible]' => [
			[maximum depth reached]
		],
		'[dirty]' => [[maximum depth reached]],
		'[original]' => [[maximum depth reached]],
		'[virtual]' => [[maximum depth reached]],
		'[errors]' => [[maximum depth reached]],
		'[invalid]' => [[maximum depth reached]],
		'[repository]' => 'articles'
	
	}
]
$tags = [
	(int) 0 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) {

		'id' => (int) 381,
		'tag' => 'IT & Computers',
		'colorcode' => 'FFFFFF',
		'posturl' => 'it-&-computers',
		'status' => (int) 1,
		'sort_order' => (int) 5,
		'type' => (int) 0,
		'relivant' => (float) 1,
		'metatitle' => 'IT & Computers',
		'metakeyword' => 'IT & Computers',
		'metadescription' => 'IT & Computers',
		'addedby' => (int) 9,
		'updatedby' => (int) 9,
		'added' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
		'modified' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenTime) {},
		'[new]' => false,
		'[accessible]' => [
			[maximum depth reached]
		],
		'[dirty]' => [[maximum depth reached]],
		'[original]' => [[maximum depth reached]],
		'[virtual]' => [[maximum depth reached]],
		'[errors]' => [[maximum depth reached]],
		'[invalid]' => [[maximum depth reached]],
		'[repository]' => 'tags'
	
	}
]
$title = 'Article Tags'
$lastyear = (int) 2018
$year = '2021'
$i = (int) 2017
$selected = ''
$m = (int) 13
$month = 'December'

include - ROOT/plugins/Drishti/src/Template/Element/rightsection.ctp, line 100
Cake\View\View::_evaluate() - CORE/src/View/View.php, line 1196
Cake\View\View::_render() - CORE/src/View/View.php, line 1157
Cake\View\View::_renderElement() - CORE/src/View/View.php, line 1554
Cake\View\View::element() - CORE/src/View/View.php, line 668
include - ROOT/plugins/Drishti/src/Template/Element/articlebox.ctp, line 5
Cake\View\View::_evaluate() - CORE/src/View/View.php, line 1196
Cake\View\View::_render() - CORE/src/View/View.php, line 1157
Cake\View\View::_renderElement() - CORE/src/View/View.php, line 1554
Cake\View\View::element() - CORE/src/View/View.php, line 668
include - ROOT/plugins/Drishti/src/Template/Articles/tags.ctp, line 61
Cake\View\View::_evaluate() - CORE/src/View/View.php, line 1196
Cake\View\View::_render() - CORE/src/View/View.php, line 1157
Cake\View\View::render() - CORE/src/View/View.php, line 765
Cake\Controller\Controller::render() - CORE/src/Controller/Controller.php, line 623
Cake\Http\ActionDispatcher::_invoke() - CORE/src/Http/ActionDispatcher.php, line 125
Cake\Http\ActionDispatcher::dispatch() - CORE/src/Http/ActionDispatcher.php, line 93

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