Despite its lively democracy, strong tradition of press freedom and political debates,

India is in many ways struggling to find the right balance between freedom of
expression online and other concerns such as security. While civil society is
becoming increasingly vocal in attempting to push this balance towards freedom of
expression, the government seems unwilling or unable to reform the law at the
speed required to keep pace with new technologies, in particular the explosion in
social media use. The report has found the main problems that need to be tackled
are online censorship through take down requests, filtering and blocking and the
criminalization of online speech.

Politically motivated take down requests and network disruptions are significant
violations of the right to freedom of expression. The government continues its
regime of internet filtering and the authorities have stepped up surveillance online
and put pressure on internet service providers to collude in the filtering and
blocking of content which may be perfectly legitimate.

Despite numerous calls for change, the government has refused to reform the
controversial IT Act. However, public outrage and protests against abuses of the law
have multiplied since 2012. Civil society and political initiatives against this
legislation have increased and demands for new transparent and participatory
processes for making internet policy have gained popular support.

Technical means designed to curb freedom of expression, arguably to achieve

political gain, have no place in a functioning democratic society. While government
efforts to expand digital access across the country are promising, these efforts
should not be undermined by disproportionate and politically motivated network
shutdowns.

While it is to be welcomed that India is taking a more vocal part in the global
internet governance debate in favor of the multi stakeholder approach, it is
essential it ensures its own laws are proportionate and protect freedom of
expression in order for the country to have the most impact in this debate.

RECOMMENDATIONS

To end internet censorship and provide a safe space for digital freedom, Indian
authorities must:

Stop prosecuting citizens who express legitimate opinions in online debates, posts
and discussions;

Revise take down procedures, so that demands for online content to be removed
do not apply to legitimate expression of opinions or content in the public interest, so
not to undermine freedom of expression;
 Reform IT Act provisions 66A and 79 and take down procedures so that content
authors are notified and offered the opportunity to appeal take down requests
before censorship occurs;

Stop issuing take down requests without court orders, an increasingly common
procedure;

Lift restrictions on access to and functioning of cyber cafes;

Take better account of the right to privacy and end unwarranted digital intrusions
and interference with citizens online communications;

Maintain their support for a multi stakeholder approach to global internet

governance.

India proposes to cover 55669 villages of India which are not covered by mobile
coverage by 2018 and empower our villages in the use of digitized India and benefit
from it.

GOI till July 2016 has laid optic in 23604 gram panchayat has laid optic fibre cable.
The idea is to cover 55000 villages by 31st of March 2018. It is expected all 2.5 lakh
village panchayat swill be benefited by 2018.

Providing high speed mobile connectivity, providing government servicing, providing

for electronic manufacturing and providing jobs to our youths are some of the
priorities of GOI.

Recently in Shimoga and surrounding districts over production of Banana resulted in

distress sales for one Rupee a Kg and some left their goods on the road, because of
over production. These huge loss to the farmers can be avoided by digitizing India.
Both the purchaser and the sellers are benefited.

The digitization helps in the reduction of court cases where our farmers wastes
there time, money and effort. They spend not less than 100 days in a year either
meeting munsifs or village accountant or officials in revenue offices or lawyers or
attend various courts. They also have to cough up huge amounts of money. All
these can be avoided because of latest technology, satellite imaging, digitization.

Farmers can be informed of the crop pattern that is suitable for the season, the
rainfall for the year , the fertilisers and pesticides required can be got through the
net.

Students can use the net facilities to brouse the best lectures online, and make the
best use of it in the furtherance of studies. Non availability of teachers will not be a
hindrance for their studies.
By digitization requirement of employees with lower skill in data storage, can be
met from these villages. Such jobs do not require higher technical skill and can be
done even with qualification of matriculation. Many in the villages can work in the
comfort of their home .

This Recommendation aims to support the development and implementation of

digital government strategies that bring governments closer to citizens and
businesses. It recognises that todays technology is not only a strategic driver for
improving public sector efficiency, but can also support effectiveness of policies and
create more open, transparent, innovative, participatory and trustworthy
governments. However, the multiplication of technological options may give rise to
new risks and greater societal expectations that governments are not always fully
prepared to address. Many governments still do not see technology as a
collaborative means to shape public governance outcomes. A business as usual
approach to technology that reinforces existing internal government processes only
leads to failed projects and public criticism.

The Recommendation can enable a fundamental shift from citizen-centric

approaches (government anticipating the needs of citizens and businesses) to
citizen-driven approaches (citizens and businesses formulating and determining
their needs in partnership with governments).

Capturing the value of digital technologies for more open, participatory and
innovative governments:

Using technology to improve government accountability, social inclusiveness and

partnerships.

Creating a data-driven culture in the public sector.

Ensuring coherent use of digital technologies across policy areas and levels of
government.
Strengthen the ties between digital government and broader public governance
agendas.

Reflecting a risk management approach to address digital security and privacy

issues.

Developing clear business cases to sustain the funding and success of digital
technologies projects.

Reinforcing institutional capacities to manage and monitor project implementation.

Assessing existing assets to guide procurement of digital technologies.

Reviewing legal and regulatory frameworks to allow digital opportunities to be

seized.

Download the Recommendation

What can policy makers do to spur effective and more open, innovative and
participatory governments?

Set strategic digital government objectives

Taking steps to address existing digital divides and the need to avoid new digital
exclusions; as well as the creation of a data-driven culture that enables open data
for transparency, better service delivery and public participation.
Ensure the coherent use of technology across policy areas and levels of
government.

Establishing organisational and governance frameworks for effective co-ordination

and integration of efforts to produce better policy outcomes and services.

Strengthen capacities to support better implementation of digital government

strategies.

Governments should adopt clear business cases for the use of resources on
identified objectives, and should monitor results. The necessary capacities,
including regulatory and legal frameworks, need to be put in place to not only
capture new digital government opportunities but also to mitigate associated risks
(such as security and privacy)