Defending Digital Liberties: India's Emerging Activism

As India deepens and strengthens its tech revolution, news agencies, human rights organisations, and watchdogs globally have expressed serious concerns on the increasing attempts made by the Government of India to tighten its control over internet access, content, and digital infrastructure. Digital liberties in India are under serious threat. In response, there has been  a steadily expanding activism for the last ten years for digital liberties around four broad issues: a) net neutrality, b) censorship and free expression, c) online privacy, and d) access to internet.

My proposed project analyses this decade-old activism longitudinally. I will examine key moments of digital liberties activism - through fieldwork and archival research - to enhance our understanding of the changing relationship between the State, activists, and Big Tech in India. The insights I will distil from this research will contribute to an enhanced analytical understanding of India's ongoing digital politics, governance, and the online public sphere.