There are concerns over India’s digital public infrastructure and the role of self-regulatory organizations like the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI). In particular that these entities, lacking oversight, could become “Alt Big Tech,” potentially harming users and stifling innovation. While these organizations are privately operated, function under regulatory supervision and could represent a new model for governing modern techno-legal ecosystems.
The transformative potential of OpenAI’s ChatGPT is like how Google revolutionised search. ChatGPT could disrupt the targeted advertising model that sustains most internet businesses by providing summarized information instead of directing users to specific websites. The technology’s potential to change the internet’s fundamental business model is emphasized.
A reflection on the tech policy developments in India during 2022. While my initial predictions about data protection laws and tech sector reforms didn’t unfold as expected, there have been positive strides in India’s digital public infrastructure, like the UPI payment system and Account Aggregator ecosystem. India’s upcoming G20 presidency could further spotlight its techno-legal approach to regulation.
There are two types of entrepreneurs: “Idea Factories,” who generate numerous ideas but struggle with execution, and “Factories for Ideas,” who excel at turning a single idea into a successful business. Recognizing whether an entrepreneur falls into one or the other of these types can help advice them appropriately - and ideally entrepreneurial teams should pair both types for optimal success.
Education is evolving in the age of technology and AI. While modern education is moving away from rote learning to skills like critical thinking, students should also be trained to use AI as a research tool. However, the rise of AI-generated content poses challenges in distinguishing genuine research from fabricated material, necessitating the teaching of healthy skepticism and cross-referencing skills to students.
We need to think about creating “sufficiently decentralized” social networks. While decentralization offers more control to users, it has drawbacks - such as non-unique usernames across the network. If we can use smart contracts to create a decentralized name registry we might be able to balance user control and functionality, and create a more user-empowered internet.
India’s new draft data protection law mandates that data fiduciaries must notify affected individuals and the Data Protection Board of a breach, but it lacks specifics as to timelines or remedial actions. I worry that over-reporting minor incidents could lead to public desensitization, and would have preferred a more balanced approach that only requires notification of only the most high-risk breaches, similar to the European GDPR.
The new draft of India’s digital data protection bill is praised for its simplicity and relatability, although it has raised concerns for its lack of detail and government exemptions. The draft also misses key concepts like data portability and uses non-standard terminology.
The latest draft of India’s Digital Data Protection Bill, 2022, stands out for its simplicity and new concepts like “voluntary undertaking” and official recognition of “consent managers.” However, it omits features like data portability and the right to be forgotten. Critics argue the draft lacks safeguards and over-delegates legislative authority, particularly around the concept of “deemed consent.” But the principles-based approach it espouses could ensure agile and enduring data protection regulation.
Elon Musk’s takeover of Twitter has reignited debates on content moderation and free speech. But today it is not content that is the challenge but context. We need to move from centralized platforms to federated, protocol-based networks, allowing user-controlled, context-sensitive conversations. This is a model already successful in India’s digital public infrastructure. digital public infrastructure content moderation context data governance.
