Human Rights Protection In Cyberspace

[PTLB]

Human Rights Protection in Cyberspace (HRPIC) encompasses the multifaceted efforts to uphold fundamental rights—including privacy, freedom of expression, and access to information—amid the rapid expansion of digital landscapes. In India, HRPIC has navigated a complex trajectory, evolving from the nascent cyber laws of 2000 to an era of over 900 million internet users by 2025. This journey grapples with persistent challenges like surveillance, censorship, cybercrimes, and even pandemic-era digital mandates. It weaves together legal advocacy, sharp policy critiques, and innovative techno-legal solutions, all aimed at countering overreach by the state and corporations to cultivate a cyberspace that truly respects human rights. Diverse actors, from grassroots civil society groups to cutting-edge analytics centers, have been at the forefront of this movement.

The origins of HRPIC in India are deeply intertwined with the Information Technology Act, 2000, a pioneering law that imposed penalties for cyber offenses but inadvertently laid the groundwork for expansive surveillance mechanisms, leaving glaring gaps in privacy protections. The 2008 amendments further escalated intermediary liabilities, igniting legal challenges from organizations like the People’s Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL), which contested abuses under the Telegraph Act. A pivotal techno-legal turning point came in 2009 with the launch of the HRPIC blog by Praveen Dalal, who branded the Act an “endemic e-surveillance enabling law” that infringed on constitutional Articles 14 (equality), 19 (expression), and 21 (life and liberty). Dalal’s early calls for repeal and the establishment of an E-Surveillance Policy with parliamentary oversight set a bold precedent.

See Human Rights Protection In Cyberspace (HRPIC): India’s Digital Rights Odyssey post for more.

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