Heena Sharma Blog

The data-collection business model fuelling Facebook and Google represents a threat to human rights around the world, Amnesty International said in a report Wednesday. The organization argued that offering people free online services and then using information about them to target money-making ads imperils a gamut of rights including freedom of opinion and expression. "Despite the real value of the services they provide, Google and Facebook's platforms come at a systemic cost," Amnesty said in its report, "Surveillance Giants." "The companies' surveillance-based business model forces people to make a Faustian bargain, whereby they are only able to enjoy their human rights online by submitting to a system predicated on human rights abuse." With ubiquitous surveillance, the two online giants are able to collect massive amounts of data which may be used against their customers, according to the London-based human rights group. The bus

Hundreds of people from across the country, including prominent activists like Medha Patkar and Shabnam Hashmi, gathered at Parliament Street in central Delhi to celebrate the International Human Rights Day on Monday. Members of social movements, the civil society, representatives of Narmada Bachao Andolan, tribals from the Nilgiris and several others from different areas joined the activists. The participants sang patriotic songs and chanted slogans in support of the freedom of speech . The people have gathered to observe Jashn-e-Samvidhan, a celebration of dissent and resistance. It aims to celebrate the spirit of Constitution, the struggles of people and reassert the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, said Patkar of the Andolan. Read More Business Standard

The IT ministry is mulling sending a third notice to WhatsApp asserting that it bring in 'traceability' of messages on its platform, even as the American firm has maintained that doing so will impact end-to-end encryption and violate privacy of users. According to government sources, an internal discussion was held on the issue and a third letter could now be sent to WhatsApp in the next 7-10 days. The IT ministry feels that technical solutions can be found to trace the originator of a message, without actually compromising end-to-end encryption, said a government official, who did not wish to be named. Citing examples of potential technical solutions that could be brought to the table, the official said traceability can be brought in for a message that has been forwarded to, say, a high number of users within a short span of time. Read More Article Source >> Business Standard

In the report released today, the UN talked about alleged human rights violations in both "Indian-administered and Pakistan-administered Kashmir" Current Affairs News : India   today rejected a UN report alleging   human rights violations in   Kashmir   as "fallacious, tendentious and motivated". In a strong reaction, the   Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said the report is "overtly prejudiced" and seeks to build a "false narrative". It violated the country's sovereignty and territorial integrity, it said. In the report released today, the UN talked about alleged   human rights   violations in both "Indian-administered and Pakistan-administered Kashmir" and sought an international inquiry into these abuses. Also read: UN report accuses India, Pakistan of Kashmir rights violations, seeks probe "India   rejects the report. It is fallacious, tendentious and motivated. We question the intent