[WSMDiscuss] Safeguarding Democracy from Digital Platforms (Common Cause, Internet Freedom Foundation, Free Software Movement of India, Association for Democratic Reform, and former public servants and Chief Election Commissioners)

Tue Apr 2 19:40:29 CEST 2019

Tuesday, April 2, 2019

India in movement…, Social media in movement…, Democracy in movement…

[As I’ve said in several recent earlier posts, India is about to have general elections starting later this month, spread over the next two months, where democracy itself is at stake – as has been the case in so many countries across the world recently, including Brazil, Turkey, and the US, and where in most cases we have learned what a huge role social media today play in this process; but more, how much social media have been used by all kinds of interests, domestic and foreign, to profoundly distort public understanding through massive misinformation and disinformation, and therefore massively undermining and attacking democracy itself.

[Given this, and having tried first – with apparently quite limited success - to approach the Election Commission of India about this potential in the upcoming elections, a number of civil organisations and former public servants and Chief Election Commissioners in India have come together and prepared a joint Statement of Concern and Call for Action, and with detailed proposals for / recommendations to political parties and to the Election Commission, after drawing lessons from the Brazilian and US experiences among others.  While the Statement and Call for Action is presently being circulated within India only for endorsement, here - for the information of all those across the world who are concerned with democratic process and the protection of democracy, and especially at the historical juncture that we are today, in India and across the world - is the document, in PDF form :

Safeguarding Democracy from Digital Platforms

Common Cause, Internet Freedom Foundation, Free Software Movement of India, Association for Democratic Reform, and former public servants and Chief Election Commissioners

Extract from covering letter to Statement and Call :

“Dear all,          

“The threat posed by digital platforms to the integrity of elections has of late assumed alarming proportions. In this context, a group of former civil servants, which had had a series of engagements with the Election Commission of India over various issues impinging on the conduct of free and fair elections, had presented a proposition of immediate and short-term measures that could be adopted by the ECI to counter the threat of subversion of democracy through digital platforms. The group was assured that its recommendations would receive the Commission’s careful consideration, but, except for the adoption of the Voluntary Code of Ethics for the General Elections mediated by the Internet & Mobile Association of India, there has been little progress in the matter.

“This call to action is the outcome of a collective reflection by concerned civil society groups, including Common Cause, Internet Freedom Foundation, Free Software Movement of India, Association for Democratic Reform, and many former public servants, including Dr N. Gopalaswami and Dr S. Y. Quraishi, both former Chief Election Commissioners.

“It is our intention to release a statement to the stakeholders on Friday, April 5. …”

[End of extract]

            In solidarity, and with profound thanks to all those concerned who have taken this crucial initiative at this time in history -

            JS

att

Common Cause, Internet Freedom Foundation, Free Software Movement of India, Association for Democratic Reform, and former public servants, nd, c.April 2019 – ‘Safeguarding Democracy from Digital Platforms’ - Final x a kothari on lists 020419

______________________________

Jai Sen

Independent researcher, editor

jai.sen at cacim.net <mailto:jai.sen at cacim.net>
Now based in New Delhi, India (+91-98189 11325) and in Ottawa, Canada, on unceded Anishinaabe territory (+1-613-282 2900) 

Current associations : www.cacim.net <http://www.cacim.net/> / http://www.openword.net.in

CURRENT / RECENT publications :

Jai Sen, ed, 2018a – The Movements of Movements, Part 2 : Rethinking Our Dance. Ebook and hard copy available at PM Press <http://www.pmpress.org/>
Jai Sen, ed, 2018b – The Movements of Movements, Part 1 : What Makes Us Move ?, Indian edition. New Delhi : AuthorsUpfront, in collaboration with OpenWord and PM Press.  Hard copy available at MOM1AmazonIN <https://www.amazon.in/dp/9387280101/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1522884070&sr=8-2&keywords=movements+of+movements+jai+sen>, MOM1Flipkart <https://www.flipkart.com/the-movements-of-movements/p/itmf3zg7h79ecpgj?pid=9789387280106&lid=LSTBOK9789387280106NBA1CH&marketplace=FLIPKART&srno=s_1_1&otracker=search&fm=SEARCH&iid=ff35b702-e6a8-4423-b014-16c84f6f0092.9789387280106.SEARCH&ppt=Search%20Page>, and MOM1AUpFront <http://www.authorsupfront.com/movements.htm>
Jai Sen, ed, 2017 – The Movements of Movements, Part 1 : What Makes Us Move ?.  New Delhi : OpenWord and Oakland, CA : PM Press.  Ebook and hard copy available at PM Press <http://www.pmpress.org/>
Jai Sen, ed, 2016a  – The Movements of Movements, Part 1 : What Makes Us Move ? and Jai Sen, ed, 2016b – The Movements of Movements, Part 2 : Rethinking Our Dance (both then forthcoming from New Delhi : OpenWord and Oakland, CA : PM Press), open access ADVANCE PREFINAL ONLINE MOVEMENT EDITIONS @ www.cacim.net <http://www.cacim.net/>
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