Open Digital Infrastructure

Open Digital Infrastructure represents the set of open-source code, standards and knowledge assets that digital building blocks like software libraries, compilers, communication or network protocols are composed of.

They are created by individuals, volunteer communities, in research institutions and SMEs or other corporate environments. Together, they form a foundation of free and public code that is designed to solve common challenges – firstly, in programming, but when applied, also to provide a multitude of core functions for society.

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DPI Privacy

Privacy Risks of Digital Public Infrastructure in India

Research Question
How does wide deployment of Digital Public Infrastructure (DPIs) in India affect privacy of residents, or create avenues for mass surveillance?
Why is this important to answer?

The Indian government has widely deployed a set of “Digital Public Infrastructures” that citizens are required to use, in practice, to access essential public and private services. While there is much focus on the utility and efficiency gains DPIs could provide, scant attention has been paid to their operation and storage of private data of nearly all Indian residents with little transparency or oversight. This project will audit the data collection practices of DPIs to document what entities operate these infrastructures, the data (and metadata) visible to them, and parties the data is shared with. It will also explore how slices of information from disparate applications can be combined to create a powerful mass surveillance apparatus.

Start Date
February, 2025
Team
internet Research Lab
internet Research Lab
internet Research Lab