codema.in
Sun 19 Jun 2022 2:07PM

Digital Privacy and Security focused FLOSS camp for human right defenders, activists, journalists etc.

AS Avinash Sonawane Public Seen by 75

Hello,

From the last couple of years numerous news stories have exposed how the state uses cyberweapons like Pegasus et al. against the human right defenders, activists, journalists, lawyers etc.

I think, FLOSS groups like FSCI are in very unique position. We can help these activists and journalists by organizing a digital privacy and security focused camp since FLOSS is the only way to achieve digital privacy and security.

Otherwise what's the use of being technically competent? What's the end game?

We all should strive for the society which is based on equality, fraternity and justice. A society where knowledge is freely shared without any barriers. A society where all human lives are viewed equal irrespective of race, religion, caste, gender etc. A society where a journalist can write a story without the fear of repercussion from the state. A society where we can speak freely without the fear of evidence getting implanted on our laptops/phones.

A just society.

References:

  1. https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/research/2020/06/india-human-rights-defenders-targeted-by-a-coordinated-spyware-operation/

  2. https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/research/2021/07/forensic-methodology-report-how-to-catch-nso-groups-pegasus/

  3. https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2021/07/06/bhima-koregaon-case-india/

  4. https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/asia_pacific/india-bhima-koregaon-activists-jailed/2021/02/10/8087f172-61e0-11eb-a177-7765f29a9524_story.html

  5. https://www.wired.com/story/modified-elephant-planted-evidence-hacking-police/

  6. https://www.sentinelone.com/labs/modifiedelephant-apt-and-a-decade-of-fabricating-evidence/

PP

Pirate Praveen Mon 20 Jun 2022 9:51AM

@Avinash Sonawane I agree with your vision. But I'm not sure everyone in FSCI would want such a broader vision for the community. We can't expect Free Software to solve every problem in the world. We have other groups and communities working with broader canvas. We can collaborate with them. I think https://www.navodaya.world/ and https://codema.in/indian-pirates/ would be two groups I already know and we can collaborate with. https://prav.app is another project to promote more privacy in communications.

Personally, I don't mind expanding the canvas of FSCI to cover these goals, but I don't think that is helpful for Free Software. We might want different organizations to cater to different needs, as all people might not be comfortable with a broader goal.

AS

Avinash Sonawane Tue 21 Jun 2022 2:01PM

Hello Praveen!

I'm sorry but I don't understand why organizing a digital privacy and security focused camp doesn't fall under PrivacyYathra - an initiative by FSCI. It's just that the camp will be for people who need privacy the most (of course everybody needs digital privacy but some are getting literally incarcerated so they should be the prime audience).

Let's just discard the last paragraph (the one yearning for a better society) and I see no difference between the digital privacy & security focused camp and an initiative like PrivacyYathra. So I fail to understand why such a camp will fall outside the FSCI's vision.

IMHO, If anything, such a camp under PrivacyYathra will be a step in right direction as per FSCI's vision.

PP

Pirate Praveen Wed 22 Jun 2022 7:30PM

My main concern was about your second paragraph. I'm totally with you on that, hence I suggested a broader canvas. But if you want just the camp, we can definitely do that, though I feel it would be inadequate without a parallel broader campaign that you mentioned in the second paragraph. I don't think a training or camp or technology fix can really address it sufficiently. But if you like to just drive that as an isolated campaign, it is still better than doing nothing. So go for it.