Hiya, I would like to join Nisha. I can only join from around 4:30 to 5:30PM though; I unfortunately have other meetings in between.
I am happy to share what I know on background (take a little bit of that former police chap's words with a pinch of salt) and help on next steps with respect to policy and advocacy - at least what I can try to help with. Raman. On 10 May 2016 at 19:54, Vaishnavi Jayakumar (Inclusive India) < [email protected]> wrote: > FYI - Update > > MHA open to reviewing of draft Geospatial Bill > <http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/map-issue-govt-ready-for-review-of-geospatial-bill/article8576356.ece> > > *10-May-2016* > > *According to the draft ‘The Geospatial Information Regulation Bill 2016’, > it will be mandatory to take permission from a government authority before > acquiring, disseminating, publishing or distributing any geospatial > information on India.* > > Even as the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) agreed to review a > much-criticised draft Bill that proposes jail term of seven years and a > fine up to Rs. 100 crore for wrongly depicting the map of India, officials > said the Bill was first drafted in 2012 and the January 2 attack at the > Pathankot airbase was the immediate trigger for reintroducing the Bill. > > Three days after the draft Geospatial Information Regulation Bill, 2016 > was uploaded on the Home Ministry’s website seeking comments from the > public, the government on Monday indicated that it was open to review its > contents and consider all suggestions that are to come in the next one > month. > > The draft Bill has come under scathing criticism on social media and other > online platforms for its draconian features. > > *‘Send valid suggestions’* > > Uttarakhand DGP M.A. Ganapathy who was one of the officials to draft the > Bill during his stint in the MHA, told The Hindu, “instead of getting > hysterical, people should send valid and sane suggestions to oppose the > draft Bill. This is at a draft stage and the idea was to invite comments.” > > Another official involved in drafting the Bill said, “this Bill has been > in the works since 2012. A committee of secretaries (CoS) had submitted a > report calling for an regulatory body to monitor the Internet giants like > Google and Microsoft. How else do you regulate them, by begging?” > The official added that the investigations in the Pathankot airbase attack > revealed that the terrorists who got into the airbase had precise > information about its topography. “The Pathankot airbase and other > strategic locations are easily available on Google maps and it has become > easier for terrorists to plan an attack. When Pathankot happened, we > decided that this was the time to revisit the Bill,” said the official. > > According to the draft Bill, it will be mandatory to take permission from > a government authority before acquiring, disseminating, publishing or > distributing any geospatial information of India. "No person shall depict, > disseminate, publish or distribute any wrong or false topographic > information of India including international boundaries through internet > platforms or online services or in any electronic or physical form. > "Whoever acquired any geospatial information of India in contravention of > the law shall be punished with a fine ranging from Rs 1 crore to Rs 100 > crore and/ or imprisonment for a period upto seven years," according to the > draft bill. The government also proposed to set up a Security Vetting > Authority to carry out security vetting of the Geospatial Information of > India in a time bound manner and as per the regulations framed by an apex > committee. > > However, there have been criticism from various quarters saying the > provisions of the draft bill are stringent and may violate privacy of > individuals. > > The Home Ministry official discounted the apprehensions saying except > authorised agencies, that too after due permission, no one can invade > anyone's privacy. > > Geospatial Information means geospatial imagery or data acquired through > space or aerial platforms such as satellite, aircrafts, airships, balloons, > unmanned aerial vehicles including value addition or graphical or digital > data depicting natural or man-made physical features, phenomenon or > boundaries of the earth or any information related thereto including > surveys, charts, maps, terrestrial photos referenced to co-ordinate system > and having attributes. > > > http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/map-issue-govt-ready-for-review-of-geospatial-bill/article8576356.ece > > > *Govt may review provisions of draft Geospatial Bill > <http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/delhi/Govt-may-review-provisions-of-draft-Geospatial-Bill/articleshowprint/52190965.cms>* > > *PTI | May 9, 2016, 06.32 PM IST* > > *New Delhi, May 9 () *Facing criticism, the government today indicated > that it was ready for review of the provisions of a draft bill that > proposes jail term of seven years and a fine upto Rs 100 crore if anyone > wrongly depicts India's map. > > A top Home Ministry official said the draft 'The Geospatial Information > Regulation Bill 2016' has been made public seeking views and suggestions of > general public on its various provisions. > > "We are open to consider all suggestions that will come in next one > month," the official said. > > According to the draft 'The Geospatial Information Regulation Bill 2016', > it will be mandatory to take permission from a government authority before > acquiring, disseminating, publishing or distributing any geospatial > information of India. "No person shall depict, disseminate, publish or > distribute any wrong or false topographic information of India including > international boundaries through internet platforms or online services or > in any electronic or physical form. "Whoever acquired any geospatial > information of India in contravention of the law shall be punished with a > fine ranging from Rs 1 crore to Rs 100 crore and/ or imprisonment for a > period upto seven years," according to the draft bill. The government also > proposed to set up a Security Vetting Authority to carry out security > vetting of the Geospatial Information of India in a time bound manner and > as per the regulations framed by an apex committee. > > However, there have been criticism from various quarters saying the > provisions of the draft bill are stringent and may violate privacy of > individuals. The Home Ministry official discounted the apprehensions saying > except authorised agencies, that too after due permission, no one can > invade anyone's privacy. Geospatial Information means geospatial imagery or > data acquired through space or aerial platforms such as satellite, > aircrafts, airships, balloons, unmanned aerial vehicles including value > addition or graphical or digital data depicting natural or man-made > physical features, phenomenon or boundaries of the earth or any information > related thereto including surveys, charts, maps, terrestrial photos > referenced to co-ordinate system and having attributes. > > > http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/delhi/Govt-may-review-provisions-of-draft-Geospatial-Bill/articleshowprint/52190965.cms > > --------------------------------------- > *VAISHNAVI JAYAKUMAR* > http://about.me/vjayakumar > > On Tue, May 10, 2016 at 4:52 PM, Nisha Thompson <[email protected]> > wrote: > >> A meetup has been scheduled to discuss and plan next steps for >> #savethemap at Centre for Internet and Society. >> >> https://goo.gl/maps/yhNZEsx1Pxv >> >> If you aren't in Bangalore I believe we will try to do a hangout or skype >> call for people to join. >> >> Nisha >> >> >> >> -- >> Nisha Thompson >> DataMeet.org >> [email protected] >> skype: nishaqt >> mobile: 962-061-2245 >> >> >> -- >> Datameet is a community of Data Science enthusiasts in India. Know more >> about us by visiting http://datameet.org >> --- >> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups >> "datameet" group. >> To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an >> email to [email protected]. >> For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout. >> > > -- > Datameet is a community of Data Science enthusiasts in India. Know more > about us by visiting http://datameet.org > --- > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups > "datameet" group. > To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an > email to [email protected]. > For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout. > -- Datameet is a community of Data Science enthusiasts in India. Know more about us by visiting http://datameet.org --- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "datameet" group. 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