Centre Proposes New Bills for Criminal Law

Introduction

The Indian Cabinet has approved a comprehensive national-level IndiaAI Mission with a budget outlay ofRs.10,371.92 crore. The mission aims to strengthen the Indian AI innovation ecosystem by democratizing computing access, improving data quality, developing indigenous AI capabilities, attracting top AI talent, enabling industry collaboration, providing startup risk capital, ensuring socially-impactful A projects, and bolstering ethical AI. The mission will be implemented by the'IndiaAI' Independent Business Division (IBD) under the Digital India Corporation (DIC) and consists of several components such as IndiaAI Compute Capacity, IndiaAI Innovation Centre (IAIC), IndiaAI Datasets Platform, India AI Application Development Initiative, IndiaAI Future Skills, IndiaAI Startup Financing, and Safe & Trusted AI over the next 5 years.

This financial outlay is intended to befulfilled through a public-private partnership model, to ensure a structured implementation of the IndiaAI Mission. The main objective is to create and nurture an ecosystem for India’s AI innovation. This mission is intended to act as a catalyst for shaping the future of AI for India and the world. AI has the potential to become an active enabler of the digital economy and the Indian government aims to harness its full potential to benefit its citizens and drive the growth of its economy.

Key Objectives of India's AI Mission

●     With the advancements in data collection, processing and computational power, intelligent systems can be deployed in varied tasks and decision-making to enable better connectivity and enhance productivity.

●     India’s AI Mission will concentrate on benefiting India and addressing societal needs in primary areas of healthcare, education, agriculture, smart cities and infrastructure, including smart mobility and transportation.

●     This mission will work with extensive academia-industry interactions to ensure the development of core research capability at the national level. This initiative will involve international collaborations and efforts to advance technological frontiers by generating new knowledge and developing and implementing innovative applications.

The strategies developed for implementing the IndiaAI Mission are via Public-Private Partnerships, Skilling initiatives and AI Policy and Regulation. An example of the work towards the public-private partnership is the pre-bid meeting that the IT Ministry hosted on 29th August2024, which saw industrial participation from Nvidia, Intel, AMD, Qualcomm, Microsoft Azure, AWS, Google Cloud and Palo Alto Networks.

Components of IndiaAI Mission

The IndiaAI Compute Capacity: The IndiaAI Compute pillar will build a high-end scalable AI computing ecosystem to cater to India's rapidly expanding AI start-ups and research ecosystem. The ecosystem will comprise AI compute infrastructure of 10,000 or more GPUs, built through public-private partnerships. An AI marketplace will offer AI as a service and pre-trained models to AI innovators.

The IndiaAI Innovation Centre will undertake the development and deployment of indigenous Large Multimodal Models (LMMs) and domain-specific foundational models in critical sectors. The IndiaAI Datasets Platform will streamline access to quality on-personal datasets for AI innovation.

The IndiaAI Future Skills pillar will mitigate barriers to entry into AI programs and increase AI courses in undergraduate, master-level, and Ph.D. programs. Data and AI Labs will be set up in Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities across India to impart foundational-level courses.

The IndiaAI Startup Financing pillar will support and accelerate deep-tech AI startups, providing streamlined access to funding for futuristic AI projects.

The Safe & Trusted AI pillar will enable the implementation of responsible AI projects and the development of indigenous tools and frameworks, self-assessment check lists for innovators, and other guidelines and governance frameworks by recognising the need for adequate guardrails to advance the responsible development, deployment, and adoption of AI.

CyberPeace Considerations for the IndiaAI Mission

●     Data privacy and security are paramount as emerging privacy instruments aim to ensure ethical AI use. Addressing bias and fairness in AI remains a significant challenge, especially with poor-quality or tampered datasets that can lead to flawed decision-making, posing risks to fairness, privacy, and security.

●     Geopolitical tensions and export control regulations restrict access to cutting-edge AI technologies and critical hardware, delaying progress and impacting data security. In India, where multilingualism and regional diversity are key characteristics, the unavailability of large, clean, and labeled datasets in Indic languages hampers the development of fair and robust AI models suited to the local context.

●     Infrastructure and accessibility pose additional hurdles in India’s AI development. The country faces challenges in building computing capacity, with delays in procuring essential hardware, such as GPUs like Nvidia’s A100 chip, hindering businesses, particularly smaller firms. AI development relies heavily on robust cloud computing infrastructure, which remains in its infancy in India. While initiatives like AIRAWAT signal progress, significant gaps persist in scaling AI infrastructure. Furthermore, the scarcity of skilled AI professionals is a pressing concern, alongside the high costs of implementing AI in industries like manufacturing. Finally, the growing computational demands of AI lead to increased energy consumption and environmental impact, raising concerns about balancing AI growth with sustainable practices.

Conclusion

We advocate for ethical and responsible AI development adoption to ensure ethical usage, safeguard privacy, and promote transparency. By setting clear guidelines and standards, the nation would be able to harness AI's potential while mitigating risks and fostering trust. The IndiaAI Mission will propel innovation, build domestic capacities, create highly-skilled employment opportunities, and demonstrate how transformative technology can be used for social good and enhance global competitiveness.

References

●     https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/tech/artificial-intelligence/governments-say-aye-to-sovereign-ai/articleshow/113014070.cms

●     https://www.livemint.com/industry/amid-push-for-indian-ai-myriad-challenges-pose-concerns-11720012574665.html

●     https://pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2012375

●     https://pib.gov.in/PressReleaseIframePage.aspx?PRID=2012355#:~:text=The%20Mission%20will%20be%20implemented,1

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Introduction

Misinformation poses a significant challenge to public health policymaking since it undermines efforts to promote effective health interventions and protect public well-being. The spread of inaccurate information, particularly through online channels such as social media and internet platforms, further complicates the decision-making process for policymakers since it perpetuates public confusion and distrust. This misinformation can lead to resistance against health initiatives, such as vaccination programs, and fuels scepticism towards scientifically-backed health guidelines.

Before the COVID-19 pandemic, misinformation surrounding healthcare largely encompassed the effects of alcohol and tobacco consumption, marijuana use, eating habits, physical exercise etc. However, there has been a marked shift in the years since. One such example is the outcry against palm oil in 2024: it is an ingredient prevalent in numerous food and cosmetic products, and came under the scanner after a number of claims that palmitic acid, which is present in palm oil, is detrimental to our health. However, scientific research by reputable institutions globally established that there is no cause for concern regarding the health risks posed by palmitic acid. Such trends and commentaries tend to create a parallel unscientific discourse that has the potential to not only impact individual choices but also public opinion and as a result, market developments and policy conversations. 

A prevailing narrative during the worst of the Covid-19 pandemic was that the virus had been engineered to control society and boost hospital profits. The extensive misinformation surrounding COVID-19 and its management and care increased vaccine hesitancy amongst people worldwide. It is worth noting that vaccine hesitancy has been a consistent trend historically; the World Health Organisation flagged vaccine hesitancy as one of the main threats to global health, and there have been other instances where a majority of the population refused to get vaccinated anticipating unverified, long-lasting side effects. For example, research from 2016 observed a significant level of public skepticism regarding the development and approval process of the Zika vaccine in Africa. Further studies emphasised the urgent need to disseminate accurate information about the Zika virus on online platforms to help curb the spread of the pandemic. 

In India during the COVID-19 pandemic, despite multiple official advisories, notifications and guidelines issued by the government and ICMR, people continued to remain opposed to vaccination, which resulted in inflated mortality rates within the country. Vaccination hesitancy was also compounded by anti-vaccination celebrities who claimed that vaccines were dangerous and contributed in large part to the conspiracy theories doing the rounds. Similar hesitation was noted in misinformation surrounding the MMR vaccines and their likely role in causing autism was examined.  At the time of the crisis, the Indian government also had to tackle disinformation-induced fraud surrounding the supply of oxygens in hospitals. Many critically-ill patients relied on fake news and unverified sources that falsely portrayed the availability of beds, oxygen cylinders and even home set-ups, only to be cheated out of money. 

The above examples highlight the difficulty health officials face in administering adequate healthcare. The special case of the COVID-19 pandemic also highlighted how current legal frameworks failed to address misinformation and disinformation, which impedes effective policymaking. It also highlights how taking corrective measures against health-related misinformation becomes difficult since such corrective action creates an uncomfortable gap in an individual’s mind, and it is seen that people ignore accurate information that may help bridge the gap. Misinformation, coupled with the infodemic trend, also leads to false memory syndrome, whereby people fail to differentiate between authentic information and fake narratives. Simple efforts to correct misperceptions usually backfire and even strengthen initial beliefs, especially in the context of complex issues like healthcare. Policymakers thus struggle with balancing policy making and making people receptive to said policies in the backdrop of their tendencies to reject/suspect authoritative action. Examples of the same can be observed on both the domestic front and internationally. In the US, for example, the traditional healthcare system rations access to healthcare through a combination of insurance costs and options versus out-of-pocket essential expenses. While this has been a subject of debate for a long time, it hadn’t created a large scale public healthcare crisis because the incentives offered to the medical professionals and public trust in the delivery of essential services helped balance the conversation. In recent times, however, there has been a narrative shift that sensationalises the system as an issue of deliberate “denial of care,” which has led to concerns about harms to patients.

Policy Recommendations

The hindrances posed by misinformation in policymaking are further exacerbated against the backdrop of policymakers relying on social media as a method to measure public sentiment, consensus and opinions. If misinformation about an outbreak is not effectively addressed, it could hinder individuals from adopting necessary protective measures and potentially worsen the spread of the epidemic. To improve healthcare policymaking amidst the challenges posed by health misinformation, policymakers must take a multifaceted approach. This includes convening a broad coalition of central, state, local, territorial, tribal, private, nonprofit, and research partners to assess the impact of misinformation and develop effective preventive measures. Intergovernmental collaborations such as the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology should be encouraged whereby doctors debunk online medical misinformation, in the backdrop of the increased reliance on online forums for medical advice. Furthermore, increasing investment in research dedicated to understanding misinformation, along with the ongoing modernization of public health communications, is essential. Enhancing the resources and technical support available to state and local public health agencies will also enable them to better address public queries and concerns, as well as counteract misinformation. Additionally, expanding efforts to build long-term resilience against misinformation through comprehensive educational programs is crucial for fostering a well-informed public capable of critically evaluating health information.

From an individual perspective, since almost half a billion people use WhatsApp it has become a platform where false health claims can spread rapidly. This has led to a rise in the use of fake health news. Viral WhatsApp messages containing fake health warnings can be dangerous, hence it is always recommended to check such messages with vigilance. This highlights the growing concern about the potential dangers of misinformation and the need for more accurate information on medical matters.

Conclusion

The proliferation of misinformation in healthcare poses significant challenges to effective policymaking and public health management. The COVID-19 pandemic has underscored the role of misinformation in vaccine hesitancy, fraud, and increased mortality rates. There is an urgent need for robust strategies to counteract false information and build public trust in health interventions; this includes policymakers engaging in comprehensive efforts, including intergovernmental collaboration, enhanced research, and public health communication modernization, to combat misinformation. By fostering a well-informed public through education and vigilance, we can mitigate the impact of misinformation and promote healthier communities.

References

1. van der Meer, T. G. L. A., & Jin, Y. (2019), “Seeking Formula for Misinformation Treatment in Public Health Crises: The Effects of Corrective Information Type and Source” Health Communication, 35(5), 560–575. https://doi.org/10.1080/10410236.2019.1573295 
2. “Health Misinformation”, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. https://www.hhs.gov/surgeongeneral/priorities/health-misinformation/index.html 
3. Mechanic, David, “The Managed Care Backlash: Perceptions and Rhetoric in Health Care Policy and the Potential for Health Care Reform”, Rutgers University. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2751184/pdf/milq_195.pdf 
4. “Bad actors are weaponising health misinformation in India”, Financial Express, April 2024.

https://www.financialexpress.com/life/entertainment-bad-actors-are-weaponising-health-misinformation-in-india-3448871/ 

5. “Role of doctors in eradicating misinformation in the medical sector.”, Times of India, 1 July 2024. https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/life-style/health-fitness/health-news/national-doctors-day-role-of-doctors-in-eradicating-misinformation-in-the-healthcare-sector/articleshow/111399098.cms 

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Introduction

Mr Rajeev Chanderashekhar, MoS, Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, on 09 March 2023, held a stakeholder consultation on the Digital India Bill. This bill will be the successor to the Information technology Act 2000 and provide a set of regulations and laws which will govern cyberspace in times to come. The consultation was held in Bangalore and was the first of many such consultations where the Digital India bill is to be discussed. These public stakeholder consultations will provide direct public feedback to the ministry, and this will help create a safe and secure ecosystem of Indian Cyber Laws.

What is the Digital India Act?

Cyberspace has evolved the fastest as compared to any other industry, and the evolution of the growth cannot be presumed to be stagnant or stuck as we see new technologies and gadgets being invented all across the globe. The ease created by using technology has changed how we live and function. However, bad actors often use these advantages or fruits of technology to wreak havoc upon the nation’s cyberspace. The use of technology is always governed by the application of usage and safeguard policies and laws. As technology is growing exponentially, it is pertinent that we have laws which are in congruence with today’s time and technology. This is keenly addressed by the Digital India Act, which will be the legislation governing Indian Cyberspace in times to come. This was the need of the hour in order to have the judiciary, legislature and law enforcement agencies ahead of the curve when it comes to cyber crimes and laws.

What is the Digital India Bill’s primary goal?

The Digital India Bill’s goal is to guarantee an institutional structure for accountability and that the internet in India is accessible, unhindered by user harm or criminal activity. The law will apply to new technologies, algorithmic social media platforms, artificial intelligence, user risks, the diversity of the internet, and the regulation of intermediaries. The diversity of the internet, user hazards, artificial intelligence, social media platforms, and intermediary regulation are all discussed.

Why is the Digital India Bill necessary?

The number of internet users in the country currently exceeds 760 million; in the upcoming years, this number will reach 1.2 billion. Despite the fact that the internet is useful and promotes connectivity, there are a number of user damages nearby. Thus, it is crucial to enact legislation to set forth new guidelines for individuals’ rights and responsibilities and mention the requirement to gather data.

Major Elements of the Digital India Act

Major Elements of the Digital India Bill, which will eventually become an Act, which will contribute massively towards a safe cyber-ecosystem, some of these elements aim towards the following-

• The legislation attempts to establish an internet regulator.
• Women and Child safety.
• Safe harbour for intermediaries.
• The right of the individual to secure his information and the requirement to utilise personal data for legal purposes provide the main obstacles to data protection or regulation. The law tries to deal with this difficulty.
• A limit will be placed on how far a person’s personal information can be accessed for legal reasons.
• The majority of the bill’s characteristics are contrasted with the EU’s General Data Protection Regulation.

The Way Ahead

As we ride the wave of developments in cyberspace regarding emerging technologies and automated gadgets, it becomes pertinent that the state takes due note of such technologies and the courts take cognisance of offences committed by using technology. Law enforcement agencies must also train police personnel who can effectively and efficiently investigate cybercrime cases. The ministry also released a few bills last year, such as – the Telecommunication Bill, 2022, Intermediary Rules and the Digital Personal Data Protection Bill, 2022, to better address the shortcomings and the issues in cyberspace and how to safeguard the netizens. The Digital India Act will essentially create a synergy between the current bills and the new ones to come in order to create a wholesome, safe and secure Indian cyber ecosystem.

Conclusion

Digital India Bill is necessary to address the challenges of cyberspace, like personal data and privacy, and policies related to online child and women safety to create a and create a modern and comprehensive legal framework that aligns with global standards of cyber laws. The draft of the bill is expected to come out by July. The ministry looks forward to maximising the impact of the bill through such continuous and effective public consultation to understand and fulfil the expectations and requirements of the Indian netizen, thus empowering him/her equivalent to the netizen of a developed country.