Status of E-consumers in India
Ujjwal Kumar and Asheef Iqubbal
 CUTS concluded a two-year study entitled “Status of E-Consumers in India: Evaluating Consumer Welfare of E-Consumers”. The study assesses the welfare quotient of online consumers considering five parameters, namely cost-effectiveness, convenience, consumer confidence, grievance redressal and competition. This study involved consumer surveys carried out in both 2021 and 2022, each constituting the perception of 2,000 respondents from all over India.
You can access the full report here and a detailed PPT here. |
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5-year UrbanAgri Project to Empower Zambian Youths in Chongwe City launched
Nancy Mwape and Angela Mulenga
 CUTS Lusaka and Global Network Solutions (GNS) jointly launched a 5-year Urban Futures project in Zambia's Chongwe district, aimed at boosting the urban food systems. The project aims to establish inclusive and climate-resilient urban food systems, providing opportunities for youth to actively participate in shaping priorities, influencing decisions, and securing employment within the food sector.
Under the project, the AgriUrban Connect Card will be issued as an innovative digital identity and payment card tailored for young agripreneurs that will provide access to various services, including health, pension, financial services, agro-inputs, and extension services. The initiative aims to issue 2,000 AgriUrban Connect Cards over 4 years. Furthermore, the project also incorporates technology-driven solutions, including a technology hub offering support in business management, marketing strategies, and market data. Additionally, it includes a helpline for agripreneurs, facilitating support, information, partner access, order processing, product delivery, and market access.
More information is here. |
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Innovative Use of Tech: Social Media Campaign on Gender-Responsive Fiscal Policies Launched in Zambia
Nancy Mwape
 CUTS has launched a Social Media Campaign effort to drive impactful advocacy for fiscal policy reform and highlight the significance of gender-responsive fiscal policies in Zambia. The campaign will target 5,000 online audiences within two months through the use of Short Messaging Systems (SMS) and digital platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and WhatsApp.
The project aims to enlighten the public, with a specific objective of empowering communities and citizens to hold decision-makers accountable for policies affecting women and girls at both the community and national levels. The overarching goal is to advocate for a transformative, just, accountable, and gender-responsive economic architecture. Anticipated outcomes include increased community engagement with advocacy messages.
More about the project here. |
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Capacity Building of Women on Cyber Security in Select Districts of West Bengal
 With the rapid growth of digital platforms by different age groups, the threats of cyber fraud or cyberattacks have increased multifold. In particular, teenage female users have proven to be more vulnerable to cyber-attacks, as they lack awareness of various cyber threats and have limited resources to put in place appropriate infrastructure to counter such threats.
The overall objective of the initiative was to develop the capacities of adult women and women-led micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) in select districts in West Bengal on various cyber threats and equip them with strategies on how to combat cyber threats. Each of these capacity-building workshops was organised at the district level where the level of awareness about cyber security is believed to be considerably low.
In this context, CUTS with support from Meridian International, US organised a series of capacity-building training workshops on cyber-security for adult women and women-led MSMEs in six different districts of West Bengal, including, Harishpur, Basirhat, North-24-Parganas, Gobardhanpur, Kakdwip, South 24 Parganas. Around 60-70 women of different age groups participated. |
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Op-eds
6G: Navigating Between Technology Standards, National Security, and the Economy
Asheef Iqubbal
The Wire, November 26, 2023
Media Coverage
Media Workshop Jointly Organised by CUTS International, US Consulate and Agartala Press Club
Tripura Star News, December 27, 2023
Harnessing Data Through DPI to Build Creditworthiness and Inclusion
The Economic Times, December 18, 2023
NCA Has Failed to Enforce Effective Regulations in the Telcos Sector – CUTS International
Modern Ghana, November 29, 2023
E-commerce and LDCs: The Different Speeds of Greater Integration
Hinrich Foundation, November 21, 2023
Key Discussions on Exemptions for State Agencies, Data Summary, and Digital Privacy Awareness at #PrivacyNama 2023
MediaNama, November 07, 2023
Consumer Groups Object to TRAI’s Proposed Changes for Consumer Organisation Registration
Storyboard18, November 06, 2023
TRAI's Move to Bring in New Regulations Irks Consumer Groups
Business Line, November 05, 2023
How will the Data Protection Board Play a Key Role in Enforcing the Privacy Rights of Individuals? #PrivacyNama2023
MediaNama, November 03, 2023
Discounts Offered on Inflated Prices on E-commerce Must Be Curbed by Govt: CUTS International
The Economic Times, October 28, 2023
OTT Platforms: Should They Be Regulated?
Entrepreneur, October 25, 2023
Collective Solutions Needed to Combat Security Threats in the Indo-Pacific Region
Smart Governance, October 18, 2023
India, Australia to Collaborate on Blockchain and AI Regulatory Approaches
CoinGeek, October 01, 2023
Advocacy
CUTS Daily Bulletins on UNCTAD eWeek 2023: Shaping the Future of the Digital Economy
December 04-08, 2023, Geneva, Switzerland
This bulletin covers the main highlights from the UNCTAD eWeek, organised by the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development, in collaboration with eTrade for all partners, in Geneva, at the International Conference Centre from December 04-08, 2023. CUTS is a partner in UNCTAD’s eTrade for all initiative.
CUTS Comments on TRAI Consultation Paper on Draft Telecommunication Mobile Number Portability (Ninth Amendment) Regulations, 2023
Krishaank Jugiani, Arima Pankaj and Amol Kulkarni
CUTS CCIER, November 08, 2023
CUTS Comments on TRAI Consultation Paper on Draft Registration of Consumer Organisations (Amendment) Regulations, 2023
Krishaank Jugiani and Amol Kulkarni
CUTS CCIER, October 20, 2023
CUTS Comments on Draft Guidelines on Prevention and Regulation of Dark Patterns
Arima Pankaj, Neelanjana Sharma and Amol Kulkarni
CUTS CCIER, October 05, 2023
Representations
- Krishaank Jugiani participated in the launch of the report ‘Mapping the Blockchain Ecosystem in India and Australia: Case Studies Blockchain’, from a research project by the Centre for Communication Governance (CCG, NLU Delhi) and Tech Policy Design Centre (TPDC, Australian National University) at the Australian High Commission in New Delhi on December 06, 2023.
- Pradeep S Mehta was one of the speakers on a high-level session on ‘eTrade for all leadership roundtable: Unlocking digital trade for inclusive development’ during the UNCTAD eWeek on December 05, 2023.
- Arnab Ganguly participated and spoke in the IVLP Project ‘Promoting Cybersecurity in the Quad’ organised by the U.S. Department of State and Meridian International Centre in Kolkata on November 19, 2023.
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Responsible ICT and Inclusive Digital Economy
New Delhi, October 10, 2023
 CUTS organised a Panel Discussion on Responsible ICT and Inclusive Digital Economy as part of its Biennial Conference in New Delhi, on October 10, 2023. This session explored the competition and regulatory issues within the telecommunications and digital economy sectors.
ICT has emerged as a pivotal driver of the global economy’s transition towards a digital economy. This makes it imperative to deal with the regulatory and competition challenges poised to influence the digital economies, particularly in developing nations. The panel deliberated on the existing or potential competition and regulatory issues arising from 6G, cybersecurity, Artificial Intelligence (AI), and digital financial services, among others.
More about the session and conference can be accessed here.
Empowering Consumer Voices: Navigating Public Consultations for Effective Policies
October 18, 2023
 CUTS in collaboration with CIVIS organised a virtual workshop on ‘Empowering Consumer Voices Navigating Public Consultations for Effective Policies’ on October 18, 2023.
The aim of this workshop was to learn how public consultations play a pivotal role in enhancing policies and regulations by ensuring direct inputs and insights from the very individuals they are designed to safeguard. In particular, the use of digital tools and platforms to participate in public consultations was discussed.
More about the workshop can be accessed here.
AI for Consumer Grievances in E-commerce
December 06, 2023
 CUTS, in collaboration with WeVaad and OpenNyAi, organised a virtual panel discussion on ‘Employing AI for Consumer Grievance Redressal Mechanisms in E-commerce’ during the ‘UNCTAD eWeek 2023: Shaping the Future of the Digital Economy’ on December 06, 2023.
More about the discussion here.
Building Fair Markets in the Algorithmic Age
Geneva, December 07, 2023
 CUTS, in collaboration with The Dialogue, organised a hybrid panel discussion on ‘Building fair markets in the algorithmic age’, during the ‘UNCTAD eWeek 2023: Shaping the Future of the Digital Economy’ in Geneva on December 07, 2023
More about the discussion here. |
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