RightsCon is organizing the 2018 edition of the event at Beanfield Centre at Exhibition Place, Toronto in Canada. A session on Pervasive Technologies project titled "Cheap and chipper: IP in India’s affordable smartphones" is scheduled on May 17, 5.15 p.m. to 6.15 p.m. in the International Trade and the Commons track. (Room #203B, Beanfield Centre).
We present the findings of the Centre for Internet and Society’s "Pervasive Technologies" research project that concluded last year. The project was an endeavour to study how Internet-enabled mobile phones sold for USD 100 or less interact with India's intellectual property laws. These low-cost technologies that lie in a grey zone of IP laws have been instrumental in bringing access to the Internet and, in turn, access to knowledge and information to people. The project undertook a study of the mobile device landscape in India while developing legal strategies to ensure that consumers continue to have access to inexpensive devices; that manufacturers, software developers and content creators operating in the budget device segment are not snuffed out by litigation; and that the rights of IP holders are not infringed upon.
Each researcher will elucidate on her findings in the areas of patents and copyright pertaining to the hardware, software and media content and the interaction of these findings with public policy.

Maggie Huang, Amba Kak, Rohini Lakshané, Vidushi Marda and Anubha Sinha are among the speakers at the event. For more info click here
Amber Sinha remotely participated in a private meeting on 'Strategizing Civil Society Roles in the Artificial Intelligence Debate'. The aim of this meeting was to have a focused exchange of challenges faced, growing concerns, and ideas for collaboration with civil society organisations working in the realm of AI and human rights. Mallory Knodel, Head of Digital at ARTICLE 19 will lead the session.
Anubha Sinha participated remotely in a conference titled Cheap and Chipper: IP in India's Affordable Smartphones. Her co-panellists were Rohini Lakshane, Amba Kak, Maggie Huang and Vidushi Marda. Prof. Michael Geist moderated the session.
Elonnai Hickok participated in these sessions: IDRC cyber policy meeting; GNI board meeting; GNI learning session on MLATs; FOC-AN meeting; GNI session on Intermediary Liability.
Maggie Huang and Rohini Lakshané presented their findings of the PT project at RightsCon with Prof. Micheal Geist as moderator and Anubha Sinha and Vidushi Marda as remote speakers. The panel, held on May 17, 2018 was titled "Cheap and Chipper: IP in India's Affordable Mobile Phones".  Abridged versions of two Pervasive Technologies project papers, which were created by Shweta Mohandas and Saumyaa Naidu were presented during the event. The files can be accessed here and here. These papers were distributed at RightsCon.

For more details visit https://cis-india.org/a2k/news/rightscon-toronto-2018