FSMI National Camp 2018 - Event Report
Free Software Movement of India
Free Software Hardware Movement (FSHM) is not a member of FSMI, thus, is represented by the geographical parent organization Free Software Foundation Tamilnadu (FSFTN).
Schedule
| Day | Session | Speaker |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Digital Monopolies | Prabhir |
| 1 | Platform Cooperativism | Kiran Chandra |
| 2 | FSMI Legal Framework | Prashanth |
| 2 | Building a Mass Movement | Kiran Chandra |
| 2 | Political Education Narratives | Siddharth |
| 3 | Social Media, Politics & Democracy | Praveen & Bhuvan |
| 3 | Tech for Democracy | Kiran Chandra |
Digital Monopolies
Monopolies are a problem in any market. They restrict new business, engage in unfair trade practices, fix arbitrary prices as they seem fit. Digital technology enabled monopolies of a scale beyond imagination. Apple and Google have annual revenues more than the GDP of many countries put together.
Companies work for one thing - Profit. Profit is their only measure of value. This has created many socioeconomic problems like planned obsolescence, unfair wages and environmental crisis.
Companies like Google, Facebook, Instagram, Whatsapp are providing their services free of cost in order to sell our data to advertisers.
For monopolies like
Gig Economy & Platform Cooperativism
Companies like Amazon, Flipkart, Uber, Ola, Swiggy, Paytm have
Gig economy is how the monopolies stay relevant in the society by creatin
Precarious workers
Platform services
Platform coops
Challenges in India
Solidarity among the people and crisis in platform services.
FSMI Legal Framework
Free Software Movement of India was created to be "more than just a techie group". It strives to address the digital divide in the society, address socioeconomic issues surrounding technology in India and create a critical awareness about issues.
FSMI seeks to be a meta level body thus only representatives from the regional free software movement shall be its members.
Building a Mass Movement
When we go beyond being just a tech group, we need to understand how different forces like govt. policies, businesses, science & technological improvements in the society affect the citizens. To counter any macro level changes in the nation a significant population need to understand that how technology affects their lives.
There have been many instances where the support of a significant population was needed and it helped change the law.
Net Neutrality - Free Basics, Airtel Zero
There are also times where the lack of popular support proved to be ineffective.
Political Education Narratives
Personas to
On the go discussion
Quality through quantity over time
Social Media, Politics & Democracy
Fake news
Dark posts
Targeted ads
Tech for Democracy
FSMI set the following demands which require public support.
- Regulate political party election expenditure.
- Social media companies should disclose ads, expenditure and source.
- Electoral bonds should be repealed.