FSMI National Camp 2018 - Event Report

Free Software Movement of India

https://www.fsmi.in

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.

https://www.esquire.com/news-politics/a15895746/bust-big-tech-silicon-valley/

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.

Profit maximization is the only 'value' companies & shareholders want

Companies like Google, Facebook, Instagram, Whatsapp are providing their services free of cost in order to sell our data to advertisers.

In Matrix, machines use humans as a battery

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.

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

The community at SFD18

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.

https://saveourprivacy.in

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.

  1. Regulate political party election expenditure.
  2. Social media companies should disclose ads, expenditure and source.
  3. Electoral bonds should be repealed.