Leveraging FOSS to Navigate Surveillance and Censorship: Civil Society Perspectives from India and the Global South

Civil society organisations across India and the Global South are increasingly confronted with challenges such as digital surveillance, censorship, and data exploitation, threats that directly impact fundamental rights and democratic participation. Free and Open Source Software (FOSS) offers critical tools for this struggle by promoting transparency, privacy, and community control in digital spaces. This panel discussion will feature speakers from SFLC.in, and potential speakers from FOSS United, Civic Data Lab, Medianama, and Digital Future Lab, who will share their experiences of leveraging FOSS to resist digital authoritarianism and foster digital inclusion.

The panel will explore how FOSS has been essential for secure communication and community collaboration in restrictive jurisdictions, the key barriers and enablers of FOSS adoption in the Global South, and the intersection of FOSS with broader policy frameworks, particularly in the context of India’s Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023. It will also highlight real-world case studies, such as SFLC.in’s legal interventions around internet shutdowns in Manipur and during the 2024 Farmers Protest, as well as Civic Data Lab’s work on open data and civic technology initiatives. These stories demonstrate how FOSS tools provide resilience and alternatives when proprietary solutions fail to meet the needs of vulnerable communities.

The discussion will further examine the importance of user-centric and privacy-respecting design in FOSS solutions, and how principles like ‘privacy by design’ and ‘democratisation by design’ intersect with civil society goals. By bringing together FOSS practitioners, policy experts, and civil society leaders, this session will provide a grounded, cross-disciplinary perspective on the geopolitical and social dimensions of FOSS adoption. The target audience includes developers, digital rights defenders, policy professionals, and FOSS enthusiasts seeking to understand how FOSS can be a tool for resistance and inclusion. The session will close with practical insights and policy frameworks for overcoming barriers to FOSS adoption, contributing to the larger goal of fostering an inclusive and sustainable FOSS ecosystem worldwide.

This session will offer insights into how FOSS-based solutions empower civil society groups and communities to counter censorship and surveillance. It will share lessons from the Global South, including India’s experience of internet shutdowns, content blocking, and data privacy challenges. Attendees will gain an understanding of the role of design and user autonomy in building trusted, inclusive technology, along with policy recommendations for encouraging the use of FOSS in civic spaces and upholding digital rights. Finally, the session will highlight opportunities for developers, policy advocates, and community organisers to collaborate on building digital tools that support democracy and inclusion.