MediaNama invites you to attend our hybrid roundtable on ‘Exploring User Verification’ at The Claridges in New Delhi on March 23, 2023. Conceptualised after observing various verification norms, we plan to talk about a possible framework for the gradation of verification and to introduce proportionality to verification.
If you know how MediaNama discussions work, sign up for the physical discussion (or skip to the agenda and discussion details below), else read on.
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Convinced? Sign up for the physical discussion. The virtual option is available to MediaNama subscribers. You may subscribe to MediaNama.
Why is this discussion important?
Globally, there is a growing trend for verification and identification. In India, its presence can be seen even in the Digital Personal Data Protection Bill, 2022 that talks about verification as a means of preventing harms to children online. Similarly, other arguments are that verification can help prevent scams and spamming online.
But let’s take a step back and ask the bigger questions first.
To what extent does a person need to be identified? Why is a person being verified in a certain situation? If the reasons for verification differ, then would it make sense to have a gradation of identification rather than adhering to the same norms everywhere? How can we protect our own sensitive data while undergoing government verification? Also, when should someone be allowed to stay anonymous? And how does identification help prevent scams and spams? And can verification really help prevent harms to children online? If so, how? In all of this, there is also the question of consent and opting in for verification.
At our roundtable discussion on March 23rd, we wish to raise these questions to understand the relation between verification and prevention of harms.
What we will discuss:
- The importance of anonymity
- The correlation (or lack thereof) between verification and the prevention of harms
- The effectiveness (or lack thereof) of existing verification norms such as Telecom KYC
- A framework for gradation of verification
- Technical challenges with verification, traceability and identification
- Privacy risks of verification, traceability and identification
Agenda
- 12:30 – 01:30 PM: Check-in + Networking Lunch
- 01:30 – 04:00 PM: Roundtable Discussion
- 04:00 – 05:00 PM: Close + Tea + Networking
This is an invite-only event so sign up here for the physical discussion / Subscribers will get hybrid access, so if you want to attend virtually, subscribe to MediaNama here.
- Registration does not guarantee attendance. In case you fit our mandate for the curated audience, we’ll send you a confirmation by March 22, 2023.
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I'm interested in the shaping and strengthening of rights in the digital space. I cover cybersecurity, platform regulation, gig worker economy. In my free time, I'm either binge-watching an anime or off on a hike.
