As we celebrate our 78th Independence Day, we are also marking 8 years of Internet Freedom Foundation (IFF) championing liberty, equality, and justice in the rapidly evolving digital age. From increasing web censorship and internet shutdowns, to the growing threat of surveillance, and the accelerated deployment of generative AI and opaque/automated decision-making systems without adequate understanding and steps to mitigate their adverse effects, our digital freedoms are under threat. But IFF has been at the forefront of it all, from holding the line on the right to privacy and other Constitutional guarantees to actively driving positive change and recognition of digital rights and freedoms. We fight this fight alongside you—the IFF community—by running public campaigns and keeping digital literacy at the core of our work. When advocacy efforts alone are not enough, our policy engagement and strategic litigation work has proven successful in defending digital rights with collaboration, strategy, and rigor. On India’s 78th Independence Day, and IFF’s birth anniversary, we reaffirm our commitment to ensuring that technology and digital interventions do not undermine our fundamental rights, and instead enhance the quality of our lives.
Over the past year, our fight for digital rights has been an uphill battle—with emerging and existing threats to privacy, free speech, encryption, user autonomy, and a rise in trends of surveillance, policing, wide executive control, and undemocratic policymaking—to persist has been difficult and challenging, but we have endured all and do not plan to stop anytime soon. Such is the persistence of resistance. The struggle for independence which gave us this day to celebrate today, is an example of the determination and perseverance in believing in an idea. And as IFF has been a community-led and run project since day 0, the support of our donors, members, and community across channels has been instrumental in driving all our efforts and shaping any impact that they may have had.
While the state of our digital rights and freedoms seems grim and uncertain today, we vow to keep fighting the good fight to hold our public authorities accountable for the protection, preservation, and advancement of our fundamental rights. Tomorrow, and for as long as we can.