8

th Independent Thought
National Legal Essay Competition, 2019
in collaboration with
FLAIR – Forum for Learning and Action with Innovation and Rigour
Under the Aegis of All India Law Teachers Congress
˜ ˜

RATIONALE AND BACKGROUND

C
itizens play a vital role in diverse ways
towards strengthening democratic
framework of the Nation, established legal
system and rule of law. This is imperative for giving
life to the opening phrase of Indian Constitution “WE,
the People of India”. We invite young and promising
legal minds to participate in nation building process
by dwelling deep on the role of law in lives of
children.
While elections come and go; children issues remain
unheard, as they don't vote. An emerging threat in
the digital age is the fact that the Internet is largely
blind to age, treating children and adults equally. The
State and the Society, has to have a clear
understanding of the fast-changing, highly complex
and transnational nature of socio-technological
infrastructures and the risks it poses. The tasks at
hand are complex, and the solutions to the problems
largely unknown. The devil is in the details and that
need to be understood before we begin to move
forward!
Historic Judgment by Supreme Court of India
Independent Thought vs. Union of India [(2017)
10 SCC 800], read down the Exception 2 to Section
375 of the IPC, 1860, declaring sex with minor wife
as Rape.

Theme for the Year 2019

CHILDREN’S RIGHTS IN THE AGE OF BIG DATA

D
ata collection, analysis and regulation of
data in the digital age raise questions
about both the realization and the
protection of children's rights. The questions are
whether traditional ethical frameworks guiding
research in institutional settings and national legal
and policy frameworks for data collection and
consent from children are adequate and sufficient.
It is important to understand that, a higher share of
collection and analysis of big data is carried out by
the aid of “machines” and “artificial intelligence”
through “automation” processes and hence such
big data are not bound by human subject
protections. Big Data is collected by both public
and private organizations, and is therefore subject
to multiple and varying international and state-
based interventions and standards.
1
Extremely large data sets that may be analysed computationally to reveal patterns, trends,
and associations, especially relating to human behaviour and interactions.
PANEL OF JUDGES
The data that is collected from and of children may,
be utilized and analyzed by indeterminate
Issues which may be touched upon in the essays
algorithms, at any uncertain point in the future, for • Protecting children from Disadvantaged Communities
indeterminate clients. This processed data can be from potential harm in the age of the Internet and Digital
used to create digital identities or to perform any Media
operation in the digital space, of which the • Roles and responsibilities of different social actors,
individuals/children are unaware and have no including the State, School, families etc
control. There is severe lack of guidance, and/or • Information Technology Act, 2000 & POCSO Act, 2012
practical and effective solutions, to safely collect
• Indian Penal Code, 1860 and Cyber Laws
data directly or indirectly from or of children in a
digital world, and process them. Therefore, there • India’s Personal Data Protection Bill
is a need to understand the issues clearly and • Indian Contract Act, 1872 and Minimum Age of Children to
develop and implement a preventive, protective avail various Services on Digital Media
and curative framework. • Personal Laws and Court Judgments
Participation, Recognition and Encouragement
Students having interest in Law, Development and Human Rights are eligible to
participate;
Three Best Thoughts to be awarded with citation and
• Best Thought ₹ 10,000

• Dr. Yatan Pal Singh Balhara, Associate Professor of Psychiatry, Department of • Second Best Thought ₹ 8,000
Psychiatry and NDDTC, AIIMS, New Delhi • Third Best Thought ₹ 5,000

• Dr. GK Goswami, IPS, Joint Director, Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), New
Delhi
• Adv Gaurav Agrawal, Advocate on Record, Supreme Court of India
• Dr. Karnika Seth, Expert Cyber Lawyer and Author of the book ‘Protection of Children
on Internet’
• Prof. (Dr.) Abdul Matin, President, FLAIR
• Mr. Vinai Singh, Deputy Director, Indian Society of International Law, New Delhi
• Dr. Uday Shankar, Associate Professor, RGSIP Law, IIT Kharagpur
Last date of submission: 15 October 2019 | Queries: essay.ithought@gmail.com |
Declaration Best Thoughts: 10 December 2019
Further Details: www.ithought.in | For Further information please contact 0120-4340451
The fifteen Best Thoughts will get Certificate of Participation and published in
Independent Thought Law Digest 2019 (ISBN number)
All India Law Teachers Congress | www.ailtc.org is a registered Society and teachers of
law, teaching in various universities and colleges in India are its members. AILTC aims to
promote the interests of legal education and members of law teachers.
FLAIR – Forum for Learning and Action with Innovation and Rigour | www.flairindia.org is
an organisation working in India through research, training and model building. FLAIR
works extensively on the issue of Children's Rights in Digital Space under its DIGITAL
MEDIA AND SOCIETY programme and anchors the Safe Internet Global Alliance (SIGA).
NoticeBard | www.noticebard.com is a notice-board for educational opportunities and
events.
INDEPENDENT THOUGHT | www.ithought.in is a National Human Rights organization
working towards equity, justice and mutual respect.
Independent Thought offers Internship opportunities on Human Rights Law

Forum for Learning

and Action with
Innovation and
Rigour EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES
AILTC
EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES