Table of Contents
The non-politics of outrage- उल्लंघन
Facebook (FB) and a British political consulting firm, Cambridge Analytica (CA), regarding the use
of personal data for political messaging during the U.S. presidential elections
Micro – targeted political messaging
CA’s parent company also offers data – intelligence services to militaries
Global digital companies such as Microsoft and Google are known to cooperate closely with
theAmerican establishment
Developing countries like India must realise that they do not have kind of leverage that the U.S. or even the European Union (EU) have over global data
All data collected in India and transported abroad (data laws being nearly non-existent), on the other hand, remain largely out of our control or influence
This data gets converted into digitally-intelligent services in all sectors from transport,commerce and tourism, to education and health, to agriculture and manufacturing
Influence and control our elections, or economics, or culture, or internal and external security
Srikrishna Committee on data protection seems centred entirely on personal data rights,
which is insufficient
The problem is, even from a security point of view
Data of consumer behaviour (which provides much detailed psychometric
information with cross – sectoral application)
Platform companies such as FB, Amazon and Uber are key sites of data collection
and expropriation, and its conversion into digital intelligence (to influence elections,
or whatever else they wish to do)
A data – based digital society and economy are a completely new reality.
The question is, are we as a nation ready to develop the needed political response to it?
A perfect storm in the cotton field
Why India is the only Bt cotton-growing country facing the problem of pink
bollworm infestation
Bollgard 2, or BG-2, Monsanto’s second generation insecticidal technology for cotton,
was supposed to protect crops against pink bollworm, pest has grown resistant to the
toxins produced by this trait.
As a result, farmers now spend more on pesticides to control infestations.
This,along with the high cost of Bt seeds, is driving farmers to indigence.
None of the other 14 Bt cotton-growing countries have seen this resistance.
China still successfully controls pink bollworm with first-generation Bt cotton.
U.S. and Australia are moving on to third-generation BG-3 without having
faced this problem.
Why did India suffer this unique misfortune?
South Asia, a fertile ground
Islamic State has weakened, but it continues to expand
Continues to inspire Muslim youth from different parts of the world, including India.
PreFlims ocus AnalysisFacts
Page-1- U.S. expels 60 Russians, shuts consulate in Seattle.
Officials and their families have been given seven days to leave the country.
Prelims Focus Facts-News Analysis
Page-1- SC to examine polygamy(बहुवििाह) in Muslim marriage.
Seven months after it declared instant triple talaq unconstitutional, the Supreme
Court on Monday decided to look into the constitutional validity of the
prevalent practices of polygamy.
Prelims Focus Facts-News Analysis
Congress, BJP clash on Twitter over data leaks.
Prelims Focus Facts-News Analysis
HC issues notices to Gujarat, Centre on deaths of 184 lions.
Seeks explanation for high number, preventive steps
Taking serious note of the death of 184 lions in the State in the last two years, the
Gujarat High Court on Monday sought explanations from the Union and the State
governments in the matter.
Court took suo motu cognisance of news reports
Gujarat is the only home to lions in Asia.
As per the 2015 census, there were 523 lions in the State.
Prelims Focus Facts-News Analysis
Summer of discontent: water crisis looms in Gujarat.
Prelims Focus Facts-News Analysis
China says Doklam is in its territory.
Kim Jong-un on his first China visit, says media.
Rahane replaces Smith as Rajasthan Royals skipper.