The balance of power between users, platforms and the government needs a reset

A perfect storm is brewing in the world of Internet platforms: in the last 10 days, Pavel Durov, the founder of messaging app Telegram has been arrested in France; in Brazil, a Judge has threatened to block X (formerly Twitter) after it refused to comply with orders, and in the middle of a hotly contested election in the US, Meta founder Mark Zuckerberg has disclosed government pressure during the Biden-Harris administration to censor content.

Continue reading The balance of power between users, platforms and the government needs a reset

A response to Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal’s comments on Ecommerce as a problem in India

I remember clearly the day I told Amitabh Kant about my preference for bright coloured socks: It was late in the evening at Udyog Bhawan on May 15, 2014, a day before Narendra Modi’s BJP came to power. As the then Secretary of the Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP), Kant was presiding over a stakeholder discussion on whether multi-brand retail should be allowed in India. 

Continue reading A response to Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal’s comments on Ecommerce as a problem in India

Outdated mindset driving India’s Broadcast Bill needs an update

26 year old Jimmy Donaldson, aka Mr. Beast, runs the world’s most subscribed YouTube channel with 307 million subscribers.  Known for generosity and stunts, he has spent 24 hours in an ice house, given away 26 Teslas on his 26th birthday, and gave $5 million to help 2,000 amputees walk last year.

Continue reading Outdated mindset driving India’s Broadcast Bill needs an update