Politics and Policy: Stakeholder Contestation and the Dynamics of Policy Negotiation

Abstract

This chapter investigates the deliberations involved in policy-making concerning India’s platform ecosystem. The ecosystem includes state institutions, private platforms and civil society organizations1 that shape India’s digital policy landscape. This chapter discusses specific cases, including Facebook’s Free Basics initiative, the WhatsApp versus the Government of India privacy dispute and the Broadcasting Bill 2024. These cases illustrate how policies related to data privacy, net neutrality, surveillance and free speech evolve within the public sphere. This chapter examines the evolving governance of data through the Digital Personal Data Protection Act 2023 (hereinafter referred to as the DPDP Act 2023) and the working conditions of workers within the gig economy under the Code on Social Security 2020.2 This chapter illustrates how India’s digital policy landscape is shaped by ongoing negotiations among the legislature, market players and advocacy groups.