The English Debating Society, Shaheed Bhagat Singh College Competition on Internet Freedom is being organised in collaboration with The Dialogue on 27th -28th 2021.

With the world steadily converging into virtual spaces it is natural to see discussions around internet freedom and digital rights.

About the Organisation

The English Debating Society, Shaheed Bhagat Singh College, University of Delhi is a group committed to inculcate a flare of critical thinking and public speaking amongst the youth on issues of public importance. With the experience of not only winning but also organising several successful competitions, this society is considered one of the most prestigious debating groups in Delhi University.

The Dialogue is a research-driven think-tank working on the intersection of technology, society, and public policy. By facilitating informed policy debates at various levels, it aims to drive a progressive narrative in India’s policy discourse.

Sub-themes for the Rounds

The National Debate Competition intends to encourage the participants to engage in out of the box thinking and to explore emerging dimensions of internet freedom and digital rights. To this end, the motions for the rounds will be based on the following sub-themes:

• Regulation of content on OTT & other online platforms.
• Privacy & National Security Debate under the PDP Bill, 2019.
• Free Speech vs. Fake News.
• Safe Harbour & Online Safety.

General Guidelines

• It is a conventional debate entailing four rounds.
• Students are invited in a team of two (cross university teams are permitted).
• The platform for the competition will be zoom.

Eligibility Criteria

Students/research scholars enrolled in any UG/PG/Ph.D. course from any university in India are eligible to participate in the competition.

Registration Details

Interested participants are required to register here: https://forms.gle/TRLjmBpaMxxyKfvq7

Fee: Rs. 200 per team

Last date of registration: 23rd February 2021

Awards

• An interactive mentorship session: The participants will be invited for a dedicated mentorship session with the stalwarts of the internet freedom and digital rights ecosystem to help them better appreciate the important issues and opportunities in this sector.
• Attractive Cash Prizes: Best Team: Rs. 25,000 | Second Best Team: Rs. 15,000 | Best Speaker: Rs. 15,000 | Second Best Speaker: Rs. 10,000
• Internship Opportunity: Winners shall also get a one-month internship opportunity with a reputed civil society organisation working on internet freedom and digital rights.

Contact Details

For any further information/clarification, please reach out to: The English Debating Society Shaheed Bhagat Singh College at: englishdebsoc.sbsc@gmail.com

Utkarsh: +91 9871192953

Wriju: +91 8942900873

The website link of English Debating Society Shaheed Bhagat Singh College is here.