Full GS2
Q1. How has online free speech in the digital age shaped the promotion of democratic values and principles? What are the key challenges with regulating them. (10M)
Introduction
The Internet and social media platforms have provided individuals with unprecedented opportunities to express their opinions, share information, and engage in public discourse. This has contributed to the democratization of information and the amplification of diverse voices, leading to increased transparency, accountability, and citizen participation in democratic processes.
Body:
Ways in which online free speech has shaped the promotion of democratic values:
- Amplification of marginalized voices: Online platforms have given marginalized individuals and communities a platform to express their views and engage in public discussions.
- This has helped to challenge traditional power structures and amplify voices that were previously marginalized or excluded from mainstream media.
- Access to information: The internet has democratized access to information, enabling individuals to seek out diverse perspectives, alternative viewpoints, and a wide range of news sources.
- This empowers citizens to make more informed decisions and encourages transparency in governance.
- Facilitating political activism: Digital platforms have played a crucial role in organizing and mobilizing political activism. They have provided tools for social movements, facilitating coordination, dissemination of information, and fostering solidarity across geographic boundaries.
- Increased citizen participation: Online platforms have lowered the barriers to participation in political and civic processes. They have facilitated engagement with public officials, enabled online petitions, and allowed for the dissemination of citizens’ concerns and demands, leading to increased accountability.
Key challenges with regulating them:
- Balancing freedom of speech with harmful content: Determining the line between protected free speech and harmful or illegal content can be complex.
- Platforms face the challenge of moderating content without impinging on legitimate expression, which requires striking a delicate balance between safeguarding user rights and preventing the spread of misinformation, hate speech, or illegal activities.
- Tackling disinformation and fake news: The proliferation of disinformation and fake news has posed significant challenges to democratic processes. Regulating online free speech while preserving the ability to counter misinformation without compromising free expression is a complex task.
- Maintaining neutrality and avoiding bias: Content moderation by online platforms has been subject to criticism, as decisions about what is permissible and what is not can be subjective and open to biases.
- Striving for transparency, accountability, and fairness in content moderation is a constant challenge.
- Global legal and cultural variations: Online platforms operate globally, which means they must navigate diverse legal and cultural frameworks. Determining consistent policies that respect different jurisdictions and cultural norms can be a complex task.
- Protecting privacy and data security: Balancing free speech with individuals’ privacy rights and protecting user data from misuse are ongoing challenges. Striking the right balance between freedom of expression and safeguarding user privacy requires robust legal and technical measures.
Conclusion
Striking the right balance requires collaboration between different stakeholders, including civil society organizations, tech companies, policymakers, and citizens themselves, to ensure that regulation is transparent, inclusive, and respects human rights standards.
Q2. India finds the QUAD platform constructive in countering China’s aggressive behavior, despite its limitations and constraints. Discuss (15M)
Introduction
From its formation as a disaster response group after the 2004 tsunami to its revival in 2017, the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (Quad)—consisting of India, Japan, Australia, and the US—has become a key mechanism within the multilateral power framework of the Indo-Pacific region.
Body:
India views QUAD constructive in countering China’s aggressive behaviour, due to several reasons:
- Shared Concerns: India shares concerns with the other QUAD members regarding China’s assertive actions, such as territorial disputes, militarization of the South China Sea, and its growing influence in the region.
- Strategic Balancing: India sees the QUAD as an opportunity to balance China’s growing influence and assertiveness in the Indo-Pacific. As China expands its military capabilities and presence, India recognizes the need to work with like-minded countries to safeguard its strategic interests and maintain regional stability.
- In 2018, India tried to align the objectives of the Quad with SAGAR and IPOI.
- Security Cooperation: The QUAD facilitates security cooperation among its member states. India, in particular, benefits from enhanced maritime security cooperation, intelligence-sharing, joint military exercises, and capacity-building efforts.
- These initiatives enable India to strengthen its defence capabilities and improve its maritime domain awareness. E.g. Malabar naval exercises
- Balancing China’s Influence: through the Quad, India can counterbalance China’s growing presence in the Indo-Pacific region, including its BRI (Belt and Road Initiative) which has led to it building port facilities in countries neighbouring India, giving rise to a sense of encirclement in New Delhi.
- Rising from middle power status: With the Quad, India can rise above its middle-power status and project its influence beyond the Indo-Pacific.
- Also, India’s Act East Policy and Extended Neighbour policy boost India’s engagement in the Indo-Pacific.
- Economic Opportunities: The QUAD discussions also encompass economic initiatives and infrastructure development in the Indo-Pacific region. India, being a major economic power, can benefit from such initiatives.
- They align with India’s own economic goals and provide opportunities for increased trade, investment, and connectivity in the region.
- For example, Australia, India, and Japan have announced their intention to launch a supply chain resilience initiative.
Despite the constructive aspects, the QUAD also faces limitations and constraints:
- Differing Priorities: Each QUAD member has its own national interests and priorities, which may not always align perfectly. Balancing these divergent interests can pose challenges and limit the effectiveness of collective action. E.g. Divergence of interest on Russia-Ukraine crisis
- Varying Levels of Commitment: The level of commitment among QUAD members may differ due to varying degrees of concern regarding China’s behaviour. Maintaining a consistent and sustained effort among all members can be challenging. E.g. Australia’s Commitment.
- Reactivating tensions at other platforms: There is the possibility of reactivating tensions with China on different fronts, making it imperative for New Delhi to ensure that the Quad is not reduced to an anti-China grouping. g. At BRICS and SCO platform.
- Sensitivities of Partner Countries: India faces sensitivities in its own neighbourhood, primarily with respect to China and its close ally, Pakistan. Its participation in the QUAD can potentially strain these bilateral relationships, requiring India to navigate delicate diplomatic dynamics.
- Potential for Escalation: While the QUAD aims to counter China’s aggressive behaviour, there is a risk of unintended escalation and confrontation. The QUAD must carefully calibrate its actions to avoid triggering a more confrontational response from China.
- More risk to India: India is the only country among the Quad members that shares its borders with China. If India engages militarily in the Quad, there emerges a risk of Chinese aggression at the India borders.g. Galwan valley clash.
Way forward:
- Carving bilateral and trilateral initiatives: India should use QUAD as a platform to carve out bilateral and trilateral initiatives with other member countries to expand and enhance regional connectivity. E.g. Australia, India has signed an information-sharing agreement and a mutual logistics support agreement.
- Set terms of engagement: India should also set the ‘terms of engagement’ as other member countries of the QUAD are doing so that rising China does not remain inimical to their interests.
- Highlight predatory aspect of BRI: India should highlight the – “predatory aspect of Chinese BRI and loopholes of the Chinese infrastructural policy to the country to which it is getting engaged or has been engaged and become a long term trustworthy partner by offering developmental assistance and making them capable to safeguard their political and economic interests in the Indo-Pacific region”.
- Military cooperation: India and other member countries should pay attention on carving out military cooperation to tackle peacetime and grey zone threats.
Conclusion
Though India has its own limitations and constraints while engaging with QUAD, but surely, it offers very constructive and progressive platform to India in particular and other member countries in general to countering the aggressive and assertive behaviour of the China that is posing serious threat to the regional security of Indo-Pacific region.
Ethics
Syllabus: “Public/Civil service values and Ethics in Public administration: Status and problems; ethical concerns and dilemmas in government and private institutions;”
Q3. How can personal bias create ethical dilemmas for you in your professional life? Discuss using suitable examples.
Introduction:
Personal bias refers to learned beliefs, opinions, or attitudes that people are unaware of and often reinforce stereotypes. These personal biases are unintentional, automatic, and inbuilt, leading to incorrect judgments at workplaces.
Body:
Various personal bias that creates ethical dilemmas in professional life include:
- Confirmation Bias: seek and interpret information that aligns with their preexisting beliefs leading to ethical dilemmas related to fairness, equal treatment, and the potential for unjust outcomes.
- For instance, denotified tribes are branded as habitual criminals , this influences officers’ approaches during investigations.
- Halo effect: Tendency to form an overall positive impression of a person based on one outstanding quality or attribute.
- If someone has a personal belief that men are better than women, they are prone to provide more opportunities for men at workplace.
- Implicit Bias: Implicit bias refers to unconscious attitudes or stereotypes that influence our perception and behavior towards certain groups of people.
- Police officers targeting individuals based on their appearance, socio-economic status, or other characteristics. This can lead to ethical dilemmas as it raises questions about discrimination, civil rights.
- Anchoring Bias: when individuals rely heavily on the initial piece of information received when making decisions, and subsequent information is interpreted relative to that anchor.
- If an employer believes that non-degree candidates should be paid less , their starting salary will be anchored low. Leading to dilemmas regarding fair compensation.
- Availability Bias: tendency to rely on readily available information that comes to mind easily when making judgments or decisions.
- If a journalist believes in sensationalization, media channels will prioritize breaking news events rather than comprehensive analysis or alternative viewpoints, leading to ethical dilemmas of selective reporting.
Conclusion:
By actively striving for objectivity and embracing diverse perspectives, professionals can navigate ethical dilemmas and contribute to a fair and just society.
Case study
Q4. Mr. Siddharth is a techie from global MNC and also a philanthropist. He wants to eradicate hunger in India and he has opened an NGO “Zero Hunger Zero Pain”. The funds utilised by NGOs are regulated by a national law. 40 years back when the law was passed, few NGOs were involving in anti-national activities. Excessive restrictions were placed on fund utilisation and this created many complexities for genuine NGOs too. The restrictive rules range from substantive provisions that are necessary to regulate utilisation of money by NGOs and also some superfluous, unnecessary technicalities.
Recently, it was decided that none of these restrictive provisions are relevant after four decades wherein NGOs have become agents of development and change and government’s desired partners in service delivery. So, the laws are amended and all the unnecessary technicalities are repealed.
You are the Registrar of NGOs. Siddharth files an application to you for funding a food-fortification project of his NGO. While auditing, you unearth some discrepancies. In past, some technicalities were not complied with by Siddharth’s NGO. Those technicalities are not at all helpful even in past to regulate errant NGO conduct, they were serving no purpose. But it is a violation of the original unamended law and the NGO funds should be frozen for 8 months, which can affect its development works.
Which one of the following two options will you choose?
-
- Since the law is now amended neither those technicalities have legal force today nor they were necessary in past, you can approve the application of Siddharth.
- Though the law is amended today, when it was violated it had legal force in past. So, you can freeze the funds of Siddharth’s NGO.
Synopsis:
The case brings to light the ethical aspects of balancing legal compliance, accountability, and the overarching goal of promoting philanthropic endeavors. The stakeholders involved include,
- Since the law is now amended neither those technicalities have legal force today nor they were necessary in past, you can approve the application of Siddharth
This may have the following positives:
- Recognition of Legislative Intent: By considering the amendments made to the law and the removal of unnecessary technicalities.
- Encouragement for Development Work and philanthropic endeavours: Allows the NGO to continue its development work without interruption, making progress towards eradicating hunger and alleviating the pain associated with it.
- Streamlined Process: By disregarding the unnecessary technicalities that have been repealed. It reduces bureaucratic complexities.
- Flexibility and Adaptability: to changing circumstances and evolve regulatory frameworks accordingly.
But, this would lead to
- Undermining the Rule of Law: which can erode the credibility and effectiveness of the regulatory framework.
- Inconsistency and Unfairness: seen as granting preferential treatment to Siddharth’s NGO.
- Erosion of Accountability: NGOs for their past actions.
- Risk of Setting a Dangerous Precedent: where NGOs may feel they can overlook certain legal requirements based on subsequent amendments.
- Though the law is amended today, when it was violated it had legal force in past. So, you can freeze the funds of Siddharth’s NGO.
This may have the following positives:
- Respect for the Rule of Law: As the Registrar, it is your responsibility to enforce the law as it existed during that period.
- Consistency and Fairness: Applying the law uniformly and consistently is important to maintain fairness and equal treatment for all NGOs.
- Accountability and Compliance: NGOs, like any other organization, should be held accountable for their actions and compliance with the law.
- Mitigating Future Risks: and ensures that NGOs are aware of their obligations and responsibilities.
I would flag the identified issues and ask the NGO to take corrective measures, If the NGO has demonstrated positive outcomes and has taken corrective measures regarding the identified discrepancies, I would choose option A. Due to the following reasons
- Gandhiji’s talisman: “Recall the face of the poorest and weakest person and ask if your actions will benefit them.” Freezing funds for 8 months would affect eradication of hunger.
- Citizen-Centric Approach: The Second ARC recommendation, considering the impact of their decision on the larger goal of eradicating hunger and the welfare of the beneficiaries.
- Minimum Government, Maximum Governance: the Registrar should consider the goal of minimizing unnecessary restrictions and technicalities that impede the functioning of genuine NGOs.
- Performance-Based Management: assess the overall performance and impact of Siddharth’s NGO, including its contributions towards eradicating hunger.
Outdated laws can hinder innovation, economic growth, and the ability of companies to navigate complex and evolving business environments. Ensuring that legal frameworks remain relevant and adaptable is crucial for fostering a conducive environment for businesses and NGOs to thrive and contribute positively to society.
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