G-20 campaigns for online safety, digital innovation unveiled

The Union Minister for Railways, Communications, Electronics and Information Technology has addressed the ‘Stay Safe Online’ Campaign and ‘G20 Digital Innovation Alliance’ as part of India’s G-20 presidency, in New Delhi.

About the event:

• Participants of the event: The event was graced by Shri Amitabh Kant, G20 Sherpa, dignitaries from Union Ministries and Departments, representatives of Embassies and Consulates, invited guests from the Government, Industry associations, social media platforms, start-ups, and civil society organisations.
• Key points mentioned:
  • During India's G20 presidency, MeitY will focus on three priority areas, namely;
  • Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI),
  • Cyber Security, and
  • Digital Skill Development, together with the Stay Safe Online campaign and DIA programme under the DEWG.
  • MeitY aims to carry forward the vision of the digital transformation of the global digital economy for public service delivery through innovation and a future-ready digitally skilled workforce in a secure cyber environment.

The initiatives launched:

The Stay Safe Online campaign and the Digital Innovation Alliance (DIA) programme which G-20 Sherpa Amitabh Kant lauded as among the first-ever programmes to be launched worldwide as a G-20 initiative. 

• Digital Innovation Alliance (DIA);
  • It meant to unite the innovation ecosystems of G-20 countries and nine invitee countries to recognise and support start-ups developing innovative digital solutions. 
  • The DIA programme will have 174 start-ups from member countries with invitee countries sending in entries for digital solutions in six key sectors - Edtech, Healthtech, Agritech, Fintech, secured digital infrastructure and circular economy.
  • The entries will be judged by a diverse jury, drawn from academia, corporates, Ministers and investors, at the end of which the top three innovations in each sector will be awarded.
  • The event would also provide an opportunity for interactions with stakeholders; esteemed panel discussions and investor connect.
• The Stay Safe Online campaign;
  • It intends to raise awareness about cyber risks and the need for cyber hygiene in an increasingly digitising world.
  • The Ministry released a video for this campaign, which asks citizens to share instances of cyber safety online with a hash tag for wider reach and intends to reach all groups of citizens in urban and rural India. 
  • The video is also being translated in all N. languages and languages of all G-20 countries and invitee countries for global reach.

Other Government Initiatives:

• India had embarked on an ambitious project of developing its own technology stack (hardware and software) for telecom solutions - 4G and 5G - which has already been tested for 5 million simultaneous connections and soon to be tested for double that strength.
• The government is also working on Bhashini - an AI-based language translator - intended to bridge the language barrier keeping in line with the vision of inclusive digital transformation. 

Significance:

• The campaign involves the dissemination of multilingual awareness content in the form of infographics, cartoon stories, puzzles, short videos, etc. and amplifying the same through extensive use of the MyGov website and prominent social media platforms.
• Besides this, various publicity, promotion and outreach activities would be carried out throughout the year through print, electronics & social media to reinforce the stay safe online message.
• In addition, collaboration and involvement of key stakeholders viz. Union Ministries / Departments, industry associations/partners, NGOs, civil society organizations, etc. would be sought for wider outreach of the campaign.