UPSC CURRENT AFFAIRS – 1 April 2024
Kartavya Desk Staff
InstaLinks : help you think beyond the issue but relevant to the issue from UPSC prelims and Mains exam point of view. These linkages provided in this ‘hint’ format help you frame possible questions ina your mind that might arise(or an examiner might imagine) from each current event. InstaLinks also connect every issue to their static or theoretical background. This helps you study a topic holistically and add new dimensions to every current event to help you think analytically
InstaLinks : help you think beyond the issue but relevant to the issue from UPSC prelims and Mains exam point of view. These linkages provided in this ‘hint’ format help you frame possible questions ina your mind that might arise(or an examiner might imagine) from each current event. InstaLinks also connect every issue to their static or theoretical background. This helps you study a topic holistically and add new dimensions to every current event to help you think analytically
Table of Contents:
GS Paper 2:
• Regulating Big Tech Companies in India and the world
Content for Mains Enrichment (CME)
• Empathic Voice Interface (EVI)
Facts for Prelims (FFP)
• Mohiniyattam
• 100 Years of Vaikom satyagraha
• Association of Democratic Reforms (ADR) data
• 1MYAC – One Million Youth Actions Challenge
• Impact of AI Boom on Interest Rates
• Energy Inefficiency in Residential Buildings
• Butterfly Cicada
• The Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act (AFSPA)
Mapping
• Africa’s Afar Triangle
Regulating Big Tech Companies in India and the world
#### GS Paper 3
Syllabus: Governance
Source: IE
Context: The US has recently initiated actions against Big Tech, particularly Google, which has emboldened other countries like India to address similar disputes with tech giants.
What are Big-Tech Firms?
Big Tech firms refer to large technology companies that dominate their respective sectors, wielding significant influence and control over digital platforms and services. These companies typically operate on a global scale and are characterized by their immense market capitalization, extensive user base, and diverse portfolio of products and services. Examples of Big Tech firms include
• Google (controls the majority of online search traffic and digital advertising revenue)
• Amazon ( dominates e-commerce and cloud computing)
• Apple (iPhone, iPad, and MacBook,)
• Facebook (Meta) (Leads the social media landscape )
• Microsoft (software, hardware, and cloud services)
Need for Regulations:
• Arbitrary Pricing: Big Tech’s influence on pricing rules in the digital space, leads to concerns about fairness and competition.
• Regulatory Vacuum: Challenges faced by regulators in keeping pace with rapid tech innovation, leading to reactive rather than proactive measures.
• Data Collection and Privacy Concerns: Big Tech’s extensive data collection practices raise privacy, surveillance, and data security issues.
Specific concerns related to the functioning of Big Tech Firms:
Concerns | Description
Prioritizing In-House Services | Allegations against Alphabet, Apple, and Meta for steering customers towards their in-house services over competitors’, potentially limiting consumer choice. E.g., Apple priorities its App Store and Safari browser in its services
Non-Compliance with DMA of EU | Alphabet, Amazon, Apple, ByteDance, and Microsoft were designated as ‘gatekeepers’ under the Digital Markets Act (DMA) (in 2023) and investigated for non-compliance.
Discriminatory Approach | The European Commission is investigating Google for potential bias in search results, focusing on whether the company favours its own services over competitors.
Competition Competition of India has launched a probe into Google’s Play Store pricing policy for alleged discriminatory practices.
Reducing Choices for Customers | In October 2020, the US Department of Justice accused Google of unlawfully maintaining monopolies in search and search advertising markets through anti-competitive practices. They claimed it harmed consumers by limiting search quality, reducing choices, and stifling innovation.
Ecosystem Captivity | The European Commission is investigating whether Apple allows users to uninstall pre-installed apps, change default settings, and choose alternatives easily on iOS. They’re concerned that Apple’s practices might limit user choice within its ecosystem, leading to ecosystem captivity.
Concerns Over ‘Binary Choice’ of Meta | Meta introduced a subscription model in the EU, EEA, and Switzerland, allowing users to use Facebook and Instagram without ads or continue using them for free with personalized ads. Regulators found the model’s “binary choice” insufficient in providing a real alternative for users who don’t consent, failing to prevent data accumulation by gatekeepers.
Antitrust Concerns | E.g., Facebook (Meta) is facing antitrust lawsuits and probes for acquiring potential competitors like Instagram and WhatsApp, along with concerns about its control over digital advertising and social networking markets.
Amazon is under antitrust scrutiny for its treatment of third-party sellers, predatory pricing allegations, and potential conflicts of interest as both a retailer and a marketplace operator.
Antitrust laws aim to promote fair competition, prevent monopolistic practices, and ensure consumers have access to a variety of high-quality products at fair prices.
Existing governance frameworks in place to regulate technologies for responsible use:
• Competition Act, 2002 and Competition Commission of India (CCI): The Competition Act, 2002 is the primary legislation governing antitrust issues (unfair competitive practices) in India for regulating Big Tech companies. CCI is responsible for checking monopolistic practices and ensuring fair competition. g., Recently CCI imposed heavy penalties on misuse of Google’s dominant position in the online search market
• CCI is responsible for checking monopolistic practices and ensuring fair competition.
• g., Recently CCI imposed heavy penalties on misuse of Google’s dominant position in the online search market
• Competition Amendment Bill, 2022: It mandates the Competition Commission of India (CCI) to establish regulations for assessing if an enterprise has significant business operations in India. This strengthens the Commission’s review process, particularly in digital and infrastructure sectors, previously underreported due to lower asset or turnover values not meeting jurisdictional thresholds.
• Information Technology Act, 2000: The Act provides a legal framework for electronic governance by giving recognition to electronic records and digital signatures. However, the act is old and doesn’t cover all aspects of technology misuse.
• However, the act is old and doesn’t cover all aspects of technology misuse.
• National Regulatory Frameworks: E.g. The National Strategy for Artificial Intelligence (2018)
• Industry Self-regulation: Technology companies often develop their own codes of conduct and industry standards to govern the responsible use of technologies. Self-regulation can provide flexibility and adaptability to rapidly evolving technologies. However, it may lack enforceability and uniformity across different industries and regions. E.g. self-regulation of OTT platforms
• However, it may lack enforceability and uniformity across different industries and regions.
• E.g. self-regulation of OTT platforms
• Multi-stakeholder Initiatives: Collaborative efforts involving governments, businesses, civil society organizations, and academia play a crucial role in technology governance. These initiatives focus on dialogue, knowledge sharing, and best practice development. Examples include the Global Network Initiative (GNI) and the Partnership on AI (PAI).
• Examples include the Global Network Initiative (GNI) and the Partnership on AI (PAI).
• The RBI’s ‘Payments Vision 2025’ aims to regulate big tech and fintech in the payments sector.
Regulation of tech companies in other countries:
Country | Mechanism | Description
Europe | Digital Markets Act (DMA) and Digital Services Act (DSA) | The Digital Markets Act (DMA) aims to ban harmful business practices by large digital players, creating a fairer and more competitive economic space. The Digital Services Act (DSA) targets various online services, including websites, internet infrastructure services, and online platforms.
USA | Anti-trust legislation | The United States has adopted anti-trust legislation to address the dominance of Big Tech companies. These measures include giving states greater power in competition cases and increasing funding for federal regulators.
Australia | Competition watchdog recommendations | The competition watchdog in Australia has recommended tighter regulations for Facebook and Google to improve media competition.
Additionally, the Online Safety Act grants the power to force social media companies to delete posts constituting online bullying and imposes fines on companies and hosts involved in the alleged abuse.
Global cooperation can contribute to the development of global standards for technology governance in the following ways:
• Information Sharing and Best Practices: E.g, India can adopt legislation similar to the EU’s Digital Services Act to regulate India’s service marketplace.
• Harmonization of Standards: Global cooperation can facilitate the harmonization of standards across countries and regions g., Algorithmic Accountability, to identify, assess and penalise harmful algorithmic amplification by Tech companies
• Capacity Building and Technical Assistance: Global cooperation supports capacity-building efforts in developing countries by providing technical assistance and knowledge transfer.
• Norm Setting and Policy Guidance: These norms can address issues such as AI ethics, privacy protection, autonomous systems, and digital rights.
• Multilateral Governance Mechanisms:g., for regulating the flow of funds, drugs, etc. using the Dark Web and other unregulated technology networks.
The Standing Committee on Finance submitted its report on ‘Anti-Competitive Practices by Big Tech Companies’ in December 2022.
Key observations and recommendations include:
• Regulating Digital Markets: Evaluate competitive behaviour in digital markets before monopolization occurs, suggesting the identification of Systemically Important Digital Intermediaries (SIDIs) and yearly reporting to the Competition Commission of India (CCI).
• Digital Competition Act: Introduce legislation to ensure a fair digital ecosystem.
• Self-Preferencing: SIDIs must not favour their own services over competitors’ on their platforms.
• Data Usage: SIDIs should handle user data responsibly, avoiding merging data from core services without consent and restricting data access to third-party services.
• Revamping CCI: Strengthen the CCI with a specialized digital markets unit to monitor SIDIs and address anti-competitive behaviour.
• Third-Party Applications: SIDIs should allow and technically enable the use of third-party applications without transferring data to foreign governments.
• Bundling and Tying: SIDIs should not force users to subscribe to additional services to use their core platform.
• Anti-Steering: SIDIs should not restrict business users from steering customers to offers outside the platform.
Conclusion
Collaborative efforts can help address the challenges posed by emerging technologies, promote ethical and responsible technology use, and ensure a globally inclusive and sustainable digital future.
Insta Link:
RBI to regulate bigtech and fintech
Mains Link:
There is growing support for regulating big tech companies such as Facebook and Google. Discuss the reasons. (15M)
Prelims Link:
With reference to ‘consumers’ rights/privileges under the provisions of law in India, which of the following statements is/are correct? (UPSC 2012)
• Consumers are empowered to take samples for food testing.
• When a consumer files a complaint in any consumer forum, no fee is required to be paid.
• In case of death of consumer, his/her legal heir can file a complaint in the consumer forum on his/her behalf.
Select the correct answer using the codes given below:
(a) 1 only (b) 2 and 3 only (c) 1 and 3 only (d) 1, 2 and 3
Ans: C
Mohiniyattam
#### Facts for Prelims (FFP)
Source: Deccan Herald
Context: The Kerala Kalamandalam, a prestigious cultural institution, has announced a significant policy change allowing male dancers to learn Mohiniyattam, a classical dance form previously reserved exclusively for women.
100 Years of Vaikom satyagraha
#### Facts for Prelims (FFP)
Source: IE
Context: The Vaikom satyagraha, initiated in 1924 in Vaikom, Travancore, marked the beginning of temple entry movements in India
About | Description
Vaikom Satyagraha (March 30, 1924 to November 23, 1925) | It was a historic non-violent movement against untouchability and caste discrimination in the country. It marked the start of temple entry movements across India.
Issue | The Kingdom of Travancore had a rigid and oppressive caste system, and the people belonging to the oppressed classes, especially the Ezhavas, had no right to walk on the four roads surrounding the Vaikom Mahadeva temple (District: Kottayam, Kerala)
Leaders | Spearheaded by Congress leader T.K. Madhavan; K.P. Kesava Menon (then secretary of Kerala Congress) and Congress leader and educationist K. Kelappan (also known as Kerala Gandhi)
The course of the Movement | The Congress Untouchability Committee decided to start the movement at the Mahadeva temple in Vaikom. On March 30, 1924, volunteers from three different communities were sent to walk on the prohibited roads each day.
Support to the Movement | ‘Periyar’ E.V. Ramasamy was requested to lead the campaign
Members of forward castes marched from Travancore to the royal palace at Thiruvananthapuram, in a show of solidarity for the social reform
Akalis (Sikhs) from Punjab gave their support by opening a community kitchen (langar) for the volunteers
Chattampi Swamikal and Sree Narayana Guru gave support to the movement.
Mahatma Gandhi arrived at Vaikom in March 1925 to arrive at a compromise and settle the issue once and for all.
The success of the Movement | · Oppressed castes were given the right to move on public roads in the vicinity of all temples in Travancore. · The movement paved the way for the historic Temple Entry Proclamation (1936) by the Maharaja of Travancore, which lifted the age-old ban on the entry of marginalized castes into Travancore temples. · It was one of the most non-violent struggles against caste oppression and discrimination.
· The movement paved the way for the historic Temple Entry Proclamation (1936) by the Maharaja of Travancore, which lifted the age-old ban on the entry of marginalized castes into Travancore temples.
· It was one of the most non-violent struggles against caste oppression and discrimination.
Association of Democratic Reforms (ADR) data
#### Facts for Prelims (FFP)
Source: TH
Context: An analysis by the Association of Democratic Reforms (ADR) reveals concerning statistics about sitting Lok Sabha MPs in India.
Key Findings:
• Out of 514 MPs analyzed, 44% face criminal charges, with 29% facing serious charges like murder, attempt to murder, and crimes against women.
• Among those facing serious charges, nine have murder cases against them.
• Additionally, 5% of sitting MPs are billionaires, with assets exceeding ₹100 crore.
• Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Bihar, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, and Himachal Pradesh stand out with more than 50% of their MPs facing criminal charges.
• The report also provides insights into the educational background, age, and gender distribution among sitting MPs, revealing that 73% have graduate or higher educational qualifications, while only 15% are women.
The Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) is a non-partisan, non-governmental organization in India that works for electoral and political reforms, and to strengthen democracy and improve governance.
It was founded in 1999 by professors from the Indian Institute of Management (IIM).
The ADR’s goals include: Electoral and political reforms, Empowering the electorate, Greater accountability of political parties, and Inner-party democracy and transparency.
1MYAC – One Million Youth Actions Challenge
#### Facts for Prelims (FFP)
Source: UN
Context: The 1 Million Youth Actions Challenge (1MYAC) by the UN Climate Change Learning Partnership (UN CC:Learn) aims to mobilize youth aged 10 to 30 to take concrete actions for a sustainable future, with a goal of reaching 1,000,000 youth actions.
• It focuses on promoting four Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs): clean water and sanitation, responsible consumption and production, climate action, and life on land.
• 1MYAC was founded by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) and the RéSEAU.
The One UN Climate Change Learning Partnership (UN CC:Learn) is a collaborative initiative of more than 30 multilateral organizations that support countries in designing and implementing climate change. UN CC:Learn offers information on climate change and free online courses.
Impact of AI Boom on Interest Rates
#### Facts for Prelims (FFP)
Source: BS
What are Interest Rates?
Interest rates represent the cost of borrowing money or the return earned on savings or investments.
AI boom increases demand for investment in technology. Companies will be willing to pay higher interest rates to banks, for increased capital investment. This raises interest rates for everyone.
The boom in AI could increase the Real (inflation-adjusted) interest rates due to several factors:
• Increased demand for capital expenditure (capex) to develop high-quality semiconductor chips for AI.
• Higher productivity of capital resulting from AI leads to higher real interest rates.
• Expansion of energy infrastructure to meet the growing demand for computation, driven by AI.
• Adoption of cost-effective technologies like water desalination, leads to increased investment in infrastructure and energy consumption.
• Investment in AI-driven warfare and drone combat technologies.
• Job losses from AI lead to investments in worker assistance programs, putting pressure on real interest rates.
Butterfly Cicada
#### Facts for Prelims (FFP)
Source: Shillong Times
Context: A new species of cicada, informally named the “Butterfly Cicada,” has been discovered in Meghalaya, marking the first-ever record of the genus Becquartina in India.
• The genus Becquartina is represented by six species found distributed in China, Thailand, and Vietnam, often referred to as “Butterfly cicadas” due to their colourful wings.
Cicadas are insects that are part of the superfamily Cicadoidea and the order Hemiptera.
They are stout, green or brown in colour with black markings, and have four clear wings that resemble a fly.
Cicadas can be found in urban and rural areas with hardwood trees. They are harmless to people, plants, and property.
Energy Inefficiency in Residential Buildings
#### Facts for Prelims (FFP)
Source: TH
Context: Addressing energy inefficiency in residential buildings is crucial, with initiatives like Eco-Niwas Samhita (ENS) introducing the Residential Envelope Transmittance Value (RETV) to measure heat transfer.
Need for Energy Efficiency?
• India’s housing construction sector is booming, erecting over 3,00,000 housing units annually.
• The housing sector is a significant energy consumer, responsible for over 33% of India’s electricity usage
• India Cooling Action Plan foresees an eight-fold surge in cooling demand from 2017 to 2037.
What is RETV?
The Residential Envelope Transmittance Value (RETV) is a metric used to measure heat transfer through a building’s envelope. It indicates the thermal efficiency of a building, with lower RETV values corresponding to cooler indoor environments and decreased energy usage.
Optimal construction materials for energy efficiency include:
Construction Material | Characteristics
Autoclaved Aerated Concrete (AAC) blocks | AAC blocks consistently exhibit the lowest RETV, indicating their potential for thermal efficiency
Red bricks | Red bricks require the longest construction time but contribute to resource depletion and emissions
Fly ash | The use of fly ash in residential housing construction can enhance thermal efficiency by improving insulation, reducing heat transfer, and increasing thermal mass
Monolithic concrete (Mivan) | Monolithic concrete, while quick to construct, has significantly higher embodied energy compared to AAC, posing sustainability challenges
Related News:
UNEP Global Status Report for Buildings and Construction (Buildings-GSR) 2024
Source: UNEP
Aspect | Details
Publisher | United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and Global Alliance for Buildings and Construction (GlobalABC)
Key Findings | The building and Construction Sector (BCS) contributes to 21% of global Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Emissions
In 2022, buildings accounted for 34% of global energy demand and 37% of energy and process-related carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions
India attributes 40% of its CO2 emissions to the building sector
Decarbonization Goals | Limit global warming to 1.5°C (Paris Agreement) and achieve net zero by 2050 by reducing embodied carbon in building materials
Global Initiatives | Declaration de Chaillot: Aims to foster international cooperation to address climate challenges within the building sector
Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EU): Zero emission standards for new buildings by 2030
Buildings Breakthrough Initiative (France and Morocco at COP 28): Near-zero emission and resilient buildings by 2030
Clean Heat Forum (UK initiative)
India Initiatives | The first city-specific Zero Carbon Buildings Action Plan (ZCBAP) launched in Nagpur
| Energy Conservation (Amendment) Act, 2022: Provides for Energy Conservation and Sustainability Building Code
GlobalABC Overview | Founded at COP21, GlobalABC is a leading global platform for all built environment stakeholders committed to a zero-emission, efficient, and resilient buildings and construction sector
The Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act (AFSPA)
#### Facts for Prelims (FFP)
Source: TH
Context: The Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has extended the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act (AFSPA) in parts of Nagaland and Arunachal Pradesh for another six months
The Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act (AFSPA) is an act of the Indian Parliament that gives the military special powers to maintain public order in “disturbed areas”.
The act came into effect in 1958 and applies to the states of Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, and Tripura.
The AFSPA gives the *military, para-military, and other security forces* the power to:
• Use force, including lethal force, against people who violate the law or are suspected of doing so
• Arrest people without a warrant
• Enter or search premises without a warrant
• Shoot to kill
• Search houses
• Destroy any property that is “likely” to be used by insurgents
Africa’s Afar Triangle
#### Mapping
Source: TOI
Context: Geologists have discovered a fault in Africa’s Afar Triangle, indicating a potential formation of the world’s sixth ocean
Causes for the rift:
This geological phenomenon is driven by tectonic plate movements, particularly in the East African Rift system. The rift, caused by the separation of tectonic plates, could split the African continent in 5 to 10 million years, leading to the creation of a new ocean basin.
About Afar Triangle:
It is part of the Great Rift Valley in East Africa and is a geological depression known for its significance in human evolution. It overlaps Eritrea, Djibouti, and the Afar Region of Ethiopia and contains Lake Assal, Africa’s lowest point. The region experiences extreme heat and drought, with some of the hottest temperatures on Earth. It is bordered by the Ethiopian Plateau, the Danakil block, the Somali Plateau, and the Ali-Sabieh block. Fossil sites in the Afar region, such as Hadar and Dikika, have yielded important discoveries related to early hominins and human tool culture.
Five oceans on Earth (from largest to smallest):
• Pacific Ocean
• Atlantic Ocean
• Indian Ocean
• Southern Ocean
• Arctic Ocean
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