Every click on the internet involves multiple parties. From the user to service providers to tech giants and companies. But how does one make sure that one can trust all parties to safeguard their rights? Should there be exceptions to these safeguards? In Episode 04 of Season 02 of the CCG Tech Podcast, Aishwarya and Jhalak speak to Robin Wilton on the ideas of trustworthiness of the internet. They delve deep into how encryption plays into this, the challenges to encryption raised by parties such as law enforcement, the trends in global policy about this and how we need to think of decentralisation models for the internet.

Robin Wilton is the Internet Society’s Director for Internet Trust, helping to advocate for an Internet that fulfils people’s expectations of privacy, security, and trustworthiness. He has over 35 years of experience in the IT industry which has given him a solid technical background with experience in systems engineering, consultancy, program management, and policy-level advocacy. He translates between stakeholders in technology, policy, and business, aiming for technology-driven innovation that is secure, sustainable, and ethical.

Resources: 

• Internet Society - https://www.internetsociety.org/ 
• Privacy and Security – Optimization not Balance (Joe Ahladeff) - https://www.rebootcommunications.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/JoeAlhadeff.pdf   
• Whatsapp hearing before Delhi High Court - https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/then-whatsapp-goes-firm-warns-delhi-high-court-of-india-exit-over-encryption-101714096354368.html  
• Collective statement from a few years ago by countries on the need to break end to end encryption - https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/international-statement-end-to-end-encryption-and-public-safety  
• Privacy International’s Response to Investigatory Powers Amendment Bill - https://privacyinternational.org/advocacy/5258/pis-response-uk-governments-investigatory-powers-amendment-bill  
• Consultation Exercise on Investigtory Powers Act last september - https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/revised-investigatory-powers-act-notices-regimes-consultation/consultation-on-revised-notices-regimes-in-the-investigatory-powers-act-2016-accessible-version#background  
• Conference on Network and Distributed Systems Security - https://www.ndss-symposium.org/ndss2025/  

Hosts: Aishwarya Giridhar, Jhalak Kakkar

Editor: Gopika P

Fact Checker: Sukriti

This podcast is created by the ⁠Centre for Communication Governance⁠ at NLUD. Reach out for any queries / suggestions at ccgoutreach@nludelhi.ac.in 

(The opinions expressed in the episode are personal to the speaker. The University does not subscribe to the views expressed in the episode and does not take any responsibility for the same.)