[Reader-list] Call for applications: Make Blog Not War - A freedom of expression training for bloggers

[Anja Kovacs]

*Call for Applications:*

*MAKE BLOG NOT WAR - A Freedom of Expression Training for Bloggers*



Are you a blogger and interested in deepening your understanding of
Internet censorship and freedom of expression as they play out in India?
Would you like to know more about the ways in which such issues may affect
you directly? As a blogger, do you see yourself has having an important
stake in the freedom of expression debate?



Then this is your chance. The Internet Democracy Project is organising a
training on freedom of expression and censorship for bloggers on 25
February 2012. In the course of this day-long program, a mix of short
lectures and more interactive sessions will take you through:

-        the history of censorship in India and its current status;

-        the legal framework regarding online censorship and the ways in
which it may affect you;

-        debates on difficult questions such as where and how to draw the
line where hate speech is concerned;

-        what to do if you are served a legal notice;

-        alternatives to censorship to fight problematic content;

and much more. Throughout the training, we will of course be paying
particular attention to how all of this may affect your blog and yourself.



As the training aims to be highly interactive and will draw to a
significant extent on participants’ experiences and inputs, there will be
space for only fifteen select and experienced bloggers. They will be joined
by four trainers: lawyer and law and tech blogger Apar Gupta; documentary
film maker Bishakha Datta; literary critic, journalist and blogger
Nilanjana Roy; and the Internet Democracy Project's  Anja Kovacs.



The event will take place in Delhi, from 10 am until 5 pm. Bloggers from
all over India are welcome to apply: the Internet Democracy Project will
take care of the travel costs of all participants in the event as well as
food for the duration of the event (as this is a day-long program, we will,
however, not be able to provide any accommodation).



*In return for facilitating your presence in the training, we ask that you
write five blog posts on issues related to freedom of expression in India
in the two months following the event. That is the commitment you make if
you decide to join us. *



Are you interested in being part of this program? Please send your answers
to the questions below to Anja Kovacs, anja at internetdemocracy.in as soon as
possible and *by 17 February at the latest*. Selected participants will be
informed on 18 February.



*Where do you blog? If you are on Twitter, please do include your Twitter
handle as well.
*

*
*

*Why are you interested in joining this training?*



*Have you blogged on or otherwise engaged with freedom of expression issues
before? If so, please share some details.*



*What are particular issues/questions you would like to see covered in the
training?*



*Have you ever implemented any kind of censorship on your blog? Please
expand (please note that answering yes to this question is not a reason to
disqualify you from participation!).*

* *

*Has anyone ever attempted to censor you as a blogger in one way or the
other? Please expand.*



Please note that while a demonstrated interest in one form or another
(including on Twitter or Facebook) is definitely a plus, expertise in
freedom of expression issues is not a requirement for participation.



We look forward to hearing from you!