This chapter presents data gathered by an India-related survey that was conducted by the authors with the aid of Anshul Tewari and Astik Sinha, both professional journalists. The survey ran between 3rd of February and 20th of April 2012. The sample was limited, with 57 respondents, coming from different social and educational backgrounds. The authors present statistical graphics in order to visualise the quantitative data. Additionally, statistical analysis is being conducted (using one by one variable analysis) in order to identify trends and associations between different groups in the same country.
TopIndian Internet Users And Internet Regulation Policies
Below, the authors include a series of related inquiries regarding their research topic.
Figure 1.
Are you aware of the global phenomenon of Internet regulation? (India Survey)
A question of major significance was “Are you aware of the global phenomenon of Internet regulation?”, to which most of the respondents stated that they know the basics (45.6 percent) or they are well-informed (22.8 percent). Only 15.8 percent stated they just heard about it, and another 15.8 percent that they do not know anything.
Figure 2.
What were the means of your information? (India Survey)
Regarding the means of their information, it is worth mentioning that 83.7 percent read about it online, 63.3 percent through “Newspapers,” 40.8 percent “by word of mouth,” and 38.8 percent via television broadcasts.
Figure 3.
Who was the source of your information? (India Survey)
Concerning the source of information, 87.8 percent of the respondents stated mass media, 46.9 percent stated “Individuals,” 36.7 percent “Researchers and scientists,” and only 22.4 percent that they were informed thanks to “Government statements.”
Figure 4.
Have you ever faced online censorship in the past? (India Survey)
Another interesting question was “Have you ever faced online censorship in the past?”. 54 percent stated “No,” 24 percent “Yes, at least once,” and 22 percent “I do not know.”
Figure 5.
Were you using the Internet from India? (India Survey)
Of those who answered “Yes, at least once” to the previous question, 24.1 percent stated that they were using the Internet in India and they were trying to visit a foreign website, while the majority of the respondents (62.1 percent) stated “I do not know.”
TopAbout The Implementation Of An Irs In India
The last part of this questionnaire focused on the possibility of an Internet Regulation System implementation in India, and under which conditions.