Caught in the Net: Mumbai’s Cybercafes

India is known for its creative software engineers. Now, it is tapping that expertise to fight terrorism. The Indian government is requiring Mumbai’s cybercafes to install software that tracks keystrokes and sends the information to state computers for analysis and archiving. By some estimates, nearly half of Indians use cybercafes to go online. The government ...

India is known for its creative software engineers. Now, it is tapping that expertise to fight terrorism. The Indian government is requiring Mumbai's cybercafes to install software that tracks keystrokes and sends the information to state computers for analysis and archiving. By some estimates, nearly half of Indians use cybercafes to go online. The government insists the measure is necessary. And Vijay Mukhi, president of the Foundation of Information Security and Technology, a local industry association, agrees: "This is how the police informer is going to look in the e-age." Maybe. It also means that people's privacy will end with the press of a button.

India is known for its creative software engineers. Now, it is tapping that expertise to fight terrorism. The Indian government is requiring Mumbai’s cybercafes to install software that tracks keystrokes and sends the information to state computers for analysis and archiving. By some estimates, nearly half of Indians use cybercafes to go online. The government insists the measure is necessary. And Vijay Mukhi, president of the Foundation of Information Security and Technology, a local industry association, agrees: "This is how the police informer is going to look in the e-age." Maybe. It also means that people’s privacy will end with the press of a button.

More from Foreign Policy

Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping give a toast during a reception following their talks at the Kremlin in Moscow on March 21.
Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping give a toast during a reception following their talks at the Kremlin in Moscow on March 21.

Can Russia Get Used to Being China’s Little Brother?

The power dynamic between Beijing and Moscow has switched dramatically.

Xi and Putin shake hands while carrying red folders.
Xi and Putin shake hands while carrying red folders.

Xi and Putin Have the Most Consequential Undeclared Alliance in the World

It’s become more important than Washington’s official alliances today.

Russian President Vladimir Putin greets Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev.
Russian President Vladimir Putin greets Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev.

It’s a New Great Game. Again.

Across Central Asia, Russia’s brand is tainted by Ukraine, China’s got challenges, and Washington senses another opening.

Kurdish military officers take part in a graduation ceremony in Erbil, the capital of Iraq’s Kurdistan Region, on Jan. 15.
Kurdish military officers take part in a graduation ceremony in Erbil, the capital of Iraq’s Kurdistan Region, on Jan. 15.

Iraqi Kurdistan’s House of Cards Is Collapsing

The region once seemed a bright spot in the disorder unleashed by U.S. regime change. Today, things look bleak.