SFLC.in is a donor-supported legal services organisation that has united lawyers, policy analysts, technologists, business professionals, students and citizens to protect freedom in the digital world since 2010. In discussions of technology where Industry and Governments have representations, we endeavor to present the rights of Indian citizens. We fight the good fight in keeping the Internet open, secure and safe for all.
Our objective is to help Indian policymakers make informed and just decisions in the use and adoption of technology for production of pro-humanity IT.
We promote innovation and open access to knowledge by helping developers make great Free and Open Source Software, protect privacy and civil liberties of citizens in the digital world. This is achieved through education, original research, policy engagement and provision of free legal services.
In special Consultative Status with the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations (ECOSOC), SFLC.in is a society registered under the Societies Registration Act, 1860, operating all over India.
Our Commitments Are Rooted in Values, Not Group Alignments
Over the years, we have consistently advocated for technology policy that aligns with the Constitution of India and serves the greater public interest. This commitment has sometimes placed us at odds with powerful interests depending on the issue at hand.
When we opposed software patents, we were labeled as anti MNC and overly aligned with Indian industry.
When we defended free speech and privacy in the digital space, the same voices accused us of undermining national interest and aligning with platform companies.
Our principled opposition to the dilution of net neutrality, resistance against Freebasics/Internet.org and our push for meaningful platform accountability have drawn criticism from those same companies and other various quarters: sometimes, from those we were seen to support just months earlier.
These shifting perceptions are not contradictions in our stance. They reflect the integrity with which we approach every issue: guided not by affiliations or adversaries, but by a deep commitment to constitutional values, equality, accountability, and public interest to defend our digital freedoms.
Our values do not change depending on who benefits from a particular position. Whether we are challenging commercial overreach, advocating for user rights, or contributing to policy reform, We remain grounded in a vision of India that is just and rights respecting—a Digital India that leads and inspires the world.
We are not aligned with any interest group. We are aligned with the people who are empowered by a Free and Open Internet built upon Free and Open Source Software.