What if there was a site which let anonymous crowdfunding of RTIs?

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avi

avi

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So I built a proof of concept app: http://rti.iavin.com

Basically, it lets people anonymously submit RTI requests and anonymously fund it. What do you think of this idea?

Its functional, but no real money involved.

- you can sign up/login
- submit an RTI request
- fund an RTI

The app is open source and is on Github. It's released with MIT license, so you don't have to pay me anything to build a commercial product around it.

I wrote in more detail on my blog: http://blog.iavin.com/2014/09/what-if-there-was-a-site-which-would-let-crowdfunding-of-rtis/
 
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avi i think it's very good concept. If you don't want to invest money upfront and almost everything is done. Use the payumoney.com gateway it doesn't require upfront cost to set up and test if it works out, if it does then great otherwise no issue you have not lose much.
 
From a practicality perspective there are two main problems that I see.

1. The system would get quickly filled up with useless requests like the sample ones that are already in the system. The general pattern would be
  • What is so and so persons caste/religion/nationality.
  • How much tax does so and so businessman/company pay.
  • How to get street, bridge or building named after myself, father, mother etc.
Such requests may or may not get funded by others, but they would still sit in your servers eating resources and they will far outweigh the requests that make sense. So, you would start needing lots of people to moderate the requests and process them. Read point 2 on why you might no get enough people to take up that task.

We are in a country where PM and President are flooded with bogus requests nominating themselves for Padma awards on the grounds that they have calculated a new value for Pi. :p Imagine the kind of requests that would be posted through this system. RTI itself has been largely abused with the regular process. It would just make it easier.

2. Anonymity is a myth in this day and age. We are no longer in the era where Internet offered anonymity. If a party of goons like Shiv Sena can get people tracked down and assaulted even when they are not actively running the govt, what security would be ensured to the people through this system?
 
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AVI, get ready to go viral. Its an absolutely BRILLIANT idea. Loved it. I'm sharing it on my twitter.

I've been in the situation where I needed some info and got stuck cause of random issues mostly related to anonymity. Information should be free, and that it shall be!
 
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But will the officers responsible for RTI respond to anonymous queries? I think our laws require the name of the person making the inquiry.
 
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suds said:
avi i think it's very good concept. If you don't want to invest money upfront and almost everything is done. Use the payumoney.com gateway it doesn't require upfront cost to set up and test if it works out, if it does then great otherwise no issue you have not lose much.
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Yeah, I am aware of that. However that exposes me (or the guy who runs RTI Man)

Lord Nemesis said:
From a practicality perspective there are two main problems that I see.

1. The system would get quickly filled up with useless requests like the sample ones that are already in the system. The general pattern would be
  • What is so and so persons caste/religion/nationality.
  • How much tax does so and so businessman/company pay.
  • How to get street, bridge or building named after myself, father, mother etc.
Such requests may or may not get funded by others, but they would still sit in your servers eating resources and they will far outweigh the requests that make sense. So, you would start needing lots of people to moderate the requests and process them. Read point 2 on why you might no get enough people to take up that task.

We are in a country where PM and President are flooded with bogus requests nominating themselves for Padma awards on the grounds that they have calculated a new value for Pi. :p Imagine the kind of requests that would be posted through this system. RTI itself has been largely abused with the regular process. It would just make it easier.

2. Anonymity is a myth in this day and age. We are no longer in the era where Internet offered anonymity. If a party of goons like Shiv Sena can get people tracked down and assaulted even when they are not actively running the govt, what security would be ensured to the people through this system?
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The sample ones are filled by trolls and I have no problem with that. But there are some good ones too, like this. I also agree it may also become abuse and grievance system. So community and moderation system 'may' solve that.

Regarding two, you can be completely anonymous 100% online, you just have use the right tools. Now coming to RTI Man, there is NO way I can find you out if you submit an RTI request from TOR browser and thats just a starting point.

Crazy_Eddy said:
Damn, where did this happen?
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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Attacks_on_RTI_activists_in_India

indy1811 said:
But will the officers responsible for RTI respond to anonymous queries? I think our laws require the name of the person making the inquiry.
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Yes, thats one more problem. So RTI Man has to be a public entity with a real address so that responses can be sent

mathrisk said:
Nice idea.
One of my acquaintance created this website http://askyourgovt.in/ sometime back. Not sure how its doing though.
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I will look into it, thank you!
 
I would love it if something like this is set up for filing PIL's in court.

I would love to challenge the brick n mortar store owners and the company service centre's and prove that it is legally acceptable to refuse products bought online.
 
Crowd Funding RTI Concept is good, but is Rs.10 per RTI a hefty amount?
I file RTI's Regularly with Department of Telecommunications through https://rtionline.gov.in


Btw. all the questions were related to Congress mentioned on the site of avi. are you sure you are not going to send Congress Goons to my home if i file an RTI asking " If sonia Gandhi faked her degree in 2004 affidavit ?"
 
swatkats said:
Crowd Funding RTI Concept is good, but is Rs.10 per RTI a hefty amount?
I file RTI's Regularly with Department of Telecommunications through https://rtionline.gov.in
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https://rtionline.gov.in
Yes, its only 10rs. But if you want to make it simple, then better to use external services like Online RTI which charge 100rs.


swatkats said:
Btw. all the questions were related to Congress mentioned on the site of avi. are you sure you are not going to send Congress Goons to my home if i file an RTI asking " If sonia Gandhi faked her degree in 2004 affidavit ?"
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How they will know your home address :P
 
How are the funds going to get routed? If transactions are involved, then I'm pretty much sure there are certain laws you'll have to abide by.
 
blkrb0t said:
How are the funds going to get routed? If transactions are involved, then I'm pretty much sure there are certain laws you'll have to abide by.
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You buy credits in bulk, for that you have to use external payment gateways like CCAvenue. And yes, legal part still needs to figured out.
 
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