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In this article, we shall discuss some very popular and important modern tech terms.

This is just an introductory article. All these technologies will be discussed in detail in subsequent articles.

Blockchain Technology

• A system whereby information about transactions is stored on a countless comuters spread across the glob.
• It is considered an alternative to the conventional banking system.
• Along with banks, this also applies to mobile payment system.

NFTs

• The success of Blockchain as an independent means of storing and authenticating information has created many more inoovations, one of these is Non Fungible Token or NFT.
• Here the information is stored in the blockchain system itself, especially in a system called ethereum.
• Under NFT system a kind of digital certificate is issued that such an original thing unique in the world.

IOT

• Internet of Things or, more accurately the internet of devices, is all about connecting devices over the internet and letting them ‘talk’ to us, applications and each other.
• This allows huge amounts of data to be collected and transferred, which can then be used for multiple practical purposes.
• However, Internet of Things doesn’t necessarily have to be connected to the internet, it can also be a network of things.
• A common example are wristwatches with sensors that can track the wearers’ heartbeat and pass on the information to our smartphones via bluetooth.
• The smartphone can store that data on cloud after which it can be accessed at any point of time to view a report card of how your heart has been behaving for over a period of a week or a month.

Metaverse

• A simplistic way to look at the metaverse is as a parallel, virtual, world where users can have different identities, possessions and characters.
• In the complex explanation, Metaverse is supposed to be the post-Internet world, a decentralised computing platform of sorts if you will, which is continuous, and live.
• It is an entirely digital economy, and the way most Silicon valley intellectuals see this, metaverse exists both in the digital and physical realm.
• Virtual reality would be an element of this metaverse, but the idea goes beyond just donning a VR headset and starting to play a game.
• According to Ball, the metaverse does not reset or pause or end, but “continues indefinitely.”
• Metaverse is not something that just one company can build. Nor is Facebook the only one working on this. Epic Games, the creator of Fortnite, has big plans for the metaverse using its unreal engine.
• In fact, Fortnite already has many elements which would conform to the idea such as live events, its own currency, etc.

Quantum Computing

• The Quantum computing is much talked about because of its infinite power.
• A Quantum computer can perform calculations millions of times faster than a normal computer, and that is why it can prove to be a boon for humanity.
• Traditional computers work based on a fundamental unit of binary digits(0-1 Bit).
• On the other hand the quantum computers adopts qubit(quantum bit).
• The qubit value can be 0, 1 or both.

Artificial Intelligence

• AI refers to ability of human beings to learn analyse think, understand, solve problems, make decision, etc, similar to human being.
• Machines equipped with AI will become powerful and intelligent and compete with human beings capabilities.
  For example features like machine translation, voice-to-text conversion and voice assistance these days are reached to us because of AI.

Cloud Computing

• Cloud computing implies using the resources available on the internet on your computers or devices.
• Cloud computing has made vast computational power and storage space available to us, and technology like AI is required for its calculations.

 UPSC 2023 countdown has begun! Get your personal guidance plan now! (Click here)

UPSC 2023 countdown has begun! Get your personal guidance plan now! (Click here)

Context

• According to a report by the WHO, more than 25 percent increase in mental depression and anxiety was registered in the first year due to the covid-19 pandemic.
• According to the World Mental Health Report, nearly one billion people, of whom 14 percent were adolescents, were living with some form of mental health issue in 2019.

What is Mental Illness?

• Mental health is not just a concept that refers to an individual’s psychological and emotional well-being.
• Rather it’s a state of psychological and emotional well-being where an individual is able to use their cognitive and emotional capabilities, to meet the ordinary demand and functions in society.
• According to WHO, there is no single ‘official’ definition of mental health.
• The social determinants of health predispose individuals and populations to poor physical and mental health, and increased risk for many physical and mental illnesses.

Mental Illness in India

• Mental disorders are now among the top leading causes of health burden worldwide, with no evidence of global reduction since 1990.
• In 2017, an estimation of the burden of mental health conditions for the states across India revealed that as many as 197.3 million people required care for mental health conditions.
• This included around 45.7 million people with depressive disorders and 44.9 million people with anxiety disorders.
• The situation has been exacerbated due to the Covid-19 pandemic, making it a serious concern the world over.

Reasons for Persistence of Mental Illness

• Stigma to seek help: The staggering figures are void of millions of others directly, or indirectly impacted by the challenge and those who face deep-rooted stigma, many times rendering them unable to seek help.
• Lack of awareness: This growing challenge in dealing with mental health issues is further compounded by a lack of information and awareness, self-diagnosis, and stigma.
• Psycho-social factors: Institutions like gender, race and ethnicity, are also responsible for mental health conditions.
• Post-Treatment gap: There is a need for proper rehabilitation of the mentally ill persons post/her treatment which is currently not present.
• Rise in Severity: Mental health problems tend to increase during economic downturns, therefore special attention is needed during times of economic distress.

Need for immediate intervention

• Neglected Area: Mental health which forms the core of our personhood is often neglected which impeded the development of an individual to full potential.
• Disproportionate impact: It is the poor, dispossessed and marginalised who bear the greatest burden of mental health problems, but historically their sufferings are dismissed as a natural extension of their social and economic conditions.
• Vulnerability of the ills: Mentally ill patients are vulnerable to and usually suffer from drug abuse, wrongful confinement, even at homes and mental healthcare facilities which is a cause of concern and a gross human right violation.
• Suicidal tendencies: Suicidal behavior was found to have relation with female gender, working condition, independent decision making, premarital sex, physical abuse and sexual abuse.
• Gendered nature: Females are more predisposed to mental disorders due to rapid social change, gender discrimination, social exclusion, gender disadvantage like marrying at young age, concern about the husband’s substance misuse habits, and domestic violence.

Policy initiatives

• National Mental Health Program (NMHP): To address the huge burden of mental disorders and shortage of qualified professionals in the field of mental health, the government has been implementing the NMHP since 1982.
• Mental HealthCare Act 2017: It guarantees every affected person access to mental healthcare and treatment from services run or funded by the government.
• Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2017: The Act acknowledges mental illness as a disability and seeks to enhance the Rights and Entitlements of the Disabled and provide an effective mechanism for ensuring their empowerment and inclusion in the society
• Manodarpan Initiative: An initiative under Atmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyan aims to provide psycho-social support to students for their mental health and well-being.

Way Forward

• Policy boost: Mental health situation in India demands active policy interventions and resource allocation by the government.
• Public sensitization: To reduce the stigma around mental health, we need measures to train and sensitize the community/society.
• Awareness: People should be made aware of the significance of mental health, as much as that of physical health.
• Destigmatising: Sharing one’s story about mental health (through media campaigns) is the most effective strategy to reduce stigma attached with mental illness
• Community Approach: There is need to deploy community health workers who, with appropriate training and supervision, effectively deliver psychosocial interventions for the needy
• Broadening the scope: Mental health care must embrace the diversity of experiences and strategies which work, well beyond the narrow confines of traditional biomedicine with its emphasis on “doctors, diagnoses and drugs”.

UPSC 2023 countdown has begun! Get your personal guidance plan now! (Click here)

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Context

• Last month, the government announced setting up of a committee to regulate online gaming and to identify a ministry to oversee it.
• In this article, we will discuss about the growing landscape of the online gaming industry in India and the need for regulation.

Why in news?

• During the Budget session of Parliament, The Online Gaming (Regulation) Bill, 2022 was introduced in Lok Sabha a member from Kerala as a Private Member’s Bill.
• The Bill sought to maintain integrity in online gaming and introduce a regulatory regime for online gaming.

Online gaming sector in India

• In the past few years, India’s nascent online gaming industry witnessed an unprecedented rise, catapulting it to the top five mobile gaming markets in the world.
• Registering a growth rate of 38%, online gaming is the next sunrise industry.
• Currently, there are more than 400 gaming companies in India, and it is home to 420 million online gamers, second only to China, according to an analysis by KPMG.

Types of gaming

• The types of online gaming include:

1. E-sports (well-organized electronic sports which include professional players) ex. Chess
2. Fantasy sports (choosing real-life sports players and winning points based on players’ performance) ex. MPL cricket
3. Skill-based (mental skill) ex. Archery
4. Gamble (based on random activity) ex. Playing Cards, Rummy

Why is the gaming industry booming in India?

1. Digital India boom in the gaming industry
2. Narrowing of the digital divide
3. IT boom

Other factors promoting the boom

1. Growing younger population
2. Higher disposable income
3. Inexpensive internet data
4. Introduction of new gaming genres, and
5. Increasing number of smartphone and tablet users

Prospects of online gaming

• State List Subject:  The state legislators are, vide Entry No. 34 of List II (State List) of the Seventh Schedule, given exclusive power to make laws relating to betting and gambling.
• Distinction in laws: Most Indian states regulate gaming on the basis of a distinction in law between ‘games of skill’ and ‘games of chance’.
• Classification on dominant element: As such, a ‘dominant element’ test is utilized to determine whether chance or skill is the dominating element in determining the result of the game.
• Linked economic activity: Staking money or property on the outcome of a ‘game of chance’ is prohibited and subjects the guilty parties to criminal sanctions.
• ‘Game of Skill’ debate: Placing any stakes on the outcome of a ‘game of skill’ is not illegal per se and may be permissible. It is important to note that the Supreme Court recognized that no game is purely a ‘game of skill’ and almost all games have an element of chance.

Need for regulation

• No comprehensive regulation:  India currently has no comprehensive legislation with regards to the legality of online gaming or boundaries that specify applicable tax rates within the betting and gambling industry.
• Ambiguity of the sector: The gaming sector is nascent and is still evolving, and many states are bringing about legislation seeking to bring about some order in the online gaming sector.
• State list subject: Online gaming in India is allowed in most parts of the country. However, different states have their own legislation with regards to whether online gaming is permitted.
• Economic advantage: Well-regulated online gaming has its own advantages, such as economic growth and employment benefits.

Issues with online gaming

• Gaming addiction: Numerous people are developing an addiction to online gaming. This is destroying lives and devastating families.  
• Compulsive gaming: Gaming by children is affecting their performance in schools and impacting their social lives & relationships with family members. Ex. PUBG
• Impact on psychological health: Online games like PUBG and the Blue Whale Challenge were banned after incidents of violence and suicide.  
• Threat to Data privacy: Inadvertent sharing of personal information can lead to cases of cheating, privacy violations, abuse, and bullying.
• Betting and gambling: Online games based on the traditional ludo, arguably the most popular online game in India, have run into controversy, and allegations of betting and gambling.

Why hasn’t a comprehensive law yet materialized?

• Earlier, states like Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, and Karnataka also passed laws banning online games.
• However, they were quashed by state High Courts on grounds that an outright ban was unfair to games of skill:

1. Violation of fundamental rights of trade and commerce, liberty and privacy, speech and expression;
2. Law being manifestly arbitrary and irrational insofar as it did not distinguish between two different categories of games, i.e. games of skill and chance;
3. Lack of legislative Competence of State legislatures to enact laws on online skill-based games.

Way forward

• Censoring: Minors should be allowed to proceed only with the consent of their parents — OTP verification on Aadhaar could resolve this.
• Awareness: Gaming companies should proactively educate users about potential risks and how to identify likely situations of cheating and abuse.
• Regulating mechanism: A Gaming Authority in the central government should be created.
• Accountability of the gaming company: It could be made responsible for the online gaming industry, monitoring its operations, preventing societal issues, suitably classifying games of skill or chance, overseeing consumer protection, and combatting illegality and crime.
• All-encompassing legislation: the Centre should formulate an overarching regulatory framework for online games of skill. India must move beyond skill-versus-chance debates to keep up with the global gaming industry.

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