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Why We Research

At MDIF, we believe lasting impact begins with understanding the ground reality. Whether it's evaluating the safety of popular mobile apps, studying digital adoption in rural India, or analyzing policy gaps — our research and audits are designed to serve society and influence positive change.

We bridge the gap between citizens, technology, and policy makers by producing clear, inclusive, and actionable research.

Our Key Focus Areas

Cybersecurity & Digital Safety Audits

  • App and software safety audits for privacy, permissions, and fraud risks
  • Reviews of popular tools, e-services, and education platforms for cyber hygiene
  • Creation of risk labels and safety badges for public use
  • Development of digital safety scorecards for low-income and vulnerable user groups

Digital Inclusion & Access Research

  • Field studies on tech access among women, seniors, and rural youth
  • Research into barriers to digital adoption (language, affordability, literacy)
  • Mapping regional and socio-economic tech gaps across India
  • Evaluation of government and NGO digital literacy initiatives

Policy Analysis & Recommendations

  • In-depth studies on laws like DPDPA, IT Act, and AI governance models
  • Whitepapers and public explainers for policymakers and citizens
  • Comparative analysis of global tech regulations and their relevance to India
  • Research to draft new frameworks for ethical AI, deepfake regulation, and green tech compliance

Sustainability in Technology Use

  • Research on tech-related e-waste, carbon footprint of cloud and device usage
  • Evaluation of startup and enterprise practices through a Green Tech Lens
  • Development of Digital Sustainability Scorecards
  • Collaborations with universities to design eco-responsible coding and tech habits

How We Work

Surveys

Ground Surveys with support from Jan-Mitra volunteers and community partners

Analysis

Data Collection & Analysis using privacy-respecting tools

Frameworks

Audit Frameworks co-developed with ethical hackers and cyber lawyers

Policy

Policy Co-Design with legal experts, researchers, and government officials

Collaborations

Student & Faculty Collaborations through partner universities and colleges

Why Our Work Matters

Our research is open-access and multilingual

We bring technical credibility + public interest

We help governments, companies, and citizens make smarter, safer digital decisions

Recent Publications & Reports

“Digital Safety for Vulnerable Groups”

Whitepaper, March 2025

“DPDPA for All”

Citizen guide to India’s data protection law

“Deepfake Risk Guidelines for India”

Policy brief, April 2025

“AI in Governance: Risks & Opportunities for the Public”

Under review

Partner With Us

We Welcome

  • Universities for field research and thesis collaboration
  • NGOs for local data gathering
  • Cybersecurity experts for ethical auditing
  • Legal scholars for policy reviews
  • Startups willing to be audited or contribute anonymized data