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LATEST NEWS UPDATES | Anti-internet censorship protests gather steam-Jayadevan PK

Anti-internet censorship protests gather steam-Jayadevan PK

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published Published on Apr 23, 2012   modified Modified on Apr 23, 2012

BANGALORE: Protests against government's alleged attempt to govern the internet is gathering steam, with a public interest litigation in Kerala, a signature campaign and mass protests in Karnataka besides the political left throwing its weight behinds demand to withdraw the recently amended laws.

The new rules, adopted last year, regulates reader's comments on online articles, user-posted videos, blogs, photos and posts on online social networks such as Facebook or Orkut. Opponents say it gives government powers to gag free speech, and block websites without publicly disclosing why.

P Rajeeve, Member of Parliament who has tabled a motion against the Information Technology (Intermediaries Guidelines) rules, 2011 told ET that the Left parties are "more or less" in support of the motion and that it has been accepted for discussion on April 24.

Information Technology Act, amended last April, clarified the legal position of "intermediaries" such as social networking sites, search engines and cyber cafes that provide internet services.

The rules notified had met with widespread opposition from internet activists who termed the guidelines "draconian."

The new rules mandate intermediaries not to host information that is blasphemous, grossly harmful, harassing, invasive of another's privacy, racially, ethnically objectionable, disparaging, belongs to another person and harm minors in any way.

In support of P Rajeev's motion, online signature campaign has mobilised and sent over 10,000 e-mails to parliamentarians and key government officials.

Another signature campaign targeting 1 lakh signatures has begun and protests against the rules are being organised by groups such as the Free Software Movement of Karnataka.

Before the amendment, section 79 of the IT act shielded intermediaries such as Google, Facebook and Twitter from any liability for user generated content. However, the amendment makes it necessary for the intermediary to observe "due diligence" and advocates of internet freedom fear that this will empower the government to act against dissent based on a set of arbitrary and loosely defined rules.

"This would give the nation a chance to discuss the rules that were notified without proper consultation," said Rajeeve, whose motion would need the support of at least two thirds of the house members to be successful. "Various organisations like the Free Software Movement and Internet Freedom Society are trying to mobilise support."

Independent MP Rajeev Chandrashekar and a few others have also supported the motion while a public interest litigation which calls the amended IT rules "unconstitutional" has been filed in Kerala. If the new rules come into effect in their present form, it could result in shutting down of the Internet if the information posted is found inconvenient to the government, institutions or individuals, Chandrashekar wrote in his blog.

The center for internet and society (CIS) in Bangalore, conducted a "sting operation" last year and managed to get legal material removed from different websites without anyone noticing.

Experts are, however, sceptical that the protests would be able to get their way.

The Economic Times, 23 April, 2012, http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/tech/internet/anti-internet-censorship-protests-gather-steam/articleshow/12830871.cms


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