Facebook, Google to Stand Trial in India. Facebook, Google argue against Web censorship in India. Facebook and Google told the Delhi High Court today that they cannot block offensive content that appears on their services.
The two Internet giants are among 21 companies that have been asked to develop a mechanism to block objectionable material in India, and the Indian government has given the green light for their prosecution. Although India is democratic (in fact, it's the world's largest democracy), many fear the country will resort to censorship. Last year, India passed a law that makes companies responsible for user content posted on their websites, requiring them to take it down within 36 hours in case of a complaint. Civil rights groups are opposed to the law but politicians argue posting offensive images in the socially conservative country with a history of violence between religious groups presents a danger to the public as Internet use grows.
Google argued in a similar vein. The lower court has its next hearing scheduled for March 13, 2012. See also: Delhi Court allows web blocking rules. The Times reports that internet companies in India, including Microsoft, Yahoo!
And Google, are on a collision course with the Indian Government after the Delhi High Court ruled that legal action could be taken against them unless they blocked access to material that was deemed offensive or obscene. Last year India introduced laws meaning that offensive material had to be removed from hosting websites within 36 hours of a complaint. India's Telecomms Minister said at the time he was opposed to "unacceptable" content such as dctored images of religious or political leaders being posted online. The action means that senior executives face the possibility of trial on criminal matters, including spreading religious hatred and social unrest according to the report. Judge Suresh Kait said "If a contraband is found in your house, it is your liability to take action against it" adding "Like China, we can block all such websites [that do not comply] but let us not go to that situation".
Indian Court Threatens To Block Google And Facebook. National : Facebook, Google face prosecution. Granting sanction to prosecute 21 social networking websites, including Facebook and Google, the Union government on Friday said there was sufficient material to proceed against them for offences of promoting enmity between different groups of people.
They are “doing acts prejudicial to the maintenance of harmony” and hosting content that is “provocative, assertive and propagates prejudicial to national integration (sic),” it said. The Department of Information Technology placed its report before a Delhi court, after which the court directed the Ministry of External Affairs to get summons served on over 10 companies that are based abroad, after summons issued on December 23 remained unserved. The court, on that date, observed that offences punishable under Sections 292 (sale of obscene books, etc.), 293 (sale of obscene objects to young person, etc.) and 120-B (criminal conspiracy) of the IPC could be made out against the accused.
The matter has been listed for hearing on March 13. Facebook, Google, Yahoo ordered to remove 'anti-religious' content. A megabomb of lunacy from the Indian segment of the asylum: ‘Clean up your website’: Indian court orders Facebook and Google to remove ‘anti-religious’ content Social websites including Google and Facebook have been ordered by an Indian court to remove all ‘anti-religious’ and ‘anti-social’ content within six weeks.
On Saturday a Delhi Court ordered 22 social networking sites, including Yahoo and Microsoft, to wipe the objectionable and defamatory contents and file compliance reports by February 6, 2012. Additional Civil Judge Mukesh Kumar passed the order on a suit filed by Mufti Aijaz Arshad Qasmi seeking to restrain the websites from circulating objectionable and defamatory contents. Qasmi had objected to a number of images on the websites which he complained would cause ‘irreparable loss and injury to the people who are offended by them’. He argued that some of the images defamed Hindu gods, Prophet Mohammed and other religious figures… Please respect my religion! Further Reading.