Facebook & Google Censored

Facebook, Google face prosecution

 

The Indian government has garnered media attention for prosecuting social networking sites by enforcing censorship of content identified as controversial. Government censorship of content that is considered offensive or may injure a particular audience or materials that present a cultural threat is a welcome step. Government has every right to block such websites if they cause personal discomfort or have the potential to incite conflict between different racial, ethnic, religious, political and gender groups. Indian society is concerned about online victimization of children through websites that aren't specifically designed for children containing sexually-oriented advertisements and links that misdirect users towards pornographic content.

Though censoring the content is a welcome  decision, the government, at times,  is seemingly unaware of significant unintended consequences, such as the blocking of content that was never intended to be blocked. Once a filtering system is in place, the government may be tempted to use it as a tool of political censorship. There is a possibility to use Internet filtering to control the environment of political speech in fundamental opposition to civil liberties, freedom of speech, and free expression. The consequences of political filtering directly impact democratic practices and can be considered a violation of human rights.

No doubt, social networking sites are a relevant part of the everyday lives of people and have impact not only in terms of personal relationships, but also as tools for staying connected in official lives. But like all worthwhile technology, this too comes with pitfalls. It is also the responsibility of the government to take care of its citizens from not accessing a site that may harbor some malicious content. While content such as pornography and hate speech like obvious choices for Internet censorship, it is also necessary to block social networking sites and other Web pages that are causing distraction.

The decision to prosecute websites centers on protecting the morals or cultural standards of the Community. The Internet offers a broad array of information that is readily and freely available, much of which can trigger moral outrage and sometimes fear psychosis in certain viewers. It is natural for the government to seek to protect community standards by removing or blocking access to content they consider detrimental to the culture of their citizens. In many instances, this concern is expressed most acutely with respect to children. Other key topic areas that are targeted for filtering include gambling sites, provocative attire, hate speech etc. The Government may ask the websites to screen the content but without making them victims of political gimmicks.