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India OKs Censoring Facebook, Google, Microsoft, Yahoo

Posted by Soulskill on from the sliding-down-that-slippery-slope dept.

An anonymous reader writes "An Indian court given the green light for the prosecution of '21 social networking sites.' The list features 10 foreign-based companies, and could affect websites provided by Facebook, Google, Microsoft, Yahoo, and YouTube. The recent development is part of an ongoing argument between the companies and India over whether content should be regulated (read: censored) in the country. The approval was actually made on December 23, 2011, but was only revealed yesterday. India warned these websites it can block them just like China can."

5 of 146 comments (clear)

  1. Let them try by arcite · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Look, unless they filter and censor every single email, text, data stream ect... it is a complete lost cause. This will just spur innovation in finding methods to avoid the censors such as seen in China.

    1. Re:Let them try by TheReaperD · · Score: 5, Insightful

      In addition, India doesn't have a large military policing the policies of the government and courts. Take away search and social media sites and there'd be a revolt by their own citizens.

      --
      "Be particularly skeptical when presented with evidence confirming what you already believe." -
    2. Re:Let them try by redmid17 · · Score: 5, Insightful

      They could try to create their own intranet. You really think that all the international companies with outsourced work in India are gonna like that? If the Indian government tried that, it would tank their economy.

  2. Re:Their Country, Their Laws: Mind Your Own Busine by methamorph · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Really, if you are not Indian, it doesn't concern you. Stay out of other people's internal affairs.

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_they_came%E2%80%A6
    First they came for the communists,
    and I didn't speak out because I wasn't a communist.

    Then they came for the trade unionists,
    and I didn't speak out because I wasn't a trade unionist.

    Then they came for the Jews,
    and I didn't speak out because I wasn't a Jew.

    Then they came for the Catholics,
    and I didn't speak out because I was Protestant.

    Then they came for me
    and there was no one left to speak out for me.

  3. Re:Their Country, Their Laws: Mind Your Own Busine by sanman2 · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Anonymous Coward wrote:

    "It's crazy that slashdot and other people have some notion of western free speech that is universal and ingrained in human nature. Why is it so strange that other people in other places might have a different idea than you about censorship? Really, if you are not Indian, it doesn't concern you. Stay out of other people's internal affairs."

    I'm Indian - who the hell are you to speak for all of us, and tell others not to comment? Anyone can comment on anything they like. It's called Freedom, and you seem to be ignorant of the concept. You wouldn't happen to be a Supreme Court Justice, would you? Why don't you post under your real name, instead of as an Anonymous Coward?

    In police states like Pakistan and China, the courts are used to harass and suppress political opponents. Now you'd like that to happen in India, too. And you're defending this by manufacturing some kind of pretext based on cultural differences?

    Get stuffed and get lost.