Slashdot Mirror
Indian Supreme Court Strikes Down Law Against Posting 'Offensive' Content Online
palemantle writes: The Indian Supreme Court has overturned the controversial Section 66A of the IT Act which included a provision for a three-year jail term for sending "offensive" messages through a "computer resource or a communication device." In its judgement, the Supreme Court held "liberty of thought and expression as cardinal" and overturned the provision (66A) deeming it "unconstitutional." It's been in the news recently for an incident involving the arrest of a high school student for posting allegedly "offensive" content on Facebook about a local politician.
Neither, now that it's been found unconstitutional.
Irony: Agile development has too much intertia to be abandoned now.
But nobody cares about local polititions on slashdot ..
Depends on whom you address it to .
What is "offensive" is politicians who try to censor discontent with their policies and behaviour. I realize it's mere fantasy, but politicians should always be held accountable under both the law and public opinion. They're supposed to be there to represent us, not line their own pockets.
I do not fail; I succeed at finding out what does not work.
It isn't every day that you see a law that would make posting a copy of itself online a punishable act...
I'd guess the general answer is: "Anything that pisses off a person in a position of authority."
The articles don't really get into specifics, but here's one example:
The first PIL on the issue was filed in 2012 by law student Shreya Singhal, who sought amendment in Section 66A of the Act, after two girls -- Shaheen Dhada and Rinu Shrinivasan -- were arrested in Palghar in Thane district as one of them posted a comment against the shutdown in Mumbai following Shiv Sena leader Bal Thackeray's death and the other 'liked' it.
Translated into the US equivalent (as near as I can tell), if you said "I don't think the city of Trenton, New Jersey should be shut down for a day just because Governor Chris Christie died from a heart attack." (probably worded less politely, knowing teenagers), and then your friend "liked" that statement on Facebook, you BOTH could be arrested.
Irony: Agile development has too much intertia to be abandoned now.
well 9 out of 10 women in the US military have been raped . There's that documentary about it too . Too bad the US military is full of Indians . Only if ...
There is a kernel of truth to the racist AC comment.
There are plenty of Indian immigrants in Australia, and they are mostly known as a decent law-abiding bunch, but somehow a minority keep getting in the news for sex offences. Everything from Indian cabbies having sex with drunk young female passengers to Indian doctors touching up their patients inappropriately. And of course always recent arrivals. There is something in the culture.
OMG, you got up voted for this?
No upvote, just Karma. But what would you Indians know about that?