PR discussions: Re: [prpoint] Kapil Sibal initiates a debate on social media

Hi,

I agree with Srinivasan that freedom of expression is not absolute but subject to certain limits. Defamation laws are applicable and it is for the individuals to take action against the persons concerned. As to what is objectionable content - the government should look into those content that are anti-national; those that damages the fair name of President, Prime Minister and other Ministers and certainly not the government officials and others.

Jagannathan

From: Prime Point Srinivasan <prpoint@gmail.com>
To: Prpoint Group <prpoint@yahoogroups.com>
Sent: Tuesday, December 6, 2011 8:17 PM
Subject: [prpoint] Kapil Sibal initiates a debate on social media

hi all

All the electronic media are now discussing about the latest announcement by Kapil Sibal on social media monitoring. All TV media are debating 'emotionally' about this announcement, This announcement is branded as an attack on freedom of expression. As one of the persons using social media for the past 14 years aggressively, i share some of my observations. I invite members to share their views.

Excitement to minor offenses

1. In the past three or four years, after the aggressive emergence of facebook, I find more than 90 percent of the information shared there are either trash or of only excitement. I also get lot of feedback from various quarters about the misuse of information and data, There are lot of reports about the middle class children indulging in minor offenses in the name of excitement. When they are detected, these children get into psychological problems. Such instances put parents and children in an embarrassing situation, before others.

Messages violate the law of the land

2. I find lot of messages with vulgarity, anti national, hate messages against other religion or caste, or person etc. They cannot be defended in terms of 'freedom of expression' or 'excitement'. IPC definite some criteria for all materials for open publication. As per Indian Law, whatever the law applies to print and electronic media also equally applies to all other publications. As the famous saying goes, " your right of swinging a stick ends when other man's nose begins'. That is freedom of expression should not infringe on privacy of others or should not be against the law of the land. No citizen of this country can claim immunity from the law, for publications. Facebook and other social media are open publications and are governed by these IPC. This is in addition to the cyber law.

Abundant information encourages culprits

3. Last week, we had cyber security workshop organised by the Cyber Society of India. One of the speakers, involved in investigation of crimes shared an interesting information.

A house was burgled and based on the complaint from the owner, police arrested the culprit. During the enquiry, the cultprit told the police that he identified the house for burglary, based on the information in facebook. The owner of the house had given an advance information in his facebook about his planned trip to a health resort with family. After reaching the resort, the person had also confirmed his visit with the photographs in the facebook status. The culprit who was closely watching the facebook, leisurely visited the house and committed burglary. Since the owner had given the schedule of his return, etc., the culprit visited the same house next day also to complete the burglary properly.

Many of the hackers of email and online banking depend on the information freely available in the facebook and other social media sites.

Though, I personally feel that monitoring by the operators may be technically difficult, we need to create more and more awareness about this among the parents, teachers and the students to avoid misuse of social media, leading to offence.

Such negative use of social media happens, because of the lack of knowledge by the users on the real strength of social media. Social Media can be used for more useful things, than merely as an excitement media to post trash messages and for sharing information, leading to cyber crimes.

Kapil Sibal has done a good job by generating a national debate on the social media, to understand the strength and weakness of this media. The members can debate as to (a) whether a separate regulation may be needed or not and (b) what are the contents that can be treated as objectionable, without infringing on freedom of expression. .

K. Srinivasan

Prime Point

9176650273

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