“Imperialism Of Web” Through Few Companies Unacceptable, Says Union Minister

New Delhi:

Union Communications and Data Era Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad instructed the Rajya Sabha nowadays that any try to create “imperialism of web” by means of a couple of firms would no longer be tolerated.

Talking all through Query Hour at the banning of Twitter accounts, Mr Prasad mentioned the federal government welcomes dissent however can not permit misuse or abuse of social media.

Replying to GC Chandrashekhar (Congress), who raised the problem of local weather activist Disha Ravi’s arrest within the toolkit record case, Mr Prasad mentioned India is proud to have just about 140 crore social media customers. LinkedIn, WhatsApp, Twitter, Fb are loose to do trade in India… they have got empowered odd Indians, he mentioned.

“The federal government welcomes dissent. The problem isn’t of use of social media, the problem is of abuse and misuse of social media… Web is a formidable invention of human thoughts, but it surely must no longer develop into the monopoly of few. And we now have taken a place, any try to create imperialism of web by means of few firms isn’t appropriate,” the minister mentioned.

Mr Prasad mentioned Disha Ravi’s case is below judicial attention, however the Space must believe whether or not some folks must be allowed to “abuse social media” to “defame” India across the world.

Replying to a supplementary query, he mentioned there are circumstances the place the glory of a lady is sought to be compromised by means of exhibiting her nude or morphed photograph.

In such circumstances, the minister mentioned, the information are transparent that the content material must be got rid of inside of 36 hours.

“The rule of thumb may be very transparent that it’s a must to take away that (content material) inside of 36 hours provided that it pertains to the solidarity and integrity of India, security and safety of India, public order, and most significantly, the glory of the lady…,” he mentioned.

So far as content material introduction is anxious, Mr Prasad mentioned: “We do not want to intrude in order that is is the task of the customers of social media as to what there’s to mention.”

He additionally mentioned his division works in shut coordination with the Election Fee.

“The Election Fee has arrange a devoted mobile to weed out pretend information, pretend media designed to persuade (electorate),” he mentioned, including that Cambridge Analytica has been banned and a CBI probe is occurring in opposition to the UK-based information analytics company.

For keeping up the purity of India’s electoral procedure, the federal government is operating in shut coordination with the Election Fee to make certain that pretend information don’t affect elections, Mr Prasad mentioned.

Meeting elections might be held in 4 states and one Union Territory — Tamil Nadu, Assam, Kerala, West Bengal and Puducherry — in past due March and April.