COURT IN INDIA ORDERS GOOGLE AND FACEBOOK TO REMOVE ALL ANTI-ISLAM CONTENT
Court orders Google and Facebook to remove all anti Islamic content
Social websites including Google and Facebook have been ordered by an
Indian court to remove all ‘anti-religious’ and ‘anti-social’ content
within six weeks.
Indian court to remove all ‘anti-religious’ and ‘anti-social’ content
within six weeks.
On Saturday a Delhi Court ordered 22 social networking sites,
including Yahoo and Microsoft, to wipe the objectionable and
defamatory contents and file compliance reports by February 6, 2012.
including Yahoo and Microsoft, to wipe the objectionable and
defamatory contents and file compliance reports by February 6, 2012.
Additional Civil Judge Mukesh Kumar passed the order on a suit filed
by Mufti Aijaz Arshad Qasmi seeking to restrain the websites from
circulating objectionable and defamatory contents.
by Mufti Aijaz Arshad Qasmi seeking to restrain the websites from
circulating objectionable and defamatory contents.
Qasmi had objected to a number of images on the websites which he
complained would cause ‘irreparable loss and injury to the people who
are offended by them’.
complained would cause ‘irreparable loss and injury to the people who
are offended by them’.
He argued that some of the images defamed Hindu gods, Prophet Mohammed
and other religious figures, India Today website reported.
and other religious figures, India Today website reported.
The order will raise serious questions about how users’ posts and
opinions will be edited, censorship and freedom of expression.
opinions will be edited, censorship and freedom of expression.
On December 22 Judge Kumar had issued summonses to the social
networking sites, demanding they remove photographs, videos or texts
that might offend religious sentiments, the Hindustan Times website
reported.
networking sites, demanding they remove photographs, videos or texts
that might offend religious sentiments, the Hindustan Times website
reported.
The order comes a day after a criminal court issued summonses to the
sites for facing trial for allegedly webcasting objectionable contents.
sites for facing trial for allegedly webcasting objectionable contents.
Santosh Pandey, appearing for complainant Mufti Aijaz Arshad Qasmi,
told The Hindu Times after the court hearing that the websites have to
submit a report to the court by February 6 describing the action they
had taken to remove the contents from the websites.
told The Hindu Times after the court hearing that the websites have to
submit a report to the court by February 6 describing the action they
had taken to remove the contents from the websites.
Representatives of Yahoo India Pvt Ltd and Microsoft told the court
that they had not got copies of the order and complaint against them,
but Qasmi’s counsel told the court that he would supply the relevant
documents to them, according to the Hindustan Times.
that they had not got copies of the order and complaint against them,
but Qasmi’s counsel told the court that he would supply the relevant
documents to them, according to the Hindustan Times.
The order comes at a controversial time as IT minister Kapil Sibal had
recently discussed with representatives of some of the companies ways
to guarantee the offensive contents are not posted.
recently discussed with representatives of some of the companies ways
to guarantee the offensive contents are not posted.
India Today quoted him as saying: ‘There were some demeaning,
degrading, clearly pornographic depictions of gods and goddesses which
no reasonable, sensible person anywhere in the world would accept, on
any site.
degrading, clearly pornographic depictions of gods and goddesses which
no reasonable, sensible person anywhere in the world would accept, on
any site.
The minister insisted he was not smothering free speech but was
suggesting screening possible ‘incendiary’ material.
suggesting screening possible ‘incendiary’ material.
The Hindu Times reported Facebook India, Facebook, Google India Pvt
Ltd, Google Orkut, Youtube, Blogspot, Microsoft India Pvt Ltd,
Microsoft, Zombie Time, Exboii, Boardreader, IMC India, My Lot, Shyni
Blog and Topix were all given the order.
Ltd, Google Orkut, Youtube, Blogspot, Microsoft India Pvt Ltd,
Microsoft, Zombie Time, Exboii, Boardreader, IMC India, My Lot, Shyni
Blog and Topix were all given the order.
A Google spokesperson told the website: ‘We comply with valid court
orders wherever possible, consistent with our long standing policy.
orders wherever possible, consistent with our long standing policy.
‘We’re yet to receive the details of this order and can’t comment on
this specific case.’
this specific case.’
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