Free Expression
The Regulation of the Internet With Relation to Speech and Expression by the Indian State
April 25, 2008, Raman Chima, NLSIU
This paper examines how the Indian State regulates the Internet and the relation this has to the limitations imposed on the State's actions vis-a-vis the rights provided by the Indian constitution protecting speech and expression as well as privacy. Building upon contemporary technology law writings, it argues that not only is the Internet 'regulable' by nation states, it is in fact more and more being regulated even by liberal democratic nation states which have constitutional limitations on the powers of their governments to direct and enforce such restrictions.
Internet content filtering in India: Variations in compliance and accuracy
May 27, 2004, The OpenNet Initiative
India has now joined the group of nations which has provisions to enforce Internet content filtering. The recent case of Indian ISPs blocking access to the HinduUnity.org website throws up interesting observations. The mechanism for denying access seems to be based on IP address blocking as opposed to domain name blocking which may lead to legitimate websites becoming inaccessible.
Indian high court bolsters press censorship on TV, Internet
February 23, 2008, Senthil Tholkaapiyan and Senthooran Ravee, World Socialist Web Site
This article discusses the Indian High Court's role in pressuring the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (I & B) to increase censorship through restrictions on investigative journalism. It concludes that High Court's concern about sting-journalism's threat to corrupt government systems and power elites has led it to play a major role in neo-liberal reform.
Reflections on free speech and broadcasting in India
December 2005, Vikram Raghavan, Community Radio-India
This essay examines the legal and regulatory challenges faced by broadcasting in India as it grows in its multiple uses and enormous influence. It focuses on the tension between the Indian Constitution's guarantee of free speech and discusses whether the government can restrict broadcasting services more so than other forms of expression, such as newspapers or public speeches.
Public missing in Broadcast Bill debate
August 15, 2007, Ammu Joseph, India Together
This article discusses the problems with the Indian government's draft broadcast regulation legislation, Broadcasting Services Regulation Bill and Content Code. In addition to vague terminology that could be misused to obstruct freedom of expression and the implications for government control of broadcasting, the author finds that in the debate over ownership, the public is left out and many important issues are sidelined.
The discreet charms of the nanny state
October 6, 2006, Shivam Vij
According to the blogger Shivam Vij, a dangerous precedent has been established in the complete removal of a website at the request of the Indian government. His main contention is that when the Chinese government blocks a site it becomes public knowledge, whereas in India, public debate is foreclosed by the covert attempts of the government to silently whisk away problematic sites.
