Google’s online community web site Orkut has run into trouble for “spreading hatred against the country”.
The Aurangabad bench of the Bombay high court, comprising Justice AP Deshpande and Justice RM Borde, issued notice to Google last week following a public interest litigation initiated by 22-year-old advocate Yugant R Marlapalle.
In his petition, Marlapalle, who is also an Orkut member, took exception to a community called ‘We hate India’, owned by someone who identifies himself as Miroslav Stankovic. The community features a picture of the Tricolour being burnt.
“My prayer is to direct Google to remove communities that spread hatred against India, the national flag, and all deities in the country,” Marlapalle told DNA. “My objection is to the offending communities, not Orkut.”
He has cited the provisions of section 75 of the Information Technology Act, which empowers authorities to file charges for offences or contravention committed outside India by any person irrespective of nationality.
A Google India spokeswoman told DNA that US courts have jurisdiction over Orkut. Besides, the web site has terms of service that mandate users to abide by rules prohibiting impersonation as well as vulgar and offensive comments or images. She was unable to say, however, if Google had received the court notice.
Orkut has been misused in India before. Last month, the Kolkata police caught spurned lovers who posted fake obscene profiles of girls they dated on the community site.
Only recently, Google was forced to hand over data of specific users to Brazilian authorities, following allegations that Orkut was being used for illegal activities, including child pornography.
Google has earlier raised eyebrows in India with its highly detailed maps of sensitive locations, available freely online.
Cyber law experts say the case only highlights the fact that India lacks laws to deal with hate speech.
In this case, one would have to invoke section 65 of the IT Act, terming Google a network service provider and making it liable for all third party issues.
“We don’t have a national policy against hate speech,” cyber law expert Pavan Duggal said. “It would be interesting to know how the case develops over jurisdictions that cross national boundaries.” Union IT Secretary Jaswinder Singh said the government would respond after studying the web site and getting the court notice.
12 comments:
I fail to understand the logic behind this PIL. How can the PIL be against the offending communities and not Orkut..
Orkut has a provision to report a community if it is offending. So, the applicant must either report it and wait for things to happen or else take action against Orkut for not doing what it is intended to do..
ok..another PIL for publicity sake...
I dont think mark the comm bogus works. Anyway Google might have some excuse to defend themselves.
issue is more of a public awareness than the actual punishment to google
Regards
Sandeep
10 reasons why people hate indian community (From India):
If you want to discuss this article, please send it to 10 of your friends and then right your comments.
1.Indians are the worst drivers.
2.Indians blow their nose and spit in public anywhere anytime.
3.When an Indian becomes the boss, everyone in the office is replaced by Indians.
4.Indians never queue; they simply go to the counter regardless of the queue.
5.Indians have dirty minds. They stare at my wife’s ass every time she walks out of the house.
6.Indians are liars when trading. Any lie is allowed as soon as they sell it!
7.Indians have no concept of “YES NO”, they simply tilt the head from one side to the other for any reasons.
8.Indians are TOO MANY and they leave no space to other communities
9.Indians can not be trusted, as soon as you turn your back, they take advantage of you
10.Indians are sometimes very dirty and smell strongly.
I live in Dubai and I don't know ONE person that likes the Indian Community. We have noticed that even Indians hate Indians!
Many thanks.
Other Communities of UAE
when i was in india couple months back there is indian gang member kill newly wedding couple (Canadian) husband and rape his wife. i heard she went to the police in india but the police never took any action. In fact police are so corrupted that they received bribe from gang member and let these people move freely on the street. Now you know why we hate indian. They are sign of corruption.
I wonder why this blog isnt locked.
Indians are the some of the most valued people I know of . I can understand the person who has posted the 4 derogatory remarks most probably is a dellusioned Anti Indian youth.
I wonder why this blog isnt locked.
Indians are the some of the most valued people I know of . I can understand the person who has posted the 4 derogatory remarks most probably is a dellusioned Anti Indian youth.
I have been in india many times, the people out there are so caring and good humanbeings. i would say that the blog should actual focus on why pakistan is ditroying the world with their dirty politics .
dude.. India may suck, but Pakistan is probably THE worst country to ever exist on this planet to with the largest proportion of crime, ignorance, poverty,quality of life, infrastructure, draconian laws.. etc etc.
ya most of things said here is true
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