Internet Censorship | by Shreya Srivastava

Internet censorship controls and puts restrictions on what information can be accessed, publicized or viewed on the Internet. It is used to block access to copyrighted information, or to harmful or sensitive content. Majority of us treat the internet as a means to the fast access to limitless amount of data. That is exactly what it is for some of us. But for others, this pathway to information has some major speed breakers and hurdles.

The more freely information flows, the stronger the society becomes, because then citizens of countries around the world can hold their own governments accountable. They can begin to think for themselves. I can tell you that in the United States, the fact that we have free internet — or unrestricted internet access is a source of strength, and I think should be encouraged. –Barack Obama

The internet censorship is a two-edged sword. While on one hand, it can stem from intentioned desires to protect children from unsuitable content, to protect strategic defense related data or to prevent access to sensitive content; on the other hand it can give rise to authoritarian attempts to control a nation's access to information. The censorship of the web is a never-ending debate, where some people feel that it is essential to avoid conflicts due to the broadcast of offensive and sensitive information, and also to prevent the people of a certain age group to access information which may be considered unsuitable for them, and some feel that it is a violation of the right to free speech. Technologists feel that filtering and other restrictions would transform what was once the global internet into a connected series of national networks. The web would fracture and fragment, and soon there would be a "Russian internet" and an "Indian internet" and so on. Information would flow within countries but not across them, due to filtering and restrictions.

While talking about censorship, the first nation that comes to mind is China. Access to popular social media platforms like Facebook and twitter, politically sensitive content and content related to human rights is blocked by the Chinese government. China’s constitution boasts to give its citizens freedom of speech and press, but the stringent media regulations and the resulting censorship allows authorities to crack down on news stories by claiming that they expose state secrets and endanger the country.

Today, India’s internet users too find themselves at crossroads regarding the issue of censorship. In 2012, there was widespread outcry in India when two women were arrested for complaining on Facebook about the disruption caused by the funeral of Bal Thackeray, leader of Shiv Sena. They were arrested under the section 66A of India’s IT Act (2008) which criminalises “grossly offensive” and “menacing” messages sent by electronic means, but also “false” messages sent to cheat, deceive, mislead or annoy, taking online censorship beyond offline laws.

India has around 120 million web users and as cheaper smart phones enable millions more to access the net on their mobiles, India’s net savvy population is set to soar in the next few years. But with the rapidly changing environment of the web, what sort of online environment they will find is open to question — and to wide debate.