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[Pirates Discuss] Sarbajit - on 66a ITAct ITRules, etc

Vidyut Kale <wide.aware@gmail.com> Tue, Nov 27, 2012 at 9:14 PM
To: General discussions <discuss@lists.pirateparty.org.in>

Sarbajit,

... <redacted>

I would like to know your views on the campaigns against censorship in terms of a discussion of interest to Pirate Party.

On that thread, you seem to think that the censorship somehow protects the common man from the corporations (at least that is the gist I got from Arun's post.). This is not my current view and I have been fairly vocal about abstractly framed regulation that allows discretionary censorship. To my knowledge, the censorship laws (66a. IT Rules, etc) have been used more for silencing dissent. I do not see them as useful.

Apart from the research you object to for reasons of conflict of interest (which remains factually correct regardless of vested interest as per your view), I had foreseen the misuse for political purposes a full two years before it happened. I have been observing all through. There are countless cases of misuse. Cases by the powerless have been refused to be filed. Cases for seemingly trivial reasons that wouldn't be punished offline have been filed for apparently little reason than offending the powerful.

As we speak, the Shiv Sainiks had got those girls arrested for Facebook updates that don't sound "problematic" at all. I have myself received ITRules takedown notices that were actually legally incorrect (as I was author, not intermediary). How do you see these laws and their impact on free speech?

Disclosure: I have very little knowledge of law, but a fairly good grasp if you explain.

Disclosure 2: I have absolutely no funding or other interest that would influence my priority toward anything other than my stated objective - civil rights, free speech. I do have a readership on my blog, but they come to read my views - whatever they are - there is no subject or view I "can't" take up.

Disclosure 3: I have been seeing the attacks on free speech as a part of a larger pattern of politics evolving that seeks to shut off power to the common man by tacit understanding among political parties, even as they fight each other for greater control over the country (a kind of feudal territory war with votes and street pressure). I find that the laws are becoming weapons to this intent. Though I accept any law could be misused, the vagueness makes it easier or rather covers potential for repression in accurate use too.

Vidyut

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