31–40 of 131 posts
These laws are likely to be enforced against Big Tech but the real losers are going to be users.
Automated Filtering, Social Media User Verification, Traceability of Encrypted Content are all complex on both a technical & practical level. As I understand, setting up a basic mastodon instance or even just an IRC server could be in violation of these rules. (IRC might not count itself but hosting IRC and a web IRC gateway probably is).
Some interesting parts (scroll down in the PDF to get the English version):
> `social media intermediary‘ means an intermediary which primarily or solely enables online interaction between two or more users and allows them to create, upload, share, disseminate, modify or access information using its services;
This means that a lot of this law applies to basically any communication platform. Not just the big ones.
> Provided also that where the first originator of any information on the computer resource of an intermediary is located outside the territory of India, the first originator of that information within the territory of India shall be deemed to be the first originator of the information for the purpose of this clause.
This puts enormous liability on tons of services & businesses. Running a tor relay and many other 'network over a network' type technologies will become problematic. Forget about running a tor exit node - unless you can just say that this IP is the originator.
> where an intermediary collects information from a user for registration on the computer resource, it shall retain his information for a period of one hundred and eighty days after any cancellation or withdrawal of his registration, as the case may be;
So now you have to wait 180 days for your information to really be removed. So much for privacy. It's also a bit weird in that it is exactly 180 days and not up to or at least which makes it a bit confusing in what its goal is.
> The intermediary shall prominently publish on its website,mobile based application or both, as the case may be, the name of the Grievance Officer and his contact details as well as mechanism by which a user or a victim may make complaint against violation of the provisions of this rule or any other matters pertaining to the computer resources made available by it, and the Grievance Officer shall [...]
So you'll need about 3-5 employees just for hosting a image board, etc.
> [Section 4] [...] appoint a nodal contact person for 24x7 coordination with law enforcement agencies and officers to ensure compliance to their orders or requisitions made in accordance with the provisions of law or rules made thereunder.
> [Section 6] The Ministry may by order, for reasons to be recorded in writing, require any intermediary, which is not a significant social media intermediary, to comply with all or any of the obligations mentioned under rule 4, if the services of that intermediary permits the publication or transmission of information in a manner that may create a material risk of harm to the sovereignty and integrity of India, security of the State, friendly relations with foreign States or public order.
So the government can basically force any communication platform/service to have a 24/7 contact/staff for cooperating with law enforcement. Essentially, any low moderation platform could be forced overnight to higher additional staff or more likely; shut down since it would be no longer economical or worthwhile to operate.
Earlier quoted context omitted.
The view that governments are necessarily trying to control information unless they’re dumb is not universally shared. This has little to do with surrendering sovereignty.
Governments that want to keep their power have to control information. Every country does it differently, but they all do it.
Mozilla's highest-paid official, chairperson Mitchell Baker, now enjoys a pay package that tops $1 million https://www.forbes.com/sites/georgeanders/2015/11/30/mozilla...
Stupid people making laws for the things that they don't fully understands.
Racist much? Not sure if you are Indian, but calling other people of different race stupid for protecting it’s own country makes you look crap, and you very well might be.
There is an odd trend in pieces submitted about india that spawns new accounts in support of whatever it is the india government is doing. I'm in the west so probably better to updoot someone from india that has better insight. This is just my observation. If what mozilla is saying is true this is a very obvious power grab that only applies to law abiding people. Internet protocols don't care about laws, you can try…
Stupid people making laws for the things that they don't fully understands.
With what kind of preconceived opinion you think that "things that they don't fully understands." This is racism at its peak.
And can you even understand the article attached which is in hindi? If you would have , you could have made a reasonable argument here rather than making such a stupid argument.
what right do you have to name people you don’t even know ? You don't have any and yet you go on and abuse people with your racist mentality.
These law may be bad but tell me why social media giants should be allowed to have their own censorship over the law of sovereign countries?
Stupid people making laws for the things that they don't fully understands.
Think twice before calling law makers stupid , that too the eminent layers of the country with 1.5 Billion people and worlds biggest democracy. With what kind of preconceived opinion you think that "things that they don't fully understands." This is racism at its peak. And can you even understand the article attached which is in hindi? If you would have , you could have made a reasonable argument here rather than mak…