Government directs ISPs to disable all hateful content

In light of the ongoing chaos in the country concerning northeastern origin people fleeing cities like Bengaluru, Pune, among others, the government has issued a new directive. All Internet service providers in the country have now been asked to remove any inflammatory or hateful content on the web, targetting those belonging to these northeastern states. In his statement, Union Minister of State for Communications and Information Technology Sachin Pilot said that, "Based on complaints regarding content that's inflammatory, hateful and inciting violence targeting North East Community, DIT has issued an advisory to all intermediaries." 

Keeping the Internet free of hateful content (Image credit: Getty Images

Adding further, Pilot stated that the directive is in line with the advisory on the terms and provisions of the IT Act and Rules, which has provisions to take action to remove such content on priority. 

Starting yesterday, the Indian government imposed a nationwide ban on bulk SMSes and MMSes. The decision had been made in order to curtail text messages and multimedia messages containing rumours or misleading information about the Assam violence. These messages had been found to also contain fabricated videos and supposed threats to northeasterners living in several cities across the country. This has caused much panic among those of northeastern origin.

During the period that the ban is effective, it will not be possible to send more than five SMSes or more than 20KB of data at a time from a mobile phone number.

As per reports, the Home Ministry asked the Department of Telecommunications to implement the order through telecom operators in the country. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh stated that rumours spread by miscreants in this way have caused those of northeastern origin to flee their homes across several places in the country.       

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