Camera Obscura and the manufacture of happiness

"Hostile online campaign takes some of the shine off Vedanta's promotionals."

The Hindu : Opinion / Op-Ed : Camera Obscura and the manufacture of happiness: Vedanta's “Creating Happiness” campaign, is part of an “initiative to tell our side of the story”; yet the hostile reception on blogs and social-media networks like Facebook and Twitter highlights the risks of exposing a tightly controlled corporate message to the anarchy of the internet.

At the crossroads of mediaphobia

"With ‘paid news' and other ills making the media vulnerable to state and corporate control, social networking sites are a countervailing force for ordinary citizens. Hence, the drive to regulate them."

The shifting sands of Kapil Sibal's reasons for objecting to certain matter carried on social media are interesting. Apparently, he first found a page maligning Sonia Gandhi and told Facebook this was unacceptable. He then wrote a letter and held meetings with Google and Facebook. Later he said, he objected to pornographic images. Then at a press conference he was worried about things that hurt religious sentiments. The Hindu : Opinion / Lead : At the crossroads of mediaphobia.

The role of journalists as purveyors of public opinion is of great relevance in the present context because the internet enables the world to break through the filter of journalism and reach individuals directly.

The Minister is obviously worried about social networking sites because he cannot control them to his advantage. The Delhi High Court's approach — of appealing to the corporate social responsibility of the companies to creatively craft uniquely Indian secular solutions to the problem rather than harping at their non-existent legal liability — must be appreciated. 

Choking off free speech on the web

"What makes SOPA and PIPA especially toxic is the threat they pose to all dimensions of a website's existence - physical presence, findability and revenue stream."

The Hindu : Opinion / Lead : Choking off free speech on the web: The two draft laws, SOPA and PIPA, in the U.S. House of Representatives and Senate have raised a storm on the Internet.

Strong fears haunt U.S. companies who dread losing innovation, online traffic, and thus jobs and commerce to other countries that guarantee freedom.

The toxic potential of these bills lies in their capacity to comprehensively throttle free speech, at least until a new competitive set of alternatives emerges.

Governments that guarantee free speech should baulk at the controversial American model to suppress their own citizens. Yet, in India, there will obviously be keen interest for a possible replication. Even now, the Indian IT Act, 2000 contains provisions that would not meet the accepted definition of judicial due process. There may be a specific case to remove material that is obviously inflammatory and capable of doing harm, but the policy compass clearly points to a lurking desire for censorship.

If SOPA and PIPA were to succeed in America, the move towards copycat laws in India can only be a step away!