[Reader-list] censorship

[Monica Narula]

well, perhaps i was being trigger happy in saying that this could 
happen in India in such a way. But i still think that because of the 
complete lack of transparency of the indian state, many things are 
enforced without the public necessarily getting to know about them 
(and the other matter of the fact that there is very little 
discussion even when they do..) But we are aware of censorship by the 
state to what it thinks is 'anti-national' and how this is considered 
acceptable by so many, even otherwise conflicting, factions. Perhaps 
the muzzling of voices will not happen in such a transparent way at 
all but through neverending red tapism, and police rights (such as 
they were trying to pass in the IT bill) and it would happen case by 
case, and therefore insidiously..

I might still be overreacting arun. What do you think?


>At 4/6/2001, Monica Narula wrote:
>>...One can imagine it happening in this part of the world fairly easily..
>>
>>Monica
>>
>>Yesterday a liberticide law has been approved by the Italian Parliament.
>>
>>  The law clearly state that the publishers of periodical news on the
>>  web who are not 'professional' journalists (or write on behalf of
>>  them) could be fined for up to 250 dollars and arrested for up to two
>>  years, and accused of the 'clandestine press' crime.
>
>I don't think this could easily happen in India. IT is sort of 
>becoming a holy cow, and such a ban would be quickly branded 
>"anti-IT", don't you think? It would immediately be considered an 
>attempt to muzzle future Tehelkas. And also note, this came in Italy 
>not from the government, but under pressure from the media barons. 
>In India, this lobby isn't that powerful, it seems to me.
>
>
>
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-- 
Monica Narula
Sarai:The New Media Initiative
29 Rajpur Road, Delhi 110 054
www.sarai.net