Kapil Sibal's recent threat to social networking sites is not only ill advised but it exposes the deep rooted fear the Indian politicians in general and the UPA government in particular has developed about the new media, i.e. internet and social websites. Now coming to practical considerations, is it possible to police the social websites. Improbable if not downright impossible. I don't think that Google, Facebook, Yahoo or the others are likely to be as compliant and meek as the electronic or print media operating in India. And besides, don't these sites already have an anti- hate, anti-spam policy in existence. Would not it be simpler for the government to depute some officers to peruse the contents of these sites and use the existing safeguards to remove the content ( if it is really THAT offensive).
Bluster will not solve the issue. If anything, it will draw attention to the content Mr. Sibal finds offensive. And Sibal sahib, please answer just one question. When it comes to the problems of the common man; ensuring food security for all; rooting out corruption or even talking about it; the government seems to be having a very thick skin and deaf ears; then why this public display of overt sensitivity when a few morphed picture or cartoons of Congress leaders appear on the net? Has the public finally found a chink in your armour ??
