Karnataka HC calls for blocking of ‘offensive’ web content

The notices are the result of a PIL filed by an internet watchdog group that claims content which offends Indians should be blocked

The Karnataka High Court has issued notices to the Central government and a few internet companies on Wednesday to block web content considered offensive, reports the Hindustan Times.

The notices were issued by Chief Justice Cyriac Joseph and Justice B S Patil in response to a PIL filed by the Digital Society Foundation based in Bangalore. Besides the Centre, notices have been sent to the Internet Service Providers Association of India, YouTube Inc, Google Inc and Google India.

The petitioners (Na.Vijayashankar and Satyhachethan) alleged that the content on the web which was “an insult to Indian nationhood” should be blocked. They also added that the web was being used for illegal and criminal activities.

The website of the Digital Society Foundation also mentions that a notice has been sent to Gautam Prasad in the US, for “denigrating Mahatma Gandhi” on YouTube. The Foundation, on the website, also calls for the setting up of a ‘Web Content Watch Dog’ to monitor “anti-India” content.

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