Research Paper on Right to Freedom of Online Speech in India (By-Utsav Bc)
Social media censorship is clearly a
very complex problem as on one hand there is rampant increase in illegal acts
and on the other hand the law enforcing agencies are trying to regulate the
citizens fundamental rights to protect their own interests[1]. However, the current cyber laws of
India are not adequate to deal with the increasing usage of digital platforms.
Even though there is a huge power base in the hands of the Government, it is
not enough to check the activities on social media.
There is
an immediate need for a committee to be formed which can draft someguidelines.We should take the services of technical experts and civil society experts, as well as the government, to investigate all aspects of the use and misuse of social media and recommend a suitable approach that does not jeopardise citizens' civil rights, particularly their freedom of speech and expression.
The government needs to balance between protecting peoples fundamental rights
and protecting the society from illegal activities but at the same time it also
has a role to not misuse its powers to track citizens.