On 11th April 2011, the Government notified the new Information Technology (Intermediaries Guidelines) Rules, 2011 prescribing various guiding principles to be observed by all Internet related companies.
The Government has exceeded the mandate given to it by the Parliament in formulating these rules. These rules give the Government a free pass to censor Facebook posts, listen to every Skype conversation, monitor tweets or blogs or access private photographs and documents stored online, track location using mobile phones or track any online activity. This will lead to a clamp down on the freedom of speech and expression, adversely affect the right to privacy of citizens and hamper the growth of Internet and the related industries in India.
Mr. P. Rajeeve, Member of Parliament has moved an annulment motion to get these rules abolished. This motion has been admitted and will be coming up for discussion before the Rajya Sabha soon.
Free Software Movement of India along with Knowledge Commons, and Software Freedom Law Center, India invite you to a meeting to be held on May 3, 2012 from 6PM to 8 PM at the Dy. Chairman Hall, Constitution Club on this issue. We request your presence at the event and also your support for the annulment motion when it comes up for discussion in the parliament.
