The National Human Rights Commission today issued notice to the Chhattisgarh government in connection with the alleged wrongful detention and torture of a journalist , who is a human rights activist. The state chief secretary and director general of police have been asked to submit a factual report ...

According to internet freedom watchdog Freedom House, “Internet freedom in India has improved in the past year” in its report of 65 countries, with India having seen “positive developments relating to ‘regulatory framework, declining detentions for online speech and burgeoning digital access’”, repo...

The Hindustan Times ’ Aloke Tikku reported: A first-of-its-kind set of statistics compiled by the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) reveals that 2,402 people, including 29 women, were arrested in 4,192 cases under section 66A — which was struck down in March by the Supreme Court that ruled that i...

Is this the end of the block? Possibly not despite reports of a government U-turn…

“I reject with contempt the charge that it is a Talibani government, as being said by some of the critics. Our government supports free media,” said telecoms minister Ravi Shankar Prasad, saying that ISPs were ordered today to unblock websites that did not contain pornography that were accidentally included in the secret list of 857 pornographic sites to be blocked in India online.

Indian internet service providers (ISPs) received a notice from the Department of Telecommunications (DOT) two days ago (31 July), ordering the blocking of 857 websites, many of which appeared to host pornography, according to an authoritative source at an ISP.

Jadavpur University professor Ambikesh Mahapatra is still anxious a month after the Supreme Court struck down as unconstitutional a controversial law that led to his arrest for e-mailing a cartoon mocking West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.

Despite all the legal firepower involved, it was far from certain that the case would go the way it did.

“New Delhi authorities on Wednesday asked India’s federal information technology ministry to block the taxi-hailing apps of US -based Uber and its local rival Ola in the city in a bid to enforce a ban on the companies’ services,” reported Reuters . However, QZ reported last year that blocking of ser...

Social media was abuzz this morning as Supreme Court justices J Chelameswar and Rohinton Fali Nariman read down section 66A of the Information Technology Act, though upheld section 69A that allows the central government to block entire websites.

The Supreme Court Thursday reserved its verdict on a batch of petitions challenging the constitutional validity of section 66A of the Information Technology Act and other provisions of cyber law on the grounds of their misuse/abuse by the authorities. A bench of Justice J Chelameswar and Justice Roh...

Pseudonyms such as “Obama” and “Putin” will no longer be available to Chinese citizens who wish to hide their identity on the internet, following new internet restrictions implemented by the country’s authorities

The central government yesterday defended section 66A of the Information Technology Act, 2000 saying it was to curb posting of mischievous and objectionable material on social media and websites and in no way could be construed as curbing the fundamental right to free speech and expression. Describi...

A high stakes case was part-argued today by government and petitioners on the constitutional validity of certain sections of the Information Technology Act 2000.

“Heavens are not going to fall if the provisions are stayed. This matter cannot be treated lightly. Two years have passed and there is no definite answer from you [Centre]… either you file your affidavit or we will stay the operation of these provisions,” said Supreme Court Justice J Chelameswar yes...

An Andhra Pradesh law student was arrested under the IT Act, presumably section 66A, and the IPC, for allegedly posting a comment on Facebook in English and Telugu that stated “I love u hudhoodh”, referring to the destructive cyclone and noting that it was taking revenge against “betrayers”, reporte...

A Bangalore-based businessman was arrested and jailed by police for 21 days in April under section 66A of the IT Act for “spreading canards” about another on online forums, reported The Hindu (via Pranesh Prakash ). The businessman has filed a complaint with the National Human Rights Commission (NHR...

The National Stock Exchange (NSE) has alleged that Hyderabad-based firm Manshi Systems has been selling customers access to a subscription-only NSE service. The stock exchange has now started proceedings in the Bombay high court against the firm and, significantly, also against the Indian subsidiary...

“Mumbai cops cite s66A language, seek to block articles against police Chief,” tweets @karunanundy [‘Offending’ article] [Notice via @svaradarajan]

Madras HC Justice CT Selvam gets whistleblower website Savukku blocked, which allegedly damaged the “reputation and status of not less than half a dozen judges, very many advocates, IAS and IPS officers” and also allegedly contains articles about the judge himself. After a PIL filed by a journalist,...