Internet Censorship and it’s challenges in India: - A Socio-Legal study

Abstract

For every free individual to govern themselves, they must be open and free to express themselves- openly, repeatedly and publicly; whether in writing and speech or through online platforms. The right to free speech is a fundamental concept of every democratic country, where the people of that country have full right to choose or remove their elected representative as per the workings towards the nation for which he/she was elected. For the wrongdoings of the authoritative figures of a country, free speech holds up the pragmatic idea of criticizing various schemes or policies passed and regulated in the very country. However, in India internet censorship creates a big obstacle in balancing this right with public safety in our digital age. Article 19 (1) (a) of the Constitution of India protects free speech and expression. On the other hand Article 19(2) gives wide powers to the government in limiting this speech for safety, order and morals of the country. Section 69A of the Information Technology Act of 2000, lets the government to block posts or websites in order to stop hate speech, fake news and violence in our diverse society without the intervention of courts. The 2021 IT Rules endanger personal privacy and stifle free expression by forcing apps to track who sent a message. What began as a safety measure has now evolved into a tool for state power, effectively depriving the internet of its core identity as a sphere for free expression. Our findings illustrate the depth of how the misuse of digital censorship in India is posing a grave threat to both personal privacy and the future of a free internet.