Netizens against govt playing the net nanny

The government's decision to monitor content on social media websites and the internet has triggered public anger, with netizens saying the move is tantamount to clamping down on their fundamental rights. Read the story to know reader's response to our five questions.Poll results

The government's decision to monitor content on social media websites and the internet has triggered public anger, with netizens saying the move is tantamount to clamping down on their fundamental rights.

In our survey conducted online, 84 % respondents felt the government's move to monitor content on social media websites and the Internet is a violation of their fundamental rights, while 13% felt otherwise.

In agreement to Google India's argument before the court, 76 % respondents agreed India is becoming more like it's totalitarian neighbour China in curtailing web freedom. A meagre 15 % felt otherwise.

Google India, on Tuesday argued in the Delhi high court that blocking them was not an option as a democratic India does not have a 'totalitarian' regime like China.

'The issue relates to a constitutional issue of freedom of speech and expression and suppressing it was not possible as the right to freedom of speech in democratic India separates us from a totalitarian regime like China,' advocate NK Kaul, appearing for Google India, told justice Suresh Kait.

69 % people also rejected the idea that content must be filtered by the social media companies before it's uploaded on the web, rejecting the government's view that regulation will prevent children being exposed to explicit content. 84 % people responded in negative, while a meagre 12 % agreed with the government's view. Is govt playing the net nanny?

46% agreed that web censorship will lead to harassment of minority groups and crackdown on dissent while, 39 % disagreed.