Sunday, September 30, 2012

Google Censored and Demoted More Blogs In India

It seems the affairs of Google are well beyond its control. From news censorship to blog censorship, Google has been doing it all. Initially it used to be a piecemeal work but now Google has been indulging in mass censorship and mass demotion of blogs.

Manual action penalty by Google is in abundance these days. However, what is surprising is the fact that Google is indulging in illegal and wrong manual action penalty and blogs and news censorship.

Even worst is the aspect that Google never discloses the reason for such censorship and manual penalty. The aggrieved person has no remedy to agitate against the wrong doings of Google.

The following websites have been demoted and subjected to manual action penalty by Google without any reason and justification:

(1) Cyber Forensics In India

(2) Cyber Security In India

(3) E-Discovery Services In India

(4) E-Commerce Laws And Regulations In India

(5) Perry4Law Techno Legal Base (PTLB)

(6) Corporate Laws In India

(7) Techno Legal Online Dispute Resolution Services

The list is just illustrative and we are investigating the issue. We would come up with more details in this regard very soon.

Saturday, September 22, 2012

Google Censored Another News In India

Power companies in Delhi are openly engaging in excessive and exorbitant electricity bills charging that is not legally due to their customers. In the past, Tata Power Delhi Distribution Ltd (TPDDL) was punished by DERC for similar reasons.

This illegal money making exercise of power companies of Delhi is happening with active support of Delhi government that has not taken any action against the defaulting companies despite many complaints and protests.

Even the assurances of Delhi’s chief minister Sheila Dikshit proved nothing more than lip service. However, if this was not enough Google has been censoring news pointing towards such corrupt practices happening in open in Delhi.

Google has censored the news titled “Power Companies Defying Delhi Chief Minister’s Directions” at the instance of some of the power companies who do not wish to be exposed. Even the hand of Delhi government in it cannot be ruled out. This censorship exercise is not only wrong but is clearly illegal on the part of Google as it has not provided any intimation or/and option to counter false claims of such power companies.

Google has been censoring news in India for long and we believe it is high time to send a notice to them and ask for proper explanation in this regard. This is so because if Google is following Indian laws then it has to comply with the same for all purposes. On the other hand, if Google is following US laws then there is an obligation on its part to provide an opportunity to the aggrieved party to represent his/her/its case.

The unilateral action of censorship on the part of Google is therefore clearly illegal and needs to be checked legally. We are working in this direction and would update our viewers very soon.

Wednesday, September 5, 2012

Google Continues To Censor News In India

Google has been engaging in censorship and filtering of results in India for long. This includes censorship and filtering of blog posts, news, robots restrictions, etc. The latest to add to this list is the news article titled “Radia Tapes, Ratan Tata’s Privacy, Fundamental Rights and Public Interest” that has been censored on 05-09-2012.

The news article in question has nothing controversial but it is discussing about some of the most corruption related aspects of India. Perhaps, the article has brought out in public the dirty linen of Indian government but the censorship act of Google has also brought Google’s dirty linen in public as well.

It seems Indian government is not interested in putting the truth before the public at large. First it claimed that it has destroyed the Radia tapes and then it claimed that the investigation is still going on so the tapes are required to be kept in safe custody.

However, the Indian government has still not told the Supreme Court of India who leaked the tapes. It seems public interest is not important and all the Indian government is doing is hiding of the dirty facts and truths of Radia tapes controversy.

As opined by Praveen Dalal, managing partner of ICT law firm Perry4Law, “The Indian Constitutional Scheme is based upon “Balance of Rights” and no right is absolute in nature. In case of conflict between two Fundamental Rights, the Fundamental Right that strengthens and substantiate the Public Interest should prevail”. Hence if there is a conflict between Right to Privacy and Right to Information/know, information can be disclosed in certain circumstances to substantiate and strengthen Public Interest, opines Dalal.  

It is high time for Indian government to disclose who leaked the Radia tapes. Similarly, the Supreme Court of India must also keep in mind the balance of fundamental rights as citizens of India have a right to know about the corrupt practices happening within the governmental functioning.