Centre wants to know how to block Facebook
The telecom department has sought industry view on technical steps that can be taken for blocking mobile apps like Instagram, Facebook, WHATSAPP, Telegram etc. in situations where national security and public order are under threat.
The Department of Telecom on July 18, 2018, had written to all telecom operators, the Internet Service Providers Association of India, industry body Cellular Operators Association of India and others and asked for their inputs to block the applications under Section 69A of the IT Act.
"The Dot in the letter had said that the Ministry of Electronics and IT and law enforcement agencies have raised issue around blocking of certain mobile apps like Instagram, Facebook, Whatsapp, Telecom, etc. to meet requirement under Section 69A of IT Act," an official source told PTI.
The Section 69A of IT Act talks about power to issue directions for blocking for public access to any information through any computer resource.
The law authorises the central government or any officer authorised by it to issue direction to block the information on Internet in the interest of sovereignty and integrity of India, defence of India, security of the state, friendly relations with foreign states or public order or for preventing incitement to the commission of any cognisable offence relating to them. Recently, there have been widespread incidents of mob lynching in the country based on rumours spread through social media apps. The popular messaging app, Whatsapp, has been in the eye of storm over abuse of its platform for circulation of fake news that resulted in incitement of mob fury.
An IT ministry official, who did not wish to be named, said, Whatsapp has not committed itself on "traceability" and attribution of messages, which had been one of the key demands of the government. Hence, the ministry's concerns have not been addressed and the potential for misuse still remains, the source said.
Last month, the government had expressed dissatisfaction over measures previously listed by Whatsapp for checking fake news that have, in several cases, triggered mob violence.