Testing our “ Insult Threshold “ ?

 

That is the only way to describe recent behavior of Facebook

Context :

Delhi House panel sends summons to top FB executive

Extract :

Ø  The committee, which is headed by Raghav Chadha [raghavchadha111188@gmail.com], had on Tuesday issued a warning to Facebook India after Mohan failed to appear before the panel for its third hearing, despite having been summoned.

 

Ø  The Delhi legislative assembly’s peace and harmony committee has sent a fresh notice asking Facebook India vice president and managing director Ajit Mohan [ajit.mohan@fb.com ] to present himself for a deposition before the panel on September 23

 

Ø  The committee had earlier said Facebook was in contempt of the Delhi assembly, and gave the social media company a “final warning” to heed the summons and appear before it, dismissing a letter sent by executives of the firm, declining to present themselves before the panel

 

Ø  Facebook’s director (trust and safety) Vikram Langer….. contended that the firm‘s content regulation was outside the jurisdiction of the state assembly.

 

Ø  Chadha said on Sunday, “The indifference exhibited by the representative of Facebook India is also a contempt to the people of Delhi who have reposed their faith in the committee to examine the current issue.”

= =================================================

Has Social Media executives insulted our Law-Makers earlier ?

 

Yes , here is the record :

 

What are you waiting for ?   ………………………………………………………………… [ 25 Feb 2019 ]

 

Extract :

Twitter failed to give clear answers to some questions raised by the panel, as per available information.

 

It has been given 10 days to respond to those questions in writing.

 

These include “whether Twitter is registered in India and whether it stands registered as a technology or media company; number of employees working for Twitter India”.

 

The panel has also asked Twitter to “improve its grievance redressing mechanism” which a few panel members described as “slow and non- transparent

 

===================================================

Time to Get Impatient ?  ………………………………………………………………………..[ 27 Dec 2019 ]

 

Extract :

Early this year , there was a “ Parliamentary Committee on IT “ ( headed by Shri Anurag Thakur ), which got snubbed repeatedly , by the Social Media giants on the subjects of Fake News / Hate Content etc

 

 Twitter CEO – Jack Dorsey , even refused to meet the Committee !

 

===================================================

A Legal Analysis of Shashi Tharoor’s Power to Summon Facebook

Extract :

Last year, during the tenure of the Sixteenth Lok Sabha, when BJP MP Anurag Thakur was leading the Committee, he had summoned Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey and its executives, asking them to submit its views on the subject of “‘safeguarding citizens’ rights on social or online news media platform” after a volunteer group wrote to the committee, alleging that the company had extended preferential treatment wherein it was alleged to have been biased against right-wing Twitter accounts.

The present matter concerning the summoning of Facebook are much on the same lines of the erstwhile Parliamentary Committee’s agenda of “safeguarding citizens’ rights and misuse of  social or online news media platforms including  special emphasis on women’s security in the digital space.”

===================================================

EVER WONDER WHY SOCIAL MEDIA ARE MANAGING TO HEAP SUCH INSULTS ON OUR LAW-MAKERS – AND WITH SUCH IMPUNITY ?

Here is “ Why “ :

Digital media may require regulation, TV doesn’t: Govt

Extract :

Ø  The Union government on Thursday urged the Supreme Court to refrain from laying down guidelines to regulate electronic media such as television channels, but if the court does embark on the process, suggested that it should first be undertaken for digital media including web portals and YouTube channels.

===================================================

To curb fake news and hate speech, first regulate digital media, Centre tells Supreme Court

Extract : 

While in mainstream media, the publication/telecast is a one-time act, digital media has faster reach from wider range of viewership/readership and has the potential to become viral because of several electronic applications such as Whatsapp, Twitter and FB

===================================================

Unregulated digital media can spark hate, terror: Govt to SC

Extract :

Digital media is completely unregulated and capable of spreading hate and instigating violence and terror, the central government told the Supreme Court on Monday, adding that if the top court was undertaking an exercise to regulate media, it should start with internet-based news outlets and not mainstream electronic media, which is governed by some checks and balances.

“Any individual can start his own web-based channel by way of a YouTube channel and the only thing he needs is a desire to start and a smart phone which can be accessed by anyone.

THERE IS ABSOLUTELY NO CHECK ON THE WEB-BASED DIGITAL MEDIA.

Apart from spreading venomous hatred, deliberate and intended instigation to not only cause violence but even terrorism it is also capable of indulging in tarnishing the image of individuals and institutions. The said practice is, in fact, rampant,” the affidavit filed by the government said.

===================================================

Why are US cos dictating policies for Indian firms: Vijay Shekhar Sharma

[ vss@paytm.com ]

 

Extract :

Ø  If the law is aligned to protect the interest of the country, there will be a recourse. I can assure you that is what the future will be.

 

Ø  Together, we will be talking to the government and lawmakers. We run in this universe controlled by an American organisation that dominates the Indian tech landscape and has a say on Indian businesses… With huge domination comes huge power, which obligates one to behave responsibly.

 

Ø  This is effectively a sanction by an American company on an Indian one and by extension, on Indian customers

 

AAnd, the funny thing is, it doesn’t even fall under the country's legal ambit.

Can I get the court to say anything in this case?

No, it’s beyond their jurisdiction. Legal recourse of businesses in this country must be in this country

WE NEED A FRAMEWORK WHERE GOOGLE SHOULD HAVE TO TAKE CONSENT OF INDIAN AUTHORITIES BEFORE TAKING SUCH ACTION

      

Ø  Countries with large economies can get these companies’ ear ...So, when you matter on a balance sheet you get heard. India is a trial ground, bully ground, ‘let me do what I want to do’ ground…

Google can make policies, and their departments can arbitrarily enforce them as they please.

The point is that Google owns the gate and the gateway to the digital ecosystem of this country.

My intent always is that Indian startups should get a level playing field.

 

Ø  Does Indian tech ecosystem have the power to change tech majors?

           They will have to listen. The next billion users are coming from India.

      If the government takes an unfavourable view of the way they are doing

      business here, it can become very difficult

      THEY WILL COME TO THE NEGOTIATION TABLE. INDIA HAS THAT ABILITY.

===================================================

And here is what Shri Mohandas Pai has to say about Digital Monopolies :

[ mohan.pai@manipalglobal.com / Mohandas.pai@akshapatra.org / contactus@manipalglobal.com ]

India must rein in digital monopoloes  /  Business Line – 23 Sept 2020

Extract :

Ø  The biggest risk to humanity in these times is the rise of digital monopolies

 

Ø  All these platforms gather the data of every individual. If you use an Android phone, your movements can be tracked and this data can be used to create a psychometric profile of every individual

The digital monopolies know where you went today, which books you read, what you shopped, which news you read, etc. By using AI and other tools, your mind can be manipulated. They can make you see what they want you to see and not necessarily what you want to see.

 

Ø  Digital monopolies have the power to have command over your mind

  

Ø  Now the time has come for all countries to come together and create a universal declaration of “ Digital Rights ” to protect citizens from the onslaught of digital monopolies.

 

Ø  Legislatures all over the world seem to be in awe of these monopolies….In India, our political establishments also seem to be in awe of these digital monopolies…..We have given away our digital territory to outsiders……

  

Ø  The time has come for India and our political establishment to stand up and protect the public from the onslaught of digital monopolies. We need an urgent law for data privacy, digital residency and digital sovereignty so that all our data is stored in India and is available to the Indian government.

 

Ø  All over the world regulators are concerned over this concentration of digital power.

 

Ø  We can only be protected if the data is in India, available to the government of India so that justice can be done where needed

==================================================

If Google and Facebook are the DATA THIEVES , is there anyone among BIG TECH trying to regulate them ?

Yes, Apple is making it difficult for them to track us on the internet as explained in :

Data Privacy Exhaustion Is Real   /   Sept 15

Extract :

Ø  With the release of iOS 14, the iPhone will ask if you’re happy to be tracked. If you’re not, Apple will block the trackers

 

Ø  This is particularly bad for Facebook. “We’re still trying to understand what these changes will look like and how they will impact us,” Facebook’s chief financial officer, David Wehner, told CNBC last month

 

 

Ø  Facebook even said the change may render some services “so ineffective on iOS 14 that it may not make sense to offer” them at all.

 

Ø  And then there is Apple, positioning itself as the privacy and security company. Last year, it banned third-party tracking in apps aimed at children, added Intelligent Tracking Prevention into MacOS to automatically remove trackers, and introduced “Sign in with Apple,” creating anonymous email addresses to limit tracking

===================================================

But, is there chance that Facebook will find some clever method to bypass Apple ?

 

You bet they will  

If in doubt read about Facebook’s “ Project Aria “ AR / VR glasses at :

A Greed-Ship named Facebook ……………………………………………………………..[ 21 Sept 2020 ]

 

===================================================

Question :

From that affidavit filed by the Central Government in Supreme Court, what impression do you get ?

Answer :

Abdication of own responsibility to regulate Social Media and passing the buck to Supreme Court by saying :

“  if the top court was undertaking an exercise to regulate media, it should start with internet-based news outlets “

===================================================

Any suggestion to :

Shri Vijay Shekhar Sharma [ vss@paytm.com ]

Shri Mohandas Pai [  mohan.pai@manipalglobal.com ] 

Yes

I urge them to study my following proposal ( successfully adopted by Apple when it says : Sign in with Apple : ) :

 SARAL ( Single  Authentic  Registration for Anywhere  Login )…[ 10 Feb 2019 ]

 Digital Dividend from Demographic Data [ 4 D ]…………………......[ 14 Feb 2019 ]

Theirs are very influential voices and will be heard by Shri RaviShankar Prasadji

===================================================

With regards,

Hemen Parekh  /  hcp@RecruitGuru.com  /  23  Sept 2020