Thursday 29 November 2012

Section 66 (A) of IT Act


Dear all

Section 66 (A) of IT Act can result in police action for any of the following actions by an online user and can result in 3 years in Jail.

1 Punishment for sending offensive messages via electronic mail message

2 Any electronic mail message that is grossly offensive or is menacing

3 Any false info causing annoyance, insult, danger

4 Causing inconvenience

5 Deceiving or misleading recipient

When I wrote my views on Baba Saheb Thakeray’s Life and death, I was aware of this clause and hence was careful to be utterly balanced. Two days after my post the Palghar Girls were arrested

Earlier a local police official can book an offence basedon this act- which is a State subject- but now after the Facebook Incident, the Central government has sent an advisory to all the State governments that arrests can be made only after an IG level officer views the case.

More over the Supreme court is reviewing this clause based on a Public interest litigation;

Whatever the outcome, it is now clear that social media can create governance changes and the public should use this as an effective tool and becomes harbingers of change.

 Sanyasi:

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