<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN">
<HTML><HEAD>
<META content=text/html;charset=iso-8859-1 http-equiv=Content-Type>
<META name=GENERATOR content="MSHTML 8.00.7600.16722"></HEAD>
<BODY style="PADDING-LEFT: 10px; PADDING-RIGHT: 10px; PADDING-TOP: 15px"
id=MailContainerBody leftMargin=0 topMargin=0 CanvasTabStop="true"
name="Compose message area">
<DIV><FONT face=Calibri>Why post this? Who cares? Fact is it doesn't matter what
the THINK, if a government wants they WILL do whatever they want. Even in the
US. Heck, they don't need a secret switch to shut off the internet, all they
need to do is shut off the power grids and bring EVERYTHING to a halt, not just
the internet. The only ones with power then are those withy solar panels and
generators. If things got bad enough in the US to warrant shutting down the
internet they would just do the power grid and take care of ALL media outlets
and cell phones too. So it really doesn't matter does it?</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt Tahoma">
<DIV><BR></DIV>
<DIV style="BACKGROUND: #f5f5f5">
<DIV style="font-color: black"><B>From:</B> <A title=arun.arwachin@gmail.com
href="mailto:arun.arwachin@gmail.com">arun singh</A> </DIV>
<DIV><B>Sent:</B> Wednesday, March 16, 2011 4:29 AM</DIV>
<DIV><B>To:</B> <A title=debian-dug-in@lists.debian.org
href="mailto:debian-dug-in@lists.debian.org">debian-in</A> ; <A
title=ubuntu-users@lists.ubuntu.com
href="mailto:ubuntu-users@lists.ubuntu.com">ubuntu-users@lists.ubuntu.com</A> ;
<A title=lugkiet@googlegroups.com
href="mailto:lugkiet@googlegroups.com">lugkiet@googlegroups.com</A> ; <A
title=lugs@mandriva.com href="mailto:lugs@mandriva.com">lugs@mandriva.com</A> ;
<A title=iitdlug@googlegroups.com
href="mailto:iitdlug@googlegroups.com">iitdlug@googlegroups.com</A> </DIV>
<DIV><B>Subject:</B> [Off Topic] :Indian government can switch off your internet
ifnecessary</DIV></DIV></DIV>
<DIV><BR></DIV>
<P style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"><I><B><U><FONT style="COLOR: rgb(0,0,153)"
size=4>Indian government can switch off your internet if
necessary</FONT></U></B></I><BR></P>
<P><BR></P>
<P>Complete control and the right to shut down cyber traffic during sensitive
situations is still a very debatable topic among the western nations. But the
Indian government, keeping all debates aside has ventured in full-speed to
acquire the right of 'killing your internet' whenever required and has
incorporated a provision under the IT Act of 2008.</P>
<P>While the western countries are yet mulling over their jurisdication of
complete control debating the The Indian government has armed itself with powers
to 'switch off' or kill the internet during times of national emergencies,
becoming one of the first few countries to assume such far reaching authority.
</P>Even as the US and other western nations debate the judiciousness of giving
the government's complete control to shut down cyber traffic, India has moved a
step ahead and incorporated a provision under the IT Act of 2008, giving the
Central government, or any of its officers specially authorised by it, to block
the internet if necessary. The shutdown can happen in the interest of
sovereignty and integrity of India, its defense, security of its states,
friendly relations with foreign states or for public order. Failure to comply
will result in imprisonment of up to seven years. <BR><BR>The implications
of this move are immense as it gives the government overriding powers over a
fast-growing and widely used resource, and one that is becoming increasingly
crucial in conducting commerce and social interaction. The country has about 70
million internet users ? a figure growing at about 25% every year. 'Where the
Central government or any of its officer specially authorised by it in this
behalf is satisfied that it is necessary or expedient so to do 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 above, it may
subject to the provisions of sub-sections (2) for reasons to be recorded in
writing, by order direct any agency of the government or intermediary to block
access by the public or cause to be blocked for access by public any information
generated, transmitted, received, stored or hosted in any computer resource,'
69A of the Information Technology Amendment Act, 2008 says. <BR><BR>The
amendment was pushed through in the weeks following the 26/11 attacks in Mumbai.
Supporters of an internet 'kill switch' ? as it is being popularly called ? say
it will enable countries to prevent the spread of rumours and false information
during times of national crisis and help coordinate a coherent response without
any sign of public panic. But it can also be misused by governments to shut down
legitimate protests and exercise illegal power in the face of public opposition.
The governments in the North Africa and the Middle East have been resorting to
this tactic during the violent protests triggered in January this year against
despotic rule.<BR><BR>The plan has drawn predictable ire from bloggers,
activists and lawyers but the government also has its supporters. 'If it's in
national security's interest, switching off the internet for a short period is
not unwelcome,' says Amrita Chaudhary, director at Cyber Cafe Association of
India. 'It is not a bad idea to switch off the internet for security reasons.
But we should distinguish between national security and privacy,' Naresh Ajwani,
secretary at Internet Service Providers of India, said. Not satisfied with this
provision, India is now moving ahead to develop alternate plans in case the
'switch' does not work. The draft plan by the Cabinet Committee on Security and
Ministry of Home Affairs along with Ministry of IT & Communications to
'choke' the internet at will, which ET reported last year, is also learnt to be
in its final stages.<BR><BR>Source : ET<BR><BR>--<BR>Regards<BR>Arun
<P>
<HR>
<P></P>-- <BR>ubuntu-users mailing
list<BR>ubuntu-users@lists.ubuntu.com<BR>Modify settings or unsubscribe at:
https://lists.ubuntu.com/mailman/listinfo/ubuntu-users<BR></BODY></HTML>