The issue of the wanton CD of Abhishek Manu Singhvi seems to be alive and kicking despite a restraining order from the Supreme Court barring the media from broadcasting it. So what if the CD cannot be telecast on media channels, there seems to be no stopping the social media.

Uncut versions have already been uploaded on YouTube. And the twitterati have also ensured that Abhishek Manu Singhvi (#AMS) was trending on the top 10 for the longest time. But not for long. Well at least not on Justice Katju’s watch.

Justice Katju, already deploring the lack of morals and ethics in the media and denouncing 90% of Indians as fools, has now cast his keen eye on the social media. In a letter written to the Information and Broadcasting Minister, Ambika Soni, he makes his case for placing curbs on the scourge that is the social media.

The letter was also emailed to all journalists – clearly begging to be published. And since we didn’t want to let the Justice down, here’s the letter in all its glory.

To 

Mrs. Ambika Soni,

Hon’ble Union Minister for Information & Broadcasting

New Delhi. 

22.4.2012 

Dear Mrs. Soni, 

I am deeply distressed that a new practice has developed in the social media of its misuse for defaming people/groups/religions/communities. The recent example is of dissemination of a CD which even the author admitted had been distorted for defaming a reputed senior lawyer of the Supreme Court and Member of Parliament, and the threat to defame a Union Minister. The social media kept uploading the CD despite a Court injunction against it and despite the author admitting that he had doctored it.

In my opinion unless some curbs are placed on the social media nobody’s reputation will be safe in India. 

I have repeatedly said that while there is freedom of the media in our country, no freedom can be absolute, and has to be coupled with responsibilities. The reputation of a person is a valuable asset, and cannot be permitted to be trampled upon by mischievous people. The social media often acts irresponsibly, which can irreparably damage a person’s reputation. 

I would therefore request you to set up a team of legal and technical experts to find out ways and means of checking this menace, including, if the government thinks fit, initiating suitable legislation for this purpose, for filtering out such offensive material. 

Yours sincerely, 

(Markandey Katju)

Now for those who think social media is invincible and cannot be curbed or censored, here is the truth. In case you weren’t aware of it, Intermediary Guidelines are already in place to filter so-called objectionable content hosted on sites like Twitter, YouTube, Facebook and remove such content within 36 hours of a complaint being filed – http://www.newslaundry.com/2012/04/on-the-offensive/.

So all you lovers of the free world that is the internet, you never know, Justice Katju might just get his way.

Image Source [http://www.flickr.com/photos/mjphoto/140793814/]