India asks Facebook, Google to remove offensive web content

New Delhi, Dec 6 (ANI): Alarmed over the offensive and objectionable content available on websites, India has asked operators of social media networks, including Facebook and Google, to screen user content and remove any offensive material.

Communications and Information Technology Minister Kapil Sibal, however, denied that the move was a form of censorship.

"In times to come, this kind of material, we do not want to interfere in the freedom of the press, but this kind of material should not be allowed and should be disabled as and when it's brought to our notice and it is brought to their notice," he told mediapersons here today.

Sibal had met executives working with Facebook, Google, Yahoo and Microsoft on Monday and asked them to implement a monitoring mechanism, but no solution was reached.

He said he had asked the companies in September to remove images and statements offensive to religious groups, but the companies had rebuffed his requests.

"This is a matter of great concern to us. We have to take care of the sensibilities of our people. We have to protect their sensibilities, our cultural ethos is very important to us and we will not allow the religious sentiments of large sections of the community to be hurt in this fashion and we will not allow intermediaries to say that we throw up our hands, we can't do anything about it," he said.

Sibal further said the Central Government would not allow objectionable content to remain on such platforms without taking appropriate action.

"We will evolve guidelines, we will certainly evolve guidelines to ensure that such blasphemous material is not part of content of any platform. This will not be allowed on television, it should not be allowed on television, it should not be allowed in the print media and it should not be allowed on these platforms," he added.

Facebook has said it recognised the government's wish to minimise the amount of offensive content on the web. The California-based company said it removes content that violates company rules on nudity and inciting violence and hatred. (ANI)