An article written for an Indian newspaper webpage called http://www.livemint.com, talks about the right that the government in India has for regulating content on the internet and a person’s right to free speech. This debate comes from al aw that some people want to pass on India, which punishes people who send offensive messages through a communication service. Meanwhile some people believe that passing such a law goes against the freedom of speech that the law offers.
One side of the argument suggests that “free speech is not inconsistent with restrictions (on it)”. Suggesting that there is “no cap on speaking”, but that one had to be careful not to offend anyone while expressing a statement on any platform “accessible by a large number of people”. He continued by saying that “free speech never meant that you can say whatever you want”, adding that “self-imposed limits” should be placed by individuals. The other side says that the law that they want to pass has no “standard by which an offense could be judged” and could be considered “unreasonable”. It continued by saying that the law “was vague and overly broad” as it did not have any standards for what could be considered “grossly offensive”, and that since it was so vague, that would render the law unconstitutional.
My point of view on this topic is a little bit complicated.While it is true that the government can regulate many things on the internet, such as violence or gore, I don’t agree on the fact that they should forbid people from sending offensive messages through communication services. I am a firm believer that one should be able to say whatever they think. It may be offensive, but if I don’t agree with that, I don’t believe that it can affect me at all. Maybe I would feel upset or offended, but with freedom of speech, its impossible for everyone to agree with everything you are saying. There will always be different points of view because all people are different. What might be offensive to some people, might not be offensive to me and vice versa. For example, if someone insults me or posts something offensive against me, I would of course be mad and wouldn’t agree, but that’s freedom of speech. Without that freedom it would feel as a dictatorship. The government should only have so much control over a person and I believe making it a crime to post insulting things on the internet is a little too much.
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