Checkmating Digital India

IN Media Watch Briefs | 30/09/2015

September was a useful month for a reality check on the euphoria over Digital India. When the month began a mobile internet ban was continuing in Gujarat, and was lifted on Sept. 2 but not for Ahmedabad and Surat. Sept. 3 saw an internet and sms ban being imposed in Manipur, followed by a Sept 24 ban on internet services in J and K which lasted 4 days. Followed by a Sept. 28 ban on mobile internet services in Godhra. These bans were to contain demands for OBC status, trouble that may arise out of a beef ban, Whats App messages derogatory to Islam, and tribal protests in Manipur. Real India checkmates Digital India every time!

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Media Watch Briefs

Amazon resisting voluntary censorship

The new term for self censorship is voluntary censorship, as proposed by companies like Netflix and Hotstar. ET reports that streaming video service Amazon Prime is opposing a move by its peers to adopt a voluntary censorship code in anticipation of the Indian government coming up with its own rules. Amazon is resisting because it fears that it may alienate paying subscribers.

Let the games begin

Clearly, the run to the 2019 elections is on. A journalist received a call from someone saying they were from Aajtak channel and were conducting a survey, asking whom she was going to vote for in 2019. On being told that her vote was secret, the caller assumed she wasn't going to vote for 'Modiji'. The caller, a woman, also didn't identify herself. A month or two earlier the same journalist received a call, this time from a man, asking if she was going to vote for the BSP.