These can be exciting times for Chinese short video-sharing apps that have invaded smartphone customers, specifically inside the Tier III and IV towns in India. But the steep upward push inside the recognition of apps like TikTok, Likee, Vigo Video, and others has left the government as well as citizens baffled for one simple reason: An unabated upward thrust in specific, crass and irrelevant films.
To their horror, the titillating videos made on these apps have now located a larger mobile-based totally messaging medium to deprave young minds: Facebook-owned WhatsApp.
WhatsApp with over three hundred million customers in India has grown to be the one-forestall store for the circulation of films displaying scantily-clad girls dancing to vulgar tunes, adult jokes and express “humorous” messages provided with the aid of homely ladies being created within the slim dingy by-lanes of small cities on such Chinese apps.
Although tech firms declare to have clever algorithms and Artificial Intelligence (AI)-based structures at the side of human groups in the region to test objectionable content material, it’s miles fast spreading.
Both WhatsApp and TikTok went silent over queries despatched to them. TikTok directed us to a vintage statement that “we’re devoted to constantly enhancing our protection capabilities as a testimony to our ongoing dedication to our users in India”.
According to Pavan Duggal, the country’s pinnacle cyber law expert and a senior Supreme Court propose, the only way to stop the huge movement of vulgar motion pictures on mobile applications is to deal with the issue of middleman legal responsibility.
“Section 67 of the Information Technology Act, 2000 makes the transmission or booklet or causing to be posted or transmitted in the electronic shape – any facts, that is lascivious or which appeals to the prurient pursuits or the effect of which is have a tendency to deprave or corrupt the minds of folks who are likely to peer, read or hear the problem contained or embodied in it – as an offence,” informed Duggal.
However, it’s miles simplest a bailable offense and does not have any deterrent effect.
“The loss of any powerful prosecution below Section 67 has permitted the human beings to agree with that they are able to flow into vulgar videos with impunity. Hence, the obligation needs to be put on the provider providers that the moment they are notified about any such offensive or vulgar movies on their systems, they are obligation sure to dispose of the identical,” Duggal told IANS.
In Shreya Singhal v/s Union of India case in 2015, Supreme Court struck down section 66A of the Information Technology Act, 2000 which furnished provisions for the arrest of people who posted allegedly offensive content material on the Internet, upholding freedom of expression.
According to Duggal who’s additionally Chairman, International Commission on Cyber Security Law, the restrictions imposed by way of the Supreme Court want to be re-regarded because the service companies are misinterpreting the provisions of the said judgment.
The Madras High Court wishes a ban on TikTok, saying it spoils the future of youths and minds of kids.
On its element, TikTok says it has stopped permitting customers below 13 years to login and create an account on the platform.
“With the assist of system studying algorithms, films can be screened as they are published, with objectionable content material eliminated even earlier than a person reviews it, in a few instances.
“As a testament of our 0-tolerance policy on objectionable content material, to date, we’ve got eliminated over 6 million motion pictures that have violated our Terms of Use and Community Guidelines,” it provides.
However, the price at such wrong films are being generated, the efforts are not enough.
“The government should amend the Indian Information Technology Act, 2000 to particularly making tech businesses responsible for corrupting the minds of young Indians who get swayed with the aid of such specific motion pictures and can devote crimes,” Duggal emphasized.
Failure to comply with norms must entice intense punishment of five to seven years and first-class of Rs. 20-30 lakh for the tech agencies for you to bring in suitable deterrent impact, mentioned the Supreme Court recommends.