Govt mulls ban on Orkut | Your Say

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Keywords: Ban, Cyber Cafe

New Delhi: Popular internet networking site Orkut is facing attack by Shiv Sena workers, who went on a rampage seeing disparaging remarks made against Shiv Sena Supremo Bal Thackeray and Marathi icon Shivaji were posted on the site.

The student wing of the Shiv Sena has asked public Internet centres in India to partly block access to Orkut, and is making a software to monitor abusive communities on the popular social networking site operated by Google.

"Orkut is used by many destructive elements to spread canards about India, Hindus, our gods and cultural heritage," Abhijit Phanse, president of Bharatiya Vidyarthi Sena, the student group was quoted by Reuters.

"The software should be ready in 2-3 months," Phanse said, adding that they were hoping to involve Orkut authorities in the discussions.

The Shiv Sena said many Indians use Orkut to bad-mouth religious groups and disturb communal harmony, and also spread misinformation about India. The incident seems to once again raise questions about the thin line between censorship and freedom of expression.

The Sainiks vandalised a cyber cafe in Thane, Mumbai and demanded a ban on Orkut because of the remarks posted on one of its forums, essentially group blogs that allow people to write and post their views on any topic - without censors.

The controversy has assumed a nation wide debate. Is banning a public forum a direct attack on freedom of expression?