Vigilantes For Internet Censorship

from the well,-there's-always-that... dept

Mon, Jun 11th 2007 9:07pm — Mike Masnick

There's only so much logic you can use when a mob decides what policies it wants to enforce. According to Slashdot, a group of Indian Nationalists are so unhappy with Google's Orkut social network that they're threatening and vandalizing internet cafes that don't block the site. Of course, that won't stop the groups who are saying disparaging things from gathering online. It won't stop them from thinking the way they do (and, in fact, may reinforce their opinions). It's amazing how quickly people respond to comments they disagree with by trying to block the ability to say them, rather than actually responding and explaining why they're wrong.

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9 Comments

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Jacob Buck, 11 Jun 2007 @ 10:36pm

So basically the article says that vigilantes in India don't want freedom of speech on the internet. Big whoop. The internet cafe owners should get guns to protect their stores. Vigilantes are weak-willed people who use mobs as a way of getting what they want. Shoot a few and they'll all scatter.

Now why don't you bring us some important news mike?
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Johnson Rice, 12 Jun 2007 @ 12:40am

Attention
Hey, at least Orkut is getting some media attention. As social networks go, Orkut is sort of the redheaded stepchild. Maybe Google will remember that it exists now, and actually do some developing for it. I thought when Google bought it that it would stop sucking, no such luck... yet.
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That's Rich, 12 Jun 2007 @ 1:07am

The view from Bombay
Without weighing on the Techdirt newsworthiness of the subject, I have been regularly awed by the ignorance of both these nationalist mobs (usually associated with the Shiv Sena political party) and the political honchos when it comes to the internet. This is not the first time Orkut has come under fire, nor the first time that sections of the Indian public have had to be dragged, kicking and screaming, into the 21st century (the Indian army's crybaby attitude towards Google Earth being another example).
For the Shiv Sena crowd (and there are other groups like them) it is not enough to simply not view groups on Orkut that decry their country, party and political leaders, they instead seek to muzzle anybody from exercising their right to criticize them. And if such a criticism is lodged by the creation of a group, their disingenuous response is to trash local businesses that have nothing to do with Orkut or the 'hate groups'. It boggles the mind.
JB: As much as I might get some twisted satisfaction out of reading stories of armed cafe owners defending their turf against the marauding Sainiks, that would no doubt provoke a disastrous situation for all parties involved. Tensions are high enough when it comes to standoffs of this nature without guns getting brought into the equation.
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mike allen, 12 Jun 2007 @ 1:15am

mob rule never works in the end though i do like the idea of shooting a few. mmm who else could we stop in this way RIAA springs to mind
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Paul`, 12 Jun 2007 @ 1:20am

Re:
Texan?

Just murder a few of them, that'll learn the darkies!
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Mark Bowness, 12 Jun 2007 @ 1:42am

Its great to see some mature and grown-up ways of handling personal dislikes!
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|333173|3|_||3, 12 Jun 2007 @ 9:33am

Re: Re:
Hey, if a mob burst into my hypothetical internet cafe and tried to smash up the place, and I had an assault rifle or machine gun, and enough ammunition, I would start shooting. Sure, the shop will still get trashed, but hopefully the mob will run away. Of course If I had too little ammo, then the sensible solution is to try to escape, and get it repaired under insurance.
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Anonymous Coward, 12 Jun 2007 @ 10:41am

Apparently none of you guys have experienced the transcendent, orgasmic pleasure of pointing a gun at a man who is doing you harm and deserves to die, and making it so with your own hands. Honor still compels you to brandish the weapon for a moment or two, to give them time to think twice and flee, but after that its open season.
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Charles Griswold, 12 Jun 2007 @ 11:12am

Re: Re: Re:
Hey, if a mob burst into my hypothetical internet cafe and tried to smash up the place, and I had an assault rifle or machine gun, and enough ammunition, I would start shooting.
Nah, not me. Against one or two assailants guns are fine, but against a mob nothing works like popping an OC* grenade and ducking out the back. Sure, cleanup is a pain, but like you said they're gonna trash the place anyway.

*oleoresin capsicum; pepper gas
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