Southern States - Tamil Nadu   

Need to regulate content on Internet stressed

By Our Special Correspondent

CHENNAI Aug 1. The need for regulating content on the Internet and ensuring security for systems were among the issues discussed at a national seminar on regulating cyberspace here today.

``If you do not regulate, it could turn out to be a danger to the society and the country as a whole,'' the Union Information Technology Controller, K.N.Gupta, said.

``Given the fact that the Internet is global, the law should have the same reach,'' Mr. Gupta said delivering the keynote address at the two-day national seminar on `Regulating cyberspace: implications for new media professionals,' organised by the Asian Media Information and Communication Centre and the Research Institute for Newspaper Development. Explaining the steps being taken in the country, Mr. Gupta said the IT Act put documents on the Net on a par with paper documents and digital signature on a par with signature on paper. Safety measures were incorporated into the system to ensure that if a document was changed after affixing the digital signature, then the system would not accept it. ``As time passes, and as the system matures, more provisions will be added. At the moment, e-governance was a ``one-way traffic.'' ``Effective e-governance can only happen when people can respond online,'' Mr.Gupta said and added that a time would soon come when Governments would be left with no alternative to e- governance. The IIT-Madras Electrical Engineering Head, Ashok Jhunjhunwala, pointed out that the Internet was not merely a means of communication; it was also power. Hence, models should be evolved to connect the 650 million people living in the villages. His group, n-Logue, which set up a public-private partnership, was working in close coordination with Governments and agencies in this process.

In his presidential address, the Joint Managing Director of The Hindu, N.Murali, said though it was still not clear whether business on the Internet was viable or not, presence on the Net had become imperative.

Copyright, invasion of privacy, licensing content were all issues that must be looked at from the regulatory point of view.

The RIND director, V.Murali, AMIC-INDIA Country Manager, Suresh Mangaladurai, highlighted the need to put in place a regulatory framework to ensure that the Net was used for the development of the society.

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Southern States

News: Front Page | National | Southern States | Other States | International | Opinion | Business | Sport | Miscellaneous |
Advts: Classifieds | Employment | Obituary |

Stories in this Section

• No change in stance: Jayalalithaa
• Web-based training for policewomen soon
• Dry Cauvery disappoints elephants too
• No violation of oath of office, says MDMK Minister
• Need to regulate content on Internet stressed
• Drought threatens to hit ST collection too
• Rich haul of IMFL
• IT project for social development to be extended
• Case registered against Tamaraikani
• Don't collect revised power tariff: HC tells Govt.
• I-T investigation director shifted
• 'Stop Karnataka from making Billigundu claim'
• 'Revise credit limit to lift handloom stocks'

Copyright © 2002, The Hindu. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu