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  • No Google for Australia

    Recently Australian government has proposed to pass a law that would make Google and Facebook to negotiate payments with local publishers and broadcasters for content. The media code further have a clause that if they can’t strike a deal a government appointed arbitrator will decide the price.


    Tech giant google seems unhappy with this law and announced on Friday that it will disable google search in Australia if the government proceeds with this media code as it would force Google and Facebook to pay local media companies for sharing their content. The managing director for Australia and New Zealand, Mel Silva said to a senate commitee that the arbitration model of the code has biased criteria and it presents unmanageable financial and operational risks for Google. If this law comes into force we have no other option but to stop the availability of Google Search in Australia.


    Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison said “We don’t respond to threat” when asked about Google’s warning. Peter Lewis, director of Australia Institute’s center for responsible Technology, has said “Google’s testimony is a part of a pattern of threatening behavior that is chilling for anyone who values our democracy“.

    Government of United States of America also asked Australia to scrap this law.

  • Not only Whatsapp all applications do the same: says Delhi HC

    Move to other app if you are concerned with privacy says Delhi HC

    Recently a petitoner filed a plea that Whatsapp and Facebook analyse behaviour of the users from the data that is collected. The petition seeking an injunction order against WhatsApp for implementing its new privacy policy claiming that “it is against the fundamental right to privacy guaranteed by the Constitution“.
    The case was listed for hearing before Justice Sanjeev Sachdeva who adjourned the hearing to January 25th saying ” its a voluntary thing. Don’t accept it”.
    Delhi HC further told the petitioner challenging , who is a lawyer by profession, challenging the new privacy policy of WhatsApp that he is free to leave the app and move to another application if he is concerned about privacy.
    In response to his plea Justice Sachdeva said: “Not only WhatsApp, all applications do that.. Do you use Google maps? Do you know it captures and shares your data?“
    In its submission against this plea stating “it virtually gives a 360 degree profile into a person’s online activity”, Facebook(company that owns WharsApp) said: ” there’s a hullabaloo about nothing. WhatsApp has constantly said the messages are encrypted and even WhatsApp can’t read it. We have only made change with regard to Business WhatsApp“.

  • Uganda bans social media

    Just two days ahead of presidential elections Uganda government banned social media and messaging apps on Tuesday. The government had made it clear to the executives of the telecom companies that this ban is in retaliation to Facebook which had blocked some pro government accounts.

    In today’s era social media plays a very crucial role during elections as we have witnessed in case of India and the US. The International Press Institute, a global watchdog, said in a statement that Any efforts to block online access to journalists or members of the public are unacceptable breaches of the right to information.

    On Monday, Facebook had shut down several accounts linked to the country’s Ministry of Information, citing reason that it was orchestrating numerous fake and duplicate accounts to promote the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) party and the President Yoweri Museveni, one of Africa’s longest serving leaders.

    The opposition frontrunner Bobi Wine, a popular singer about half the age of President Yoweri Museveni, has been using Facebook to relay live coverage of his campaigns and conferences. He accused that since most radio and TV stations are owned by government and Uganda’s leading daily is also state run many media outlets had declined to host him. Is is noteworthy that Bobi Wine had tweeted on Tuesday “The army has this morning raided my home, arrested all my security guards and anyone they could see around my premises”.