IT minister writes to Zuckerberg, accuses FB India team of political bias

Ravi Shankar Prasad alleges Facebook India team ‘impinged’ on beliefs of Indians

Union IT Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad on Tuesday wrote a letter to Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg raising “serious concerns” regarding the social media platform becoming a tool to create social disturbances in the country.

The letter comes in the wake of allegations against Facebook that it is biased towards the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). In the letter, Prasad accused the California-headquartered company of deleting Facebook pages that supported right-of-centre ideology in the run-up to the 2019 elections and not offering right of appeal against such action. Prasad said that top management in Facebook India team, from managing director to other senior officials, was dominated by people having a particular political ideology referring to media reports. The political biases of these individuals, according to Prasad, “impinged” on the freedom of speech of millions of people.

“The spate of recent anonymous, source-based reports is nothing but an internal power struggle within your company for an ideological hegemony,” Prasad wrote in the letter. “No other logic can explain how facts are being spun by the selective leaks from within your company to portray an alternate reality.” Referring to recent instances in which the social media platform was used to incite violence, Prasad accused Facebook of inaction. The IT minister said that the social media site was used by “anarchic and radical elements” whose sole aim was to destroy social order by recruiting and assembling people for violence.

Rs 3 trn to act as booster, to help 450,000 MSMEs, says Ravi Shankar Prasad

More important in the contract for the government of India supply upto 200 crore, MSME will also be allowed to compete, said Prasad.

Union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad on Wednesday said that the government’s announcement of Rs 3 trillion will act as a strong booster for the micro, small and medium sector industries and it will directly impact nearly 45 lakh MSMEs. “Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has outlined the first series of follow-up action as the Prime Minister indicated. What is important is 3 trillion of strong booster for MSME industries. This is going to directly impact nearly 45 lakh MSMEs saving their jobs, their business opportunity, making them more competitive,” said Prasad, news agency ANI reported.

ALSO READ: Without more stimulus, India’s GDP may contract 9% in FY21: Pronab Sen

“More important in the contract for the government of India supply upto 200 crore, MSME will also be allowed to compete. Also good liquidity for non-banking financial sector, partial credit scheme, and the govt standing as a guarantee for MSME loans by the bank plus other tax incentives to the construction, other sectors. The first series is a wholesome package to the fulfillment of PM’s promise and surely lot of others are to follow,” the Union Minister said.”Corona is a pandemic but we are also to sure that India rises. And that’s what the initiative is about. I am sure there is great optimism hope and also a commitment to go forward,” he said.

Priyanka Gandhi attacks govt over transfer of Delhi HC judge Muralidhar

Delhi HC Judge S Muralidhar was transferred to the Punjab and Haryana High Court, days after the Supreme Court collegium made the recommendation

Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Thursday attacked the government over the transfer of Delhi High Court Judge S Muralidhar, saying the Centre’s attempts to “muzzle” justice and “break people’s faith in an upright judiciary are deplorable”.

Delhi HC Judge S Muralidhar was transferred to the Punjab and Haryana High Court, days after the Supreme Court collegium made the recommendation. The judge was hearing the Delhi violence case and the late evening notification came on the day when a bench headed by him expressed “anguish” over the Delhi Police’s failure to register FIRs against alleged hate speeches by three BJP leaders. “The midnight transfer of Justice Muralidhar isn’t shocking given the current dispensation, but it is certainly sad & shameful,” Priyanka Gandhi tweeted. “Millions of Indians have faith in a resilient & upright judiciary, the government’s attempts to muzzle justice & break their faith are deplorable,” she said.

WhatsApp spying row: We’ve sent notice to Israel’s Pegasus, says Prasad

Govt has asked for an audit of WhatsApp security and systems, according to IT minister

The government has issued notice to the Israeli firm accused of misusing WhatsApp for snooping on Indian citizens, Ravi Shankar Prasad, minister of electronics and information technology, told the Rajya Sabha on Thursday. Also, the Computer Emergency Response Team of India (CERT-In) has asked for an audit of WhatsApp security and systems, Prasad said.

Responding to the Opposition’s questions on whether the government bought spying software called Pegasus from Israel-based NSO Group, which claims to sell only to governments, the minister did not give a straight answer and said “we have sent a notice to NSO also”.

He was replying to a special mention by Congress Member of Parliament Digvijaya Singh on the use of the spyware against some Indians. WhatsApp said on October 29 it was filing a federal complaint in the US against NSO Group for a cyberattack that exploited a vulnerability in the app’s video calling feature. That could compromise the target person’s device. Of the 1,400 people affected globally, 121 were Indians.

The CERT-In is the national nodal agency for responding to computer security cases as and when they occur, and is the one that has to be informed in the case of a cyber breach. CERT-In sought information, including a need to conduct an audit and inspection of the WhatsApp security system and processes, from the messaging app on November 9. WhatsApp responded on November 18, and additional details were sought on November 26, the minister added…

More than 1,600 URLs blocked in India over last 18 months to curb fake news

Facebook blocked the most (956 or 58%) of URLs, under section 69A of the Information Technology (IT) Act, 2000, followed by Twitter (25%) and YouTube (9%)

As many as 1,662 uniform resource locators (URLs) or posts on social media were blocked over 18 months ending June 2018, Ravi Shankar Prasad, minister for electronics and information technology, told the Rajya Sabha (Parliament’s upper house) on August 3, 2018, as part of an explanation on combating fake news.

“Recently, it has come to the attention of the government of India that a number of disturbing instances causing loss of innocent lives have taken place in various parts of the country,” RS Prasad said in his reply on the issue of misuse of social media and fake news. “These are deeply painful and regrettable, as well as a matter of deep concern for the government.”

Fake news

Facebook blocked the most (956 or 58 per cent) of URLs, under section 69A of the Information Technology (IT) Act, 2000, followed by Twitter (25 per cent) and YouTube (9 per cent).

Section 69A of the IT Act, 2000 says websites/pages can be blocked in “defence of India”, its sovereignty, security and integrity, foreign relations, public order and to prevent “incitement to the commission of any cognizable offence relating to above”, Prasad said.

Article source : BS

Soon, your driver's licence to be linked with Aadhaar

He also said that digital governance is honest, transparent and efficient governance

 

In another move to make India digital, Union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad on Friday asserted that the Government is planning to link the driving licence with the Aadhar card.

Addressing the gathering at the Digital Haryana Summit 2017, Ravi Shankar Prasad said that the Aadhar is a digital, not a physical identity and a digital identity confirms the physical identity.

"We are planning to link the Driving Licence with the Aadhar. I have had a word with Nitin Gadkari regarding this," he said.

He also said that the decision to link the PAN card with the Aadhar was taken to stop money laundering.

Promoting the concept of digital governance, Ravi Shankar Prasad said that the digital governance is 'good governance' and that it ensures fast delivery as well as the welfare of the poor people.

"Digital governance is honest, transparent and efficient governance," Ravi Shankar Prasad said.

"Digital India must lead to digital intrusion; it must lead to a digital society," he added, while appreciating the Indian IT industry.

He further said that the technology must be made available at affordable costs for people.