Google, Facebook: Impossible to pre-screen the content

Google and Facebook mentioned to the Delhi court that they are not able to filter the content that are posted on their sites as they cannot stop the users from posting on their profiles. They also expressed that the social networking websites are the platform for the users to speak and express freely.

The advocate who represented Google, Neeraj Kishan said that it is easy for others to ask us to use filters but the practical implementation is quite difficult. If we have to block the word sex then the data containing the word in ration cards, passports and other important documents also get blocked. It is very difficult to analyze the context and then block or allow the word.

Both these companies are among the 21 of them whose executives are summoned to appear for the trail court on March 13^th 2012 as they are accused for hosting objectionable and obscene content.

Google claims that it is a search engine and the ownership of the offending material belongs to the website and not Google.

The Delhi court summoned about 21 companies in December 2011 as they were found hosting obscene depictions of Hindu deities, Jesus Christ and Prophet Mohammed thereby affecting the religious believes of the people.

Read out article on Indian courts summon Internet firms.