In the Secure Middle

This one is neither here nor there—India is placed 14th among 37 countries when it comes to internet freedom, says a recent study.

This one is neither here nor there—India is placed 14th among 37 countries when it comes to internet freedom, says a recent study. The report by Freedom House, a watchdog organisation, assessed countries on the basis of unrestricted access to the web. ‘India has emerged as a leader among countries urging telecommunications companies to reveal their codes or provide other ways for the authorities to intercept their traffic. Indian officials have cited the 2008 Mumbai gunmen’s use of mobile and satellite phones to plan and execute their attacks. Also of concern to New Delhi are Chinese companies’ growing stake in the telecommunications infrastructure market, which raises fears of infiltration or sabotage, given the two countries’ historic rivalry and previous Chinese cyber-espionage efforts,’ the report states. It also says that while  there are not yet blanket restrictions on accessing advanced web applications like YouTube or social networking sites like Facebook; with the range of security threats facing the country, the need and desire of the Indian Government to monitor electronic communication have grown.

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Avantika Bhuyan