Hello everyone. This is the second part of my interview with Anonymous India - #OpIndia. In this part, I continue with questions about Government and its policies, why they think the Government want control over the Internet and how the Government's policies would affect you and the internet.
Part 1 of the interview is here.
Part 3 of the interview is here.
The Interview with Anonymous India - Part 2.
Do you think the Indian Government wants to curb piracy? Government has not been involved in blocking the file sharing sites at least. It was a production company who got the orders.
Anon 1 : We do not support piracy but what we know is government’s concern is not piracy, it is control over the web.
Do you think Indian ISPs have acted amaturely by blocking the whole websites? Aren't they lazy to find particular links and block them?
Anon 1 : It is just as we told. You know what, youtube is hosting sex scandal videos of MPs it can be easily taken down, but not if torrent is used. This is the actual agenda behind all this. Corporations support government, and it supports back. No one cares about the people. But they forget that they are just the 1% and cant control the 99% once they are awake.
Anon 4 : A lot has been shared on facebook and twitter about the top politicians, which never comes to mainstream media. Kapil Sibal showed the *same* thing to Internet company's executives. And asked "How can you have such things" !
Anon 1 : In a democratic governments all decisions and all talks are to be videotaped and released to public then and there
Anon 4 : Democracy works well only when the public is well aware and not ignorant. Controlling messages, news, truth will kill democracy. Democracy dies when news channels become propaganda channels. And there is no passage for the truth. Which right now is Internet.
The Indian Government is more involved in blocking websites that hurts peoples' "sentiments". They want to bring down every voice that is against their wishes. How would you define this?
Anon 1 : Childish. As i told, information is like - take what you want ignore the rest. System dont expect to make it be only what you like.
Anon 4 : Like they slapped Rs 100 Crore fine on Times Group?
Anon 4 : One thing, things that are not genuine and (are) fake, can't survive on social media. Social Media is the fastest self correcting medium. And second, all websites have self correcting mechanism where you can remove a certain content which hurts sentiments
Anon 1 : See can i ask. Lets say I hear a content ABC is hurtful to me, so I spend 10 mins downloading ABC, then watching it, and getting hurt? Then i need to be thrown in an asylum very soon. if you dont like it keep away from it.
Anon 4 : Funny thing is, not a single porn site has been banned yet.
Do you think the Government have any right to pull down someone from the internet because they think the content is "inappropriate" in one or other way for its citizens?
Anon 1 : NO they dont. Because government may think it is bad, but the people may not. People can take that decision online. They can press a button and that content (is gone) for ever from their eyesight. Sites have intelligent systems to keep what you dont like away.
Governments don't own the Internet. The why do you think, they are acting as if they did? Why they want control over the Internet?
Anon 4 : Let us get it straight. Government doesn't want to control the internet. Certain individuals in government want to control Internet. For their own purpose. Along with rich corporate people.
Me : By certain individuals you mean?
Anon 4 : Certain individuals who want to keep power and money in their control.
Anon 1 : It is like having the future mass media under their control, The parties can use it as they like to preach what they want. Without internet people will believe what the other media tell them, which are under gov control.
Anon 4 : Again, it is like hacking human brain. Brain wash it, using your own propaganda. Don't let the truth come to it. I will give you an example. how it can hurt India badly. You know a CAG report came in 2011, it told that Indian defences are too weak. Government controlled this news, people hardly came to know about it. People always thought they were secure. Later it was found that Indian defences are in a real poor shape. Now, this was a news, which should have been on front page for days. Isn't this anti-national? Isn't this treason ?
Anon 1 : Gov want to keep people ignorant. Here is a question, Law to protect copyright and help censor internet is made in days and passed with full support of every party. Things like poverty removal, infrastructure development etc never see and end from the red tape. Why is that so? Because the other laws wont help them get more power or make more money.
Related - Part 1 of this interview is here.
Related - Part 3 of the interview is here.
While out interview is going on, Anon 5 joins us again.
Anon 5 : Still interview is going on :o lulzz
I invite Anon 5 to the interview too.
Me : It would be good if you join in too.
Anon 5 : Go on man.. I am just too bored now.
Anon 5 seems like leaving and we continue.
Anon 4 : You can understand how people in power are scared of free information. Do you know the number of RTI activists murdered? Do you know the number of whistleblowers murdered?
Me : Not the exact no but a lot.
Anon 4 : Doesn't that scare you? These people are 'that' petrified by free information.
Me : of course it does, and that’s why no one will stand up for truth.
Anon 1 : This control will also will help remove threats like Wikileaks to the corrupt guys. The worst case is that it was proven that every perty and every politician was corrupt, and yet people expect them to make laws that will prevent corruption. Is that not a rubbish idea?
Anon 4 : Right now the penetration of internet is like 6% in India. Still, we have had episodes like Abhishek Singhvi, Patil's home etc. Imagine, what would be the case when penetration is 50%. People in power would lose control. So they want to control Internet NOW
Even USA, UK, Canada and other countries want to fight piracy and there has been attempts to create laws like SOPA, ACTA, and CISPA. But these countries never block someone's personal blog, where he may be putting his own views which may not match with the Government's. Then why Indian Govt is after it?
Anon 1 : Yes, that is what shocked us the most. They only hit big media groups, not individuals. The truth is Indian gov thinks, Indian people are IDIOTS. But time to change that and what is why we are acting the people to wake up.
Anon 4 : They know that biggies won't touch them. But small people would.
Do you think Indian Government is feeling insecure?
Anon 1 : Yes, so is many other governments. In reality governments dont have to fear. Because governments would be with the people. It is the ruling elite class that has to fear. It is the corporations and their slave politicians who have thing to lose and too bad they will too.
Anon 4 : Internet is going to change power flows.
The Indian media is not giving the censorship issue (much needed) proper attention. What do you do to get more and more people know about it?
Anon 1 : If they had fought the way we are doing when they were being censored, India would be a world power today and will be the best and the most loved nation for its good people. The world loves India, we all do. But it is this cancer within India that had been killing it. Time to rise up India.
Okay this is the end of Part 2. If you like this interview, please take a minute to share it. Also post comments if you like/dislike this interview.
Okay this is the end of Part 2. If you like this interview, please take a minute to share it. Also post comments if you like/dislike this interview.
Part 1 of the interview is here.
Part 3 of the interview is here.
