Does all these things apply to mails on public fora like Access India also?
On 11/11/11, Ketan Kothari <[email protected]> wrote: > Dear Friends, > > Although I agree with the news item and of course advocate self-restraint, I > firmly believe that if we come across a bad service or bad experience, we > must broadcaste it especially if we have evidence to back it up. > > Unfortunately, in this country, there are no regulators worth their name who > provide any solace to consumers. My experience with mobile providers and > other service providers is horrendous. Also, the nodal officers etc. who > are supposed to take care of grievances perform shockingly. When I was > using Tata Photon as a postpaid customer; I had received mails from 2 > different individuals from nodal office and one did not know or care about > what the other had written. > > Having said this, I do agree that the language used should be polished, > formal and parliamentary. I can bring out bad points of someone or service > without resorting to unparliamentary language. > > Social media is, certainly, like any other tool a double-edged sword. > Please do use it well and I am sure it will help all of us. > > Sorry for this long and slightly off-topic mail. > > Ketan > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Nilesh Bendre" <[email protected]> > To: <[email protected]> > Sent: Friday, November 11, 2011 12:35 PM > Subject: [AI] Social media defamation rules: People have to be careful > aboutwhat they post on social media websites > > >> >> >> Social media defamation rules: People have to be careful about what they >> post on social media websites >> >> >> >> >> >> 11 Nov, 2011, 07.00AM IST, Writankar Mukherjee,ET Bureau >> >> >> >> The power to publish, which was once the preserve of a few, is now >> commonplace: the privilege is accessible to anyone with an internet >> connection who has anything to say. While the powers of publishing may >> have >> been well dispersed, it is not so well understood that everyone is bound >> by >> the same rules and restrains that apply to traditional publishers and >> media >> professionals. >> >> >> >> Social media sites, which have played an important part in empowering the >> ordinary citizen to publish, are no different from newspapers, magazines >> or >> books when it comes to the dangers of defamation. >> >> >> >> This was exemplified a few days ago when Suhel Seth, a marketing >> professional and media personality, was sued by ITC for comments he made >> on >> the microblogging site Twitter. The conglomerate has accused him of >> defamation and asked a Bangalore court to make him pay Rs 200 crore in >> damages. Seth has denied doing any wrong. >> >> >> >> "Social media is unfolding a paradigm shift since everybody is now a >> broadcaster. This increases the risk of defamation for users without them >> even being aware of it," says Pawan Duggal, who practises in the Supreme >> Court and specialises in cyber law. >> >> >> >> "In fact, the damage from social media defamation can be higher since the >> medium is instantaneous, viral and more potent than traditional media." >> >> >> >> In June, a mobile phone user who was Vodafone's customer vented his >> feelings >> about poor service on Facebook and was sued by the telecom provider. It >> backed off when the media was attracted to the story, but the incident >> proved that companies are watching what is said about them on social media >> sites. If amateur publishers are not on firm ground, they could be in >> trouble. >> >> >> >> "People have to be more careful about what they post on such sites as >> these >> are also subject to the same laws of defamation and character >> assassination >> ," says Adi Godrej, chairman of the Godrej group. >> >> >> >> The basic rules of publishing are very simple, but it takes discipline to >> follow them every time: verify facts; don't be offensive to anybody in >> particular ; don't distort. >> >> >> >> Derek O'Brien , a quiz-master and a frequent user of Twitter, feels self >> control is extremely important, and so also is a code of conduct. >> >> >> >> "As much as I am an advocate and user of social networking sites like >> Twitter, instances of 'twit and run' sully the medium . This is not >> acceptable," he says. India has about 120 million internet users and >> Facebook says about a fifth of this number are active users. Twitter >> claims >> that about 4 million people use its service at least once a month. >> >> >> >> Twitter did not reply to emails for this story but Facebook's Debbie Frost >> said the social networking site wants to be a place where people can >> openly >> discuss issues and express views while respecting the rights and feelings >> of >> others. The goal of Facebook's policies, she said, is to "strike a very >> delicate balance between giving people the freedom to express their >> opinions >> and viewpoints-even those that may be controversial to some-and >> maintaining >> a safe and trusted environment." >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> The consequences of defamation damage for users of social media could be >> much more than in traditional media , says Sajan Poovayya, managing >> partner >> at Bangalore-based legal firm Poovayya & Co who specialises in internet >> litigation and has clients such as Google and the Wikimedia Foundation. >> "Defamation in traditional media would make the author, editor and >> publisher >> equally responsible whereas in social media the entire burden is on the >> author," he says. >> >> >> >> Under the Indian Penal Code and the law governing information technology , >> those found guilty of defamation can be asked to pay a fine a serve up to >> three years in jail. Indian law, however , does not have specific >> provisions >> relating to social media. >> >> >> >> With social media users growing in number, companies are setting up >> dedicated teams to track comments on sites such as Facebook and Twitter. >> Such teams also respond to negative customer complaints. If the negative >> comments are extreme, companies often them to their legal teams. >> >> >> >> Advertising professional Piyush Pandey says social media participants need >> to become more aware of the pitfalls of publishing on social media sites. >> "The attitude of tweeting before thinking is what gets one into trouble . >> It >> allows people to be impetuous, which creates the problem. The instant >> nature >> of the medium is such that there need to be some guidelines," says Pandey, >> the executive chairman of Ogilvy & Mather India. >> >> >> >> Some corporates have started drawing up social media guidelines for their >> employees , among them Intel, Microsoft, TCS, Dr Reddy's Lab and IBM. >> Intel's guidelines say that employees must post "meaningful and respectful >> comments - in other words, no spam and no remarks that are off-topic or >> offensive." IBM asks its employees to "Respect your audience. Don't use >> ethnic slurs, personal insults, obscenity, or engage in any conduct that >> would not be acceptable in IBM's workplace." >> >> >> >> The cyber law expert Dugall is of the view that wh ile codes of conduct by >> companies and social media platforms can help, it is users who must show >> responsibility. "A rule can act as a deterrent, but ultimately it cannot >> prevent." >> >> >> >> WATCH OUT >> >> Lack of awareness of defamation laws is no excuse for social media users >> Rules of the game: Verify facts. Don't distort. Don't be offensive Social >> media users will be held to account, not platforms such as Facebook or >> Twiter Companies are scanning social media sites, so any slipup could land >> users in legal trouble Offenders can be fined and sent to jail for up to >> three years. >> >> >> >> Source : >> http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/articleshow/10686349.cms?prtpage=1 >> >> >> >> Regards, >> >> Nilesh >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> Register for AccessIndia convention 2011(November 12-13) at: >> http://www.accessindia.org.in/harish/convention.htm >> >> Search for old postings at: >> http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/ >> >> To unsubscribe send a message to >> [email protected] >> with the subject unsubscribe. >> >> To change your subscription to digest mode or make any other changes, >> please visit the list home page at >> http://accessindia.org.in/mailman/listinfo/accessindia_accessindia.org.in >> > > > Register for AccessIndia convention 2011(November 12-13) at: > http://www.accessindia.org.in/harish/convention.htm > > Search for old postings at: > http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/ > > To unsubscribe send a message to > [email protected] > with the subject unsubscribe. > > To change your subscription to digest mode or make any other changes, please > visit the list home page at > http://accessindia.org.in/mailman/listinfo/accessindia_accessindia.org.in > > -- G. Vamshi PH Res : +91 877-2243861 Mobile: +91 9949349497 E-mail ID: [email protected] Skype: gvamshi81 www.retinaindia.org >From darkness unto light Register for AccessIndia convention 2011(November 12-13) at: http://www.accessindia.org.in/harish/convention.htm Search for old postings at: http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/ To unsubscribe send a message to [email protected] with the subject unsubscribe. To change your subscription to digest mode or make any other changes, please visit the list home page at http://accessindia.org.in/mailman/listinfo/accessindia_accessindia.org.in
