Censorship

Congress opposes Centre's new IT rules draft, dubs it 'censorship'

The Congress on Thursday opposed the new IT rules draft and accused the Centre of muzzling the Internet and Censoring Online Content

Mass firing at UAE newspaper Al Roeya raises question of censorship

The story about high fuel prices was safe, editors agreed, even under the strict press laws of the United Arab Emirates. Instead, it unleashed a firestorm at Al Roeya newspaper in Dubai. Within days, top editors were interrogated. Within weeks, dozens of employees were fired and the print paper declared dissolved. The newspaper's publisher, Abu Dhabi-based International Media Investments, or IMI, said Al Roeya's closure stems only from its transformation into a new Arabic language business outlet with CNN. However, eight people with direct knowledge of the newspaper's mass firings told The Associated Press that the layoffs came in the immediate aftermath of the article on the UAE's gas prices. Their accounts, given on condition anonymity for fear of reprisals, show the limits of speech in the autocratic nation that tightly controls its domestic media. Self-censorship is rife among journalists at local outlets expected to provide a stream of good news in the UAE, which advertises ..

United Arab Emirates announces end of censorship in cinematic releases

The United Arab Emirates announced on Sunday that it will no longer censor films released in cinemas, the country's latest effort to boost its brand as a liberal hub attractive to foreigners. Instead of cutting sensitive scenes that could offend traditional Islamic sensibilities, the Emirati Media Regulatory Authority will introduce a new 21+ age category for viewers. The movies will be screened in cinemas according to their international version, the authority said in a Twitter post. Censors in the UAE, like elsewhere in the Middle East, have long removed scenes in cinematic releases that show nudity, homosexuality, sex and other content deemed inappropriate sometimes leading to plot holes. Foreigners outnumber locals nearly nine to one in the federation of seven sheikhdoms. The diversity of culture and religion in the tourism-dependent country has at times been at odds with its Islamic laws and traditions. But that's changing as the nation promotes its socially liberal environ

Facebook, Instagram remove over 18.8 mn content pieces in India in Oct

Meta, the newly-formed parent company of Facebook and its family of apps, on Wednesday said that it has removed over 18.8 million pieces of content in October on Facebook and Instagram in India

Peng Shuai fought back, but China will snub any challenge to its authority

Tennis player Peng Shuai had been out of the public eye since Nov. 2. 2021 when she penned a since-deleted social media post accusing former Chinese Vice-Premier Zhang Gaoli of sexual misconduct

Hong Kong arrests newspaper editors for 'foreign conspiracy': Report

5 journos held, $18-mn assets frozen; China warns media outlets, hails move

Regulate big tech but not at the expense of user rights: Mishi Choudhary

The heavy-handed ways in which the government has been behaving in shaping the narrative and curbing dissent make even genuine attempts at regulating big tech suspicious, says Choudhary

'India's online censorship not aligned with US view of freedom of speech'

The White House said India's order to take down tweets critical to Indian govt handling of Covid-19 is not aligned with America's view of freedom of speech around the world

A regulatory trap for storytellers

Since streaming video had no constraints, it offered storytellers phenomenal creative freedom. That is what got in the viewers, got them to subscribe and kept them there

Pak's new internet rules gives wider powers of censorship, draw criticism

The new rules were approved initially by Prime Minister Imran Khan's cabinet in February

This is no Emergency

By looking for an Emergency in our times, we forget to notice that the first Republic inaugurated with the Constitution of India is already over

Best of BS Opinion: Italy locks down, branded generics market, and more

From why analysing state Budgets can be a challenging exercise to how the success of fact-checkers lies in the failure of journalism, here's a selection of Business Standard Opinion pieces for the day

The real face of hate speech

Why banning two Malayalam channels does not help tackle the crisis in news broadcasting

5G tech a tool for freedom, not for suppression and censorship, says Trump

The US has already banned Huawei, the world leader in telecom equipment and the number two smartphone producer, over concerns of security

Majority Indians support partial censorship for online streaming: Survey

However, a majority- 51 per cent do not watch shows or movies on OTT platforms just yet

Achchhe din

While censorship of any sort is anathema to the creative spirit, political correctness has become more and more the norm rather than the exception

India, the PG-13 nation

No adults please, we're proud Indians

Holy *bleep*

'The Argumentative Indian' has come under censor board's scanner & being asked to make few cuts

Ficci frames: Industry raises alarm over censorship

Most prominent was controversy stirred while clearing Udta Punjab where alterations had 80-plus cuts