This section doesn’t protect you from being sued if third-party content violates any of the laws above.Yes, trolling is illegal in India. Section 66A of the Information Technology Act, 2000 makes it a criminal offence to send offensive messages through a computer or any other communication device. The punishment for this offence is imprisonment for a term of up to three years, with a fine.
In addition, the Indian Penal Code (IPC) also criminalises online trolling and other forms of cyber-bullying. Section 503 of the IPC makes it a criminal offence to threaten any person with injury to their reputation or property. Section 509 of the IPC makes it a criminal offence to insult the modesty of a woman by making obscene remarks or gestures.
Meaning of Troll
Troll is an internet slang term used to describe someone who purposely starts arguments or posts inflammatory, offensive, or off-topic messages in an online community, such as an online discussion forum or chat room, with the intent of provoking other users into an emotional response or to generally disrupt normal on-topic discussion.
Laws Against Trolling in India:
In India, trolling is an offence under the Information Technology Act, 2000. The following laws have been established to address the issue of trolling:
1. Section 66A of the Information Technology Act, 2000: This section penalizes the sending of any offensive messages through communication services including email, SMS, and other communication services. Such messages may be considered to be grossly offensive, of menacing character, or false and menacing in nature.
2. Section 67 of the Information Technology Act, 2000: This section penalizes the publishing or transmitting of material which is obscene in nature. Such material may include text, images, or sound recordings.
3. Section 69A of the Information Technology Act, 2000: This section authorizes the Government to block public access to any website or online content that is deemed to be in contravention of any of the laws mentioned above.
4. Section 79 of the Information Technology Act, 2000: This section provides legal protection to intermediaries such as social media platforms, search engines, and ISPs from liability for content posted by their users. This section doesn’t protect you from being sued if third-party content violates any of the laws above.
These laws are used to ensure that trolling is effectively curbed and individuals are not able to post or transmit content that is offensive or obscene in nature. The laws
also provide protection to intermediaries from liability for content posted by their users.
Lack of Gender-Neutral Laws against Trolling in India
In India, there is a lack of gender-neutral legislation to protect people from trolling. Currently, the Information Technology Act, 2000 and the Indian Penal Code, 1860 provide protection from cyber-crimes, including trolling. However, the current legislation is not gender-neutral and does not protect women from online abuse, harassment and trolling.
India has seen a rise in online trolling of women in recent years, and many women have been victims of online harassment and abuse. Despite this, there is a lack of effective legal and policy measures to protect women from such trolling and abuse. Women are often reluctant to come forward and report such incidents due to fear of further backlash and lack of trust in the legal system.
To address this issue, there is a need for stronger gender-neutral legislation to protect people from trolling. This law should protect people from online abuse and harassment, make victims heard, and hold offenders accountable. Additionally, there should be better awareness and education on the issue, as well as better law enforcement and improved access to justice for victims.
Legal Disclaimer: The information contained in this blog post is for general information and educational purposes only. Nothing contained in this blog post should be construed as legal advice from The Aran Law Firm or the individual author, nor is it intended to be a substitute for legal counsel on any subject matter.