NEW DELHI: Social media posts related to Covid-19 information and resources cannot be taken down under the Disaster Management Act, according to legal and digital rights experts. They were reacting to a controversy caused by a viral online message claiming that Delhi Police would take “action” against people for sharing such material, reports Anam Ajmal.
TOI has screenshots of such a “warning” received by volunteers on instant messaging apps. However, Delhi Police have denied issuing any such directive. “We take strong objection to such motivated and unsubstantiated allegations… and hope the media will not lend any credence to such rumours,” they said in a statement shared by PRO Chinmoy Biswal. The statement added that the propaganda was being spread by some “vested groups that thrive on misinformation.”
Advocacy group Internet Freedom Foundation shared a screenshot of a message on Sunday that claimed the government had invoked the DM Act. IFF, however, called the message fake. Software Freedom Law Center (SFLC) legal director Prasanth Sugathan had said the message about taking action against accounts has caused panic among volunteers.
TOI has screenshots of such a “warning” received by volunteers on instant messaging apps. However, Delhi Police have denied issuing any such directive. “We take strong objection to such motivated and unsubstantiated allegations… and hope the media will not lend any credence to such rumours,” they said in a statement shared by PRO Chinmoy Biswal. The statement added that the propaganda was being spread by some “vested groups that thrive on misinformation.”
Advocacy group Internet Freedom Foundation shared a screenshot of a message on Sunday that claimed the government had invoked the DM Act. IFF, however, called the message fake. Software Freedom Law Center (SFLC) legal director Prasanth Sugathan had said the message about taking action against accounts has caused panic among volunteers.