TIL Desk/Business/New Delhi/ The government is exploring the possibility of blocking mobile applications such as Facebook, WhatsApp, Instagram and Telegram. It is doing so as it looks to check abuse of these social media and messaging platforms in spreading fake news, which in many cases is leading to mob lynching.
The government is also trying to curb child abuse and pornography and such platforms act as catalysts in these cases. Various options are being weighed as to how these apps can be blocked on the Internet.
The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) had written to telecommunications service providers (TSPs) and internet service providers (ISPs) on July 18, seeking inputs about options for blocking mobile applications.
According to officials who are aware of the matter, the DoT took a meeting on July 4 with telcos and ISPs to discuss measures that should be taken to curb child abuse, pornography and fake news on internet.
As some stakeholders raised the issue that instances of pornography, etc spread fast on mobile platforms like WhatsApp as compared to the internet, it was decided to rein in these platforms.
