Microsoft and many other major Internet companies could have some of their sites blocked in India. ZDNet reports that Delhi’s High Court warned Microsoft as well as Facebook, Yahoo, Google and others that they risked having their sites blocked if they did not check and censor their content. On Friday, the Indian government sanctioned the actions of Delhi"s High Court.
This effort started in 2011 when a journalist in India named Vinay Rai filed a private complaint against 21 companies, including those listed above, claiming that the companies offered objectionable content on some of their sites via webcasting.
Lawyers for both Google and Facebook told Delhi"s High Court that they have a policy against censoring content, even if it is found to be obscene and objectionable. However, Justice Suresh Kait then said that the country could take action on those sites themselves, saying, “Like China, we too can block such websites."
Lawyers for Microsoft and the other foreign companies listed in the complaint have asked for an exception to the Delhi court"s decision because their case is still in the process of being heard in India"s High Court. The court has apparently agreed but there will be a new hearing on this mater on March 13.