Software program Freedom Legislation Heart launches Free Speech Tracker in India

Analysis from Software program Freedom Legislation Heart, India (SFLC.in) has launched a more recent model of the Free Speech Tracker to offer extra cohesive information assortment throughout varied themes together with bans on web sites, films, books, and artwork, alongside content material blocking on social media platforms. 

“In an period characterised by the proliferation of digital media and unprecedented entry to info, the basic proper to free expression is more and more below menace. Reviews recommend that 274 purposes have been banned within the span of two years (from 2020 to 2022), whereas analysis from Software program Freedom Legislation Heart, India (SFLC.in) discovered that over 55,607 web sites have been banned within the nation between 2015 and 2022. In response to those challenges, SFLC, India has developed the Free Speech Tracker (FST) – a complete platform designed to observe and doc situations of free speech violations,” stated a press assertion.

The company stated the initiative seeks to deal with the important want for a centralized repository of knowledge that helps the defence and promotion of free speech.

The tracker aggregates information from various sources, together with information reviews and courtroom paperwork, which bear rigorous verification to make sure accuracy. Researcher, residents and others can even contribute to the initiative and report some other situations to the portal utilizing the reporting mechanism accessible on the web site. 

Highlighting the necessity for the FST, Mishi Choudhary, Founding father of SFLC, India, notes, “The transformative affect of the web and the ever-changing panorama of communication mediums necessitate a re-evaluation of India’s authorized framework regarding free speech. Our Free Speech Tracker goals to stimulate discourse in that path whereas concurrently elevating consciousness of the importance of upholding free speech throughout the nation. For activists, researchers, and policymakers alike, FST gives indispensable instruments for analyzing tendencies, mobilizing assist, and shaping evidence-based insurance policies.” 

Envisioning FST 2.0 as a catalyst for change in defending and selling free speech in India, SFLC, India ensures accessibility to all residents through the creation of a user-friendly interface, permitting people to discover detailed databases of authorized judgments, monitor ongoing courtroom instances, and contribute reviews on free speech violations. This platform not solely serves as a repository of important info but additionally fosters dialogue and consciousness mandatory for legislative reform and coverage advocacy. The Free Speech Tracker builds on SFLC, India’s lengthy standing work on free speech and expression.