New Delhi (dpa) – The Delhi High Court on Monday dismissed a criminal case against Microsoft India in which it was accused of hosting what was deemed objectionable content on its website, media reported. Microsoft was one of 21 websites – including Yahoo, YouTube and Facebook – accused of hosting images that could offend religious sentiment. Judge Suresh Kait accepted Microsoft India's argument that no defamatory material had been posted on its websites, and that it was neither a social networking site nor a search engine, the IANS news agency reported. The company contended that it was not providing a platform for people to interact with each other and post or publish their views, but one that engaged in the development and sale of software and computing solutions, IANS reported. The decision came after Microsoft India approached the high court, challenging a lower court's order initiating criminal proceedings against it for hosting “obscene and derogatory content.” In January, the Delhi High Court threatened to block sites that failed to remove offensive content. Last month, Facebook and Google said they had complied with court directives and removed what the court defined as “objectionable material.” The content row began in December when federal Communications and Information Technology Minister Kapil Sibal asked the websites to remove offensive material. The move prompted sharp criticism from some Indians who complained of censorship. Subsequently, cases were filed in trial courts by individuals who said some images posted online defamed Hindu gods, the Prophet Mohammed and other religious figures. During court hearings, several of the companies said screening and removing material was not feasible because of the massive content posted daily. India has 100 million internet users, the third-largest number after China and the United States. BM ShortURL: http://goo.gl/cEZGw Tags: Case, India, Microsoft, Religion Section: Latest News, South Asia
