By Bunty Mahajan
Jammu: In what may be called more trouble for Twitter, National Commission for protection of Child Rights has in a letter to Director General of Jammu and Kashmir Police sought registration of a case against social networking site’s Managing Director Manish Maheshwari and Policy Manager Shagufta Kamran over a video of a minor child with a gun.
Pointing out that the social networking site was propagating use of children for purposes of terrorist activity which is in violation of the provisions of Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Chidren) Act, 2015, the NCPCR in a letter to Director General of Jammu and Kashmir Police Dilbagh Singh said that the Twitter has also provided a link to a Telegram group to advertise people to join such groups promoting terrorist organizations. It sought initiation of necessary action against Telegram as well so tht such groups promoting terrorist activities operating on Telegram can be identified.
In its letter, NCPCR Chairperson Priyank Kanoongo said that it has received a complaint informing about a post and a video posted on Twitter under the Twitter handle @AGH HISTOrY wherein a child has been shown to use a gun and is firing in the air. It has been seen that there are 4-5 men who are looking at the child and encouraging and appreciating him to use the gun, it added.
Pointing out that in view of the prima facie violation of Child Rights made out in the video, the Commission said that it deems it appropriate to take cognizance in the matter under section 13(1) (i) of the Commission for Protection of Chi;d Rights Act, 2005. It requested the DGP to use his good offices to investigate the allegations made in the complaint and identify the origin of the video (region and the country where it has been made) and inform it about the same.
Only Tuesday last, the Delhi Police following complaint by NCPCR had registered an FIR against Twitter for allegedly allowing access to child pornography on the microblogging platform. A Twitter spokesperson had responded to the FIR saying that the platform has “zero tolerance policy for child sexual exploitation (CSE)” and that the company uses a “proactive approach to combating sexual exploitation of minors on our service.”
On June 29, Uttar Pradesh Police had registered an FIR against Twitter India Managing Director Manish Maheshwari and his colleague for allegedly showing a distorted map of India on their website.
The copy of the letter is as follows
