Story 008 | The Tiny Click and the Grumpy Police

 

In India, the government passed a law saying you could be put in jail for three years for sending a message on your phone that was “annoying” or “grossly offensive”. Two girls were actually arrested just for posting something on the internet! A brave lady named Shreya argued that the word “annoying” is too vague – one person might find a joke funny, while another finds it annoying. The judges agreed that if the rules are too blurry, people will be too scared to speak at all. They struck down the law so that the “marketplace of ideas” could stay open. How would you feel if the police took your phone because you were being a bit “annoying”?