Letters to The EDITOR: When digital public square is fenced off

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When digital public square is fenced off

When a democratic republic begins to police the public square through opaque algorithms, freedom of expression risks becoming a casualty of convenience. The reported intervention by Meta, restricting thousands of social media posts in India, therefore deserves closer scrutiny. Social media has become the modern agora where citizens air grievances, scrutinise authority and hold institutions accountable. Yet arbitrary content suppression can muzzle dissent, throttle legitimate debate and create a chilling effect. The gravest concern is that the criteria may remain nebulous, inconsistent and impervious to scrutiny in the public sphere. In a democracy, such opacity poses a significant risk. At the same time, no one can turn a blind eye to hate speech, incitement, misinformation or content that imperils public order. However, combating digital toxicity cannot mean throwing the baby out with the bathwater. Platforms must strike a judicious equilibrium between safety and liberty while ensuring that users are informed of restrictions and given meaningful avenues of appeal.The government must also refrain from using regulatory powers to silence inconvenient voices. To prevent arbitrary censorship, we should implement independent oversight, transparent protocols, periodic audits, and due-process safeguards. Freedom of expression is not a decorative appendage of democracy; it is its beating heart. If we allow the digital public square to be quietly fenced off, we may wake up one day to discover that our loudest liberty has gone silent.

Dipen Gogoi,

Teok, Jorhat

Concern over drug trafficking

The smuggling of opium-based narcotics into India's Northeast has become an old cliche, with so much said about it so far. News of an increasing trend continues to hog headlines for years, but the scourge refuses to abate. Recently, in a major crackdown, the city police busted a drug trafficking racket in the heart of Guwahati and seized 47.38 kg of Ganja. The bust adds to a series of ongoing operations by the police, targetting drug trafficking networks across the city. Preliminary investigation revealed that the consignment had been routed through neighbouring NE States, especially Manipur. The CM's intervention on the operation must be appreciated, as it proved the state government's firm and committed stance against the narcotics supply network, which is really praiseworthy. The cross-border nature of the narcotic trade that has its origin in the notorious Golden Triangle of Myanmar has made it very difficult for the government here to annihilate the menace. The presence of a thriving market in Northeast India has also perpetuated the illegal trade. The developments have highlighted the lack of effective border vigilance in NE's bordering states like Manipur, Mizoram, and Nagaland, leading to the large-scale entry of drugs from Myanmar into these states. While the Government of India is taking up the matter of cross-border drug movement with its Myanmar counterpart, the state's enforcement agencies need to act tough so that drug traffickers across the state, particularly in the capital city, can be brought under control and put behind bars. Let's unite and actively participate in the ongoing anti-drug awareness movement throughout the state to protect the lives of young people from the dangers of drug abuse. A drug addict is not only a burden to the family but also a curse on the society.

Iqbal Saikia,

Guwahati

Washed out

Ultimately, the Monsoon Session of the parliament has come to an end on August 13, practically without doing any business. A staggering amount of Rs.145 crores went down the drain due to frequent adjournment of the Lower House, and an amount of Rs.115 crore was wasted due to frequent adjournment of the Upper House by the slogan-shouting unruly opposition led by the Congress in particular. The total amount of Rs. 260 crores that went down the drain belongs to the taxpayers of the nation.

Through this esteemed daily of the nation, I urge all tax-paying citizens to take decisive action to ensure the stability of our democracy. Else, the writings are very much on the wall. JAI HIND.

Dr. Ashim Chowdhury,

Guwahati