Putting the 'e' in hate

The Internet is fecund turf for those wishing to spread the message of hate. But now, with awareness rising, the authorities and concerned netizens are fighting back

"I bet I can find 10,00,000 people who hate George Bush. I hate people who clap their hands when the plane lands. Our education system sucks. I hate my Math teacher. Why it is cool to hate India. I hate my ex." On the Internet, hatred takes on a more sinister avatar, with groups and forums sprouting by the minute, like the multi-headed Hydra.

One can't ignore the fact that the Internet has become an effective hate tool; the anonymity makes it easier for users to vent their frustration, anger and hatred. And everyone is a victim - celebrities, exes, friends, co-workers, parents and bosses.

Take the case of 'Zavial' from Pakistan, who created a hate community against Indian singer, Himesh Reshamiyaan. "I had a serious problem with his nasal singing. And the worst thing was, there was no way I could stop him, as his music is surprisingly popular in Pakistan, too", he says. That's when he decided to create a hate community to find like-minded people. The response, he says, has been amazing with more than 35,000 people joining this hate club. "Most of them are Indians," he says.

Zavial's little group is harmless, and he justifies his actions: "I can't go and tell him to his face that I want him to stop singing, can I?" he asks.

The Internet is seen by many to be the final bastion of free speech. But 'freedom' is a tricky term, and often comes with its own set of rules and regulations. Under Article 153A of our Constitution, a person can be booked if he causes disharmony and disaffection on the basis of caste, religion, creed, language, religion and place of birth, through words spoken or written, or through actions, signs or visible representation.

But the Net has morphed into the Wild West, with the world and its aunty using the virtual space to air their views. "I don't see anything wrong in putting down my thoughts, however negative they may be, as long as I can justify them," says one blogger.

In some cases like Zavial's little group, there is little malevolence, but often, the repercussions can be more sinister, and can tumble into the real world. It's no wonder then, that the city's Cyber Cell unit is on its toes, monitoring Orkut profiles, and trawling the Internet looking for anything remotely suspicious. A two-member team constantly monitors hate groups, blocking those that they feel are most likely to spread violence.

If a person feels that a website or a community has tarnished his public image in any way, he is within his rights to register a complaint. "In such cases, we cannot act, unless a person registers a complaint," says one officer from the Cyber Cell unit. According to the police, more than 500 Mumbaikars have registered cases against hate groups this year.

But hate-mongers say that in India, at least, it's difficult to sustain such groups. A Mumbai-based Orkuter, who created a group against soap-queen, Ektaa Kapoor, says: "A few discussions later, the members start playing games like 'Kiss/hug/kick' and 'Who is the prettiest of the three?'. So the whole purpose of the hate group was lost."

There are a few soldiers of peace who try to undo the damage. Soumik Dutta from Kolkata, says he uses the Internet to spread love. And he's done this by creating a group called 'Against hatred communities' on Orkut. He has 26 members till date.

"You're spoiling someone's reputation by discussing such irrational things on a global platform," he says.

But the last thing people want is censorship on the Internet. "I'd hate to think that one day what we've posted online will be taken into account," says Anna D'souza. The onus ultimately rests on the people, but failing which, the authority is more than happy to step in.