Dist admin to finally enforce cyber cafe laws

Process launched to implement Centre's guidelines to check cyber crimes, pranks, threats

Henceforth, before playing a prank on the net, think twice. It may not only put you in danger, but also prove costly to the cyber cafes, as the district administration will soon launch a registration process of such cafes, in order to keep a tab on them.

This follows a guideline framed in the year 2011 by the Centre, called as Information Technology (Guidelines for cyber cafe) Rules. The guidelines were framed owing to an increase in cyber crimes, which posed a threat to national security, with the City of Palaces Mysore being no exception.

The District Administration is now preparing a draft on the procedures to be followed before starting the registration drive. Mysore City Corporation (MCC) has been sought to provide a list of cyber cafes that have obtained trade licences. 

An official involved in the project at deputy commissioner’s office told Deccan Herald that though the guidelines were framed in the year 2011, an order to this effect was received at the fag end of 2012. As per the rule, the District Administration will be the registering authority, with key focus on the city, where the cyber cafes are operational in large numbers.

Trade licenses

According to available information, currently, not all the cyber cafes in the city have secured trade licences, making it difficult for the authorities concerned to get a clarity on the exact number of cyber cafes.

To make it a foolproof exercise as per the rules, the district administration will be vested with powers as registration authority. Before opening such centres, the owners should mandatorily apply for permission from the afore mentioned authority.

It will be a tech friendly process, with the applicants having to apply for the same online. Following this, the city corporations (in this case,  Mysore City Corporation) have a major role to play, as it is empowered with the authority to issue trade licences. MCC officials have to inspect the place selected to open the centre and forward a report to the district administration. The police personnel will also be involved in the initial level, with the job of verification of the applicants. Only after the district administration is fully convinced, an unique ID will be issued to the applicants to start the cafe.

The official added that a dedicated website would be developed for online applications. A meeting of various department heads of the district administration, MCC and Police, regarding the process is also in the pipeline.