'WhatsApp news groups’ in Jammu and Kashmir should be registered with the District Social Media Center in the next 10 days the state government has ordered in response to violence in the region, reports CatchNews. It’s not clear how the state machinery plans to differentiate between 'news groups' and informal WhatsApp groups created by users. The circular by the government further mentions that group admins of each group will be responsible for all the posts on their group and for "any irresponsible remarks/deals leading to untoward incidents". The government will take actions against admins of groups that do not comply, although what action will be taken is not clear. The circular: Note that the state government had already shut down mobile internet in some parts of Kashmir last week. Affected areas included Srinagar, Kupwara, Baramulla, Bandipora and Ganderbal districts. In September 2015, Jammu and Kashmir had suspended Internet services for two days following apprehensions of violence in the state in light of the beef ban in the state. The government had issued a notification asking all internet service providers to close 3G, 2G, GPRS, lease line and broadband services on September 25 and 26 to keep things under control. Plan for censored news: In February, the Indian government stated plans to set up a media cell to track content online, and ‘counter’ news and comments which are negative or provocative in its opinion. The National Security Council Secretariat (NSCS) had proposed to create a National Media Analytics Centre (NMAC) to monitor…
