The buzzing talk of the town which one can't be unaware of, the Bulli Bai app and the noteworthy role of the Mumbai Police towards the online sexual harassment probe. The Bulli Bai was hosted by none another than GitHub platform.
What is GitHub?
GitHub is the largest and most advanced development platform in the world, where millions of developers and companies build, ship, and maintain their software on.
The development platform provides space for users to upload their projects and code for others to view, edit, and tweak. Any public project can be viewed by others on the GitHub portal.
The idea of GitHub is this: any developer can upload whatever software code or app code or software idea they have on the platform, and have others collaborate with them to help improve it, find errors, and fix problems. Most features are offered free for users while oganisations can take up a paid account to upload their software and projects seeking collaboration.
As the name of the platform hints on, it uses the software Git, created in 2005 by Linus Trovalds - the developer of the open-source operating system Linux, to track changes in a set of files and for coordination in software development.
What's a NO on GitHub?
According to the Indian Express, topics such as “age, body size, disability, ethnicity, gender identity and expression, level of experience, nationality, personal appearance, race, religion, or sexual identity and orientation” are not forbidden on GitHub. Posting gratuitously violent content, misinformation or fake news, active malware or exploits on the platform are prohibited.
GitHub claims it does not tolerate bullying or harassment, and any habitual badgering or intimidation targeted at a specific person or group of people. However, the recent case of the Bulli Bai app - Muslim females in India have been targeted twice in the space of six months, with the use of apps that are very similar. The Indian Express report suggested that some of the women have been targeted by both apps - Sulli Deal and Bulli Bai.
How did it react on the complaints?
GitHub has pulled off the troublesome app, but has not revealed who was responsible for it the fuss.
“GitHub has longstanding policies against content and conduct involving harassment, discrimination, and inciting violence. We suspended a user account following the investigation of reports of such activity, all of which violate our policies,” it said in a report.
When does GitHub suspended or removed account?
Easy to guess! Whenever reported as violating the rules of the platform, GitHub can remove or block their content, and suspend or terminate the account.
The policy page states, “We’ll review each abuse report on a case-by-case basis. In each case, we will have a diverse team investigate the content and surrounding facts and respond as appropriate, using these guidelines to guide our decision.”
Earlier, reports suggested, the Delhi police approached GitHub platform to share details about the developer of the ‘Bulli Bai’ application which is available on its platform to know the intention and purpose behind the creation of such an application and its whereabouts. Later, the team brought to notice that GitHub had blocked the user who had uploaded the app and that the Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT), the country’s nodal agency on cyber security, and police are coordinating further action in the matter.
“We wrote to them and sent them a legal notice. GitHub officials asked us to follow Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty guidelines… We again sent a request and they forwarded it to their legal cell. They said some documents were missing and we had to apply again. We have approached the Home Ministry to push for an investigation from their (the company’s) side,” the officer said in a statement.
