Table 1. Penalties for offline and online offences Country Offline legal provision India Online legal provision Online penalty Section 292, Indian Penal On first conviction with Code: Sale, etc. of obscene imprisonment of either books description for a term which may extend to two years, and with fine which may extend to two thousand rupees, and, in the event of a second or subsequent conviction, with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to five years, and also with fine which may extend to five thousand rupees. Section 67, Information Technology Act, 2000: Punishment for publishing or transmitting obscene material in electronic form On first conviction with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to three years, and with fine which may extend to five lakh* rupees, and, in the event of a second or subsequent conviction, with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to five years, and also with fine which may extend to ten lakh rupees. Myanmar Section 500, Myanmar Penal Code: Defamation Simple imprisonment for a term which may extend to two years, or with fine, or with both Section 66(d), Telecommunications Law: Whoever commits any of the following acts shall, on conviction, be liable to imprisonment for a term not exceeding three years or to a fine or to both. …(d) Extorting, coercing, restraining wrongfully, defaming, disturbing, causing undue influence or threatening to any person by using any Telecommunications Network. Imprisonment for a term not exceeding three years or to a fine or to both Pakistan Section 298, Pakistan Penal Code: Uttering words, etc., with deliberate intent to wound religious feelings Imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to one year or with fine, or with both. Section 10A, Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act, 2016: Hate speech Imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to seven years or with fine, or with both. Section 298A, Pakistan Penal Code: Use of derogatory remarks, etc., in respect of holy personages Imprisonment of either Section 10A, Prevention of description for a term which Electronic Crimes Act, 2016: may extend to three years, or Hate speech with fine, or with both. Imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to seven years or with fine, or with both. Section 305, Thai Penal Code: Defamation Imprisonment not exceeding one year or fined not exceeding twenty thousand Baht, or both. Imprisonment for not more than five years or a fine of not more than one hundred thousand baht or both Thailand * Offline penalty Section 14(1), Computer Crimes Act, 2007: Whoever commits the following acts shall be liable to imprisonment for a term not exceeding five years or to a fine not exceeding one hundred thousand Baht or both: (1) input into a computer system wholly or partially fake or false computer data that is likely to cause damage to another person or the public… 1 lakh = 100,000 Regional trends / 27