Despite the headline, it really isn't a laughing matter, folks. In Lank, India, the council has restricted unmarried women from using cellphones, lest they arrange marriages behind their fathers' backs—a crime that's punishable by death.
As we know, phones such as the Nokia 1100 are crazy-popular in developing countries like India, thanks to their affordability, long battery life, and the crucial need by its users in locating fresh water and loved ones.
While unmarried women have been banned completely from using cellphones, single men can still use them—but only under parental supervision. There's some 50,000 people that live in Lank, with many thousand being affected by this new rule—a number which is expected to rise, if Lank's ruling is adopted by other councils.
Nokia's financial report might not be looking so rosy next quarter. [The Guardian]