Indian govt blocks 40 smut sites, forgets to give reason
The Indian government has ordered ISPs to block 39 smut flick web
sites hosted outside the country without giving any explanation, stoking
further fears of online censorship by the back door.
Most of the sites are web forums and so allow for the uploading of naughty images and URLs where smut-seekers can download their grumble flicks, according to Times of India.
The message greeting web users who try to visit a blocked site now reads as follows:
Sunil Abraham, director of Indian not-for-profit the Centre for Internet and Society, told ToI that the government is probably interpreting the law to serve its own ends, and that its ISP order “is a clear overreach”.
The Union government has certainly been quick in the past to order blocks on any content deemed inappropriate.
Most of the sites are web forums and so allow for the uploading of naughty images and URLs where smut-seekers can download their grumble flicks, according to Times of India.
However, the sites claim to operate under the 18 USC 2257 rule,
meaning actors are (supposedly) over 18 years of age, and there is
apparently no indication from the Department of Telecom's order why ISPs
are being asked to comply.
This website has been blocked until further notice either pursuant to court orders or on the directions issued by the Department of Telecommunications.While the law, updated in 2011, does forbid production, transmission and sharing of smutty content in India - therefore requiring internet cafes, for example, to block such content - there is no ban on consumption, especially from sites hosted outside India.
Sunil Abraham, director of Indian not-for-profit the Centre for Internet and Society, told ToI that the government is probably interpreting the law to serve its own ends, and that its ISP order “is a clear overreach”.
The Union government has certainly been quick in the past to order blocks on any content deemed inappropriate.
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