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India blocks Blogger, TypeAd and Geocities blogs and websites
By: Jayesh Mansukhani   |   Jul 18, 2006
The Indian Government has issued an order to all Indian ISPs for a ban on various blogging sites. While no official release has been made on this front, the reasons being attributed to this ban range from it being a preventive measure to stop sleeper terrorist cells from accessing instructions contained in blogs, to a new measure to try and control the spread of information through blogs. The order was issued by Department of Telecommunications (DoT). The known list of blocked domains is *.blogspot.com, *.typepad.com and geocities.com/*.

It leads me to wonder if this is a case of ISPs overreacting, which would not be the first. Three years ago, they had rather zealously blocked groups.yahoo.com in a similar manner when all they wanted to actually do was to block a particular group. As of now most of the large ISPs have already complied with the DoT order and a large population of Indian bloggers has been cut off from their own blogs. Keep checking back here, as we will post more news on this story whenever available.

Here is a a list of Indian ISPs who have already complied with this order.


Update: Rediff has carried a comprehensive story on this.
It seems the first person to discover this block was Mridula Dwivedi, a teacher of management studies in Gurgaon, who first discovered that visiting any blogspot blog - such as, say Mumbai Help - returned the message 'Site Blocked!' The plot began to thicken when her ISP, Spectranet, confirmed they had blocked some sites based on government directives.

blogspot-blocked.gif


In other quarters, J Grewal, Spectranet's Delhi representative at the National Internet Exchange of India, has told Rediff that on July 15, the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) had sent ISPs a list of sites to be blocked. In response to this blockage, several bloggers have banded together and are putting together a plan to file a Right to Information application to obtain the list.

This will made be possible under the Information Technology Act, 2000, through a body called the Computer Emergency Response Team, or CERT-IN, which was was created as an oversight committee similar to such bodies the world over. Although it's main mandate is to ensure full security of the Internet in India, it also oversees Internet censorship under a clause that seeks to ensure 'balanced flow of information.' Under its purview, any government department seeking a block on any web site has to approach CERT-IN, which then instructs the DoT to block the site after confirming the authenticity of the complaint. Web sites can be blocked if they contain pornography, speeches of hate, contempt, slander or defamation or if they promote gambling, racism, violence or terrorism.

 
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Do the people who give such instructions are net savvy.If really there are terrorist blogs let them filter them,and keep a track on them.
ranga rao @ Jan 06, 2008
Not to say this about blogging specifically, but that just seems to be the way most cookies crumble. I guess I should end with a hip-hip-hurrah or something. Whatever... Glad to be back all the same. Oh, and here are a couple of articles about when the ban first came into effect and how things are now...you know, should you be interested.
Why Are We Who We Are? @ Jul 24, 2006
This is exactly as predicted by the earlier Fjordman article — Soft Totalitarianism moving to Hard Totalitarianism as the Congress Party and the leftists/communists lose control over the news cycle and propaganda. From Ik’s first link, Moneycontrol: The Indian Government has issued an order to all Indian ISPs for a ban on various blogging sites. While no official release has been made on this front, the reasons being attributed to this ban range from it being a preventive measure to stop sleeper
Gates of Vienna @ Jul 23, 2006
Joel Siegel vs Kevin Smith: How should a Film critic walk out of a Press Screening? (mp3 link) [#] » NYPD gives insights on India terror [#] » Daily Show's Net Neutrality Act Part II [#] » How TV news is distorting India's media [#] » India blocks Blogger, TypeAd and Geocities blogs and websites [#] » India's Clout in U.S. Congress Assisted by GE, Boeing, JPMorgan [#] » Internet Explained: D.C Style [#] » Outsourcing firms teach Indians to get assertive [#] » A film too far for Stone?
Instant Kaapi @ Jul 22, 2006
[...] National governments have chosen to block internet content using tools blunt and sophisticated. China has been working with Google and other companies to restrict access to content that it does not like. The UAE has blocked flickr.com and other general interest sites as well as all VOIP services such as Skype. India has blocked *.blogspot.com, *.typepad.com and geocities.com/* . This action caused a storm of protest among Indian internet users. Will this protest be blocked? The United States government, “the land of the free”,has collected international phone records of millions of Americans. Will snooping and control of our internet use follow? All this is done in the name of fighting terrorism. There is no protection from bombers in blocking access to websites. Anyone wanting to send secret terrorist messages would use encrypted or steganography. Web based communications is used to reach the masses - to put together demonstrations or strikes. These are not the tools of terrorists - these are the tools of legitimate political participation. [...]
Arrested Development » vorpal.us The answer to the question - What is the meaning of life, and everything? @ Jul 22, 2006
My most popular science site mentioned here that topped the list of physics discoveries in yahoo search window last month can no longer be opened. It is a great loss to scientific community. And my 32 Geocities sites blocked in India could be opened in US.
Dr.M.A.Padmanabha Rao @ Jul 20, 2006
Okie I just investigated this today after repeated problem to access my own blog on blogspot, and being unable to visit some of my friends websites on Geocities.

What the Governement is doing is wrong, it's a deliberate attack to freedom of speech. Just to ban a couple of websites they make million of innocent blogger suffer...I'm a foreigner in India, and in the past 3 years I've seen the best and the worse India can give...Why oh why this governement insist on petty details and issue bans concerning a minority (Bangalore moral brigade is goping to far) when the problem touching the majority are of greater concerns. Before banning websites, dance in pubs, or coffe shop terasses...start tackling the problem of lack of hygiene and access to water and electricty for god's sake! And what about education? Public infrastructures?

Also I'm not so sure declaring a ban without making it public and inform your citizen is exactly legal.

On a final note...too many bans do not prevent terrorism...it encourages it. ban a a free hosting provider...Those cells will find another way..time to tackle the problem by the right side and get dirty instead of taking idiotic measures such as this ban on websites!
Cynthia @ Jul 20, 2006
Indian watch dogs have banned Blogspot and few other sites. At least in one thing they followed the footsteps of our neighbor!! After reading this news I searched Wiki to see if the "Right of free speech" is still there in the list of fundamental rights in India. I was bit relieved when I saw Wiki listing it.
Talking To Myself... @ Jul 20, 2006
I have been compalaining to Yahoo daily about the non working of my web site.The above news leaves me almost numbed.What I was trying was to translate several hindu prayers in to english so that our youngsters understand our religion. The fact that I have translated more than 75 stotras so far , shows about the back breaking work I have put.Then the only consolation appears to be that this web site is visible all over the world exzcept India.
Ramachander @ Jul 19, 2006
[...] Read more.. [...]
» India blocks Blogger, TypeAd and Geocities blogs and websites @ Jul 19, 2006
[...] Technorati Tags: Blogging , Censorship , India [...]
Blog Censorship in India » Chandrasekhar Vallabhaneni @ Jul 19, 2006
heard now about the government's decision to block blogs. I know for sure all blogspot sites are blocked. Here's how to bypass the government's blocks. Thanks to Pranav Gandhi. Related stories in the Business Standard, Blog Herald, Web Pro News, Moneycontrol and The Financial Express. Shivam Vij has blogged about the issue. Rediff News has also published an article by Shivam Vij. UPDATE: India Uncut has more detailed information on how to bypass the weblock.
angry fix @ Jul 19, 2006
This is a shame and violation of Freedom of speech & right to information act. Our govt. always try best to pull back youth from progressing. Blogs have certianly helped many people to make a decent living by income from blogging. But our govt. is not at all happy with this wonderful employment opportunity.

While the governments of other countries are coming ahead by offering free municipal Wi-Fi Internet access. Our great nation is still struggling with basic facilities like electricity & water. The bloggers are already affected by the massive power cuts in this powerless country. Now govt. try to kick them with banning???
Ravish @ Jul 18, 2006
Read » India blocks Blogger, TypeAd and Geocities blogs and websites [#] » India's Clout in U.S. Congress Assisted by GE, Boeing, JPMorgan [#] » Internet Explained: D.C Style [#] » Outsourcing firms teach Indians to get assertive [#] » A film too far for Stone?
Instant Kaapi @ Jul 18, 2006
Looks like some Govt Official took a Left Party funded study tour to North Korea, china or Myanmar.
Rohit Singh @ Jul 18, 2006
Government should quicly take back it's decision or this activity sends wrong message to the world about the most respected democratic country
Vamsi @ Jul 18, 2006
government has really got crazy... is blogspot or such free hosting sites d only medium for sending messages... d internet is flooded wid free n paid sevices to spread thr msg... n thr r a lot of proxy servers to access dem anyways... indoia going d pakistan way of blocking blogs, which resulted in sites like: www.pkblogs.com
I am a regular blogger and am really fed up wid d govt... whr will d right to freedom of expression go now...
Gurpreet Singh Modi @ Jul 18, 2006
I think I was in some real deep slumber, having just heard the news that blogspot along with typepad and other sites are banned in India, because apparently the policy makers behind this believe that this is a preventive measure to stop sleeper terrorist cells from accessing instructions contained in blogs, to a new measure to try and control the spread of information through blogs.
Just Another Blog @ Jul 18, 2006
well i have spend 3 yrs to develop my blog almost i spent 10 hrs per day on my blog from last 3 years .... who will compensate for it ??? i am sure gonna sue the govt... its not blog it s chat,websites or almost anything here which can spread terrorism ..best way to stop is to ban the internet and if still terror does not stop kill all of us its best .... what about millions of software proffesionals dependent on blogs ? what about peoples whose relatives lives ouside india ?
died @ Jul 18, 2006
[...] But things aren’t perfect in India either. While they have one up-ed China in the human extinction department, the government has recently taken a page right out of the Chinese playbook, internet censorship. [Moneycontrol.com] The Indian Government has issued an order to all Indian ISPs for a ban on various blogging sites. While no official release has been made on this front, the reasons being attributed to this ban range from it being a preventive measure to stop sleeper terrorist cells from accessing instructions contained in blogs, to a new measure to try and control the spread of information through blogs. The order was issued by Department of Telecommunications (DoT). The known list of blocked domains is *.blogspot.com, *.typepad.com and geocities.com/*. [...]
Occidentalism » Blog Archive » My vote for next “super-power” candidate @ Jul 18, 2006
all efforts of the government to fight terrorism, and realise that they have a difficult task right now, after the Mumbai/ Srinagar bombings on the 11th. I wonder if this is the way to address the problem. More: India Blocks Access Major Blog Sites India blocks Blogger, TypeAd and Geocities blogs and websites Blogs, websites go blank
under the fire star @ Jul 18, 2006
in India. The Government there apparently moved to block a number of blogs, including those in Blogger, Typepad and Geocities. The ban seems overreaching, and is reportedly tied to investigative efforts into the Mumbai commuter train bombings. CNBC'sMoneycontrol blog has coverage. Note use of the word "probably" There are many ethical dilemmas surrounding the notion of human cloning, but let's take them on one at a time, hmm? How would clones feel about being clones? The BBC says that a
SearchViews - Dispatches and Discussions on the Search Engine Industry. Brought to you by Reprise Media @ Jul 17, 2006
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