India porn ban: Government blocks 67 more websites
Sep 30, 2022
NEW DELHI: The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) has ordered Internet service providers to block more than 60 websites containing pornographic material. The orders are based on judgments issued by two High Courts and for violating the Information Technology (IT) Rules, 2021.
In four letters issued to Internet service providers, the DoT has asked them to block 67 such websites - 63 websites based on the order of a Pune court, and 4 websites based on a 2018 judgment of the Uttarakhand High Court and directions issued by the Ministry of Electronics and IT (MeitY).
"MeitY in compliance of the said (Uttarakhand High Court) order read along with rule 3(2)(b) of the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021, and in view of certain obscene material available in the below-mentioned website that tarnish the image of modesty of women, has directed to immediately take down (block) the ... websites/URLs," the DoT order dated September 24 said.
The provision under the IT Rules 2021 invoked by MeitY mandates Internet service providers to remove or disable access to content hosted, stored or published by them which "shows such individual in full or partial nudity or shows or depicts such individual in any sexual act or conduct".
However, the provision cited by the government is typically understood to be applicable in instances of revenge pornography posted without a person's consent. It is unclear whether the government took its fresh action after receiving complaints from specific individuals whose private images were posted on these sites.
The DoT did not respond to a request for comment.
In 2015, the government had temporarily banned more than 800 pornographic websites which had created a public outcry. Those sites were part of a petition filed in the Supreme Court. Although the court had not explicitly ordered a ban, the Additional Solicitor General of India had ordered internet service providers to take the sites down.
The government later relented, and the ban on the sites was lifted, saying that only child porn needs to be blocked.
