Should Blogs Have Been Banned?

Techtree News Staff, Jul 19, 2006 2352 hrs IST

DoT had reportedly issued an order to all Internet service providers (ISPs) to block around 17 to 20 blog sites across-the-country...

E-Mail Print

The Department of Telecom (DoT) had reportedly issued an order to all Internet service providers (ISPs) to block around 17 to 20 blog sites across-the-country. However, it is now learnt that not only have these sites been blocked but that a whole lot of other blog sites have ended-up being jammed as well, creating a furore amongst the blogging community.

Sources reveal that the order, which came post 7/11, was issued by DoT after intelligence agencies cautioned the government against possible misuse of blogs by terrorists.

The DoT directive was apparently targeted at blocking prominent blog sites, including Blogspot, Typepad, Geocities, MumbaiHelp.blogspot.com, etc.

Most ISPs relented and went on to restrict access to the blogs. Among the first to do so was Reliance, with other ISPs including VSNL and BSNL following suit.

But the sad part is that what was meant to block a few sites, resulted in blocking hundreds of thousands of blog sites instead.

And as if that weren't enough, reports now say that the banned blogs can actually be accessed, even if by not-so-easy means such as logging-in through other sites - more popularly www.pkblogs.com.

So, why did all this happen? Most reports say that ISPs did not implement DoT's order in the way they should have. An industry insider revealed that Indian ISPs do not have the kind of technology that is required to block individual name servers, for instance a particular blog hosted on a blog site. As such, ISPs were at a loss to do any better than block the root servers of major blogging networks.

As per another source, the general feeling is that the government could have averted this eventuality by asking blog sites to deploy technology meant to filter-out the provocative content only.

Some other observers mentioned that aside of free blogs such as blogspot, it is always possible to put-up private blogs on Web sites. They expressed concern about the many blogs that are run by media organizations.

Meanwhile, hordes of worried bloggers have come out in strong protest against the action, dubbing it as an act of censorship by the government, and demanding to know why their favorite sites have been jammed in such an arbitrary manner. An Internet debate has already been initiated on the topic, and some bloggers based out of Mumbai and Delhi are even planning to invoke the Right to Information Act to lift the curtains off of this entire issue.

And... maybe it is only fair that they do so, considering that it was blogs that came to the rescue of Mumbaikars on that fateful Tuesday, even as telecom services died on them.

At this point, it might be well to add that most of the blog sites on DoT s hitlist are the very same sites that played good samaritan in the city s dire hour-of-need.

USER COMMENTS

"Should Blogs Have Been Banned?" Horrible English!!! The title should have been.. "Should blogs be banned?"

by Someone, Chennai, on Jul 20, 2006 11:50 PM, Report abuse Reply

"Should Blogs Have Been Banned?" is perfectly acceptable use of English to express something that happened in the past. The question is expressing past tense.

by Curtis, Kelowna, B.C., Canada, on Jul 21, 2006 02:23 AM, Report abuse

first of all mr.someone have the guts to write ur name man !!!!! & then pinpoint at others english.

by neetha sinha, mumbai, on Jul 21, 2006 10:04 AM, Report abuse

Neetha, it should be like this: "First of all Mr.Someone, have the guts to write your name and then pinpoint others' English" Just Kidding :-)

by Someone, Chennai, on Jul 22, 2006 02:29 AM, Report abuse

Everytime the Government takes some measure against terrorism, there is opposition in India on the plea of human rights, information rights, secularism and so on. We ask other countries to have zero tolerance for terrorism but do we really have it ourselves? Even if what the Govt is doing may appear to be wrong let us not rush to criticise it before the action is even taken. Let us concentrate on success of fire prevention than the failure of fire fighting.

by G G Barve, Mumbai, on Jul 20, 2006 06:23 AM, Report abuse Reply

If taking stupid steps was 'war on terror,' God save us. What Mr. Barve means by 'may appear to be wrong' can someone explain?

by badvt, Chennai, on Jul 20, 2006 08:54 AM, Report abuse

Sorry! Blocking a few blod site wouldn't help a inch even. Rather tell you DUMB Government to look into intelligence department. And please update your brain matters and stop talking foolish.

by Abhishek Mitra, Kolkata, on Jul 21, 2006 12:48 AM, Report abuse

There are some people who will always say let Rome burn. I want to continue my fiddling. All the techies should volunteer to offer their knowledge to the Government free of charge to help the stupid Govt elected by them to tackle the disaster.

by G G Barve, Mumbai, on Jul 21, 2006 06:08 AM, Report abuse

Yes.

by Mahul Rahajan, Delhi, on Jul 20, 2006 04:48 PM, Report abuse Reply

I'm a regular blogger and with the stap that our not-so-educated government has taken, we can see the death of democracy. The last few channels that remained have been breached and this signals a sad future. When we take pride in knowing that our country is a technoloical force to reckon with, it is just sad and revolting to note that we are forced to bow down to ridiculous orders by someone who hasn't even cleared High School. It's a sad day.

by Manas Karekar, Thane, on Jul 20, 2006 12:45 AM, Report abuse Reply

Anybody who thinks it was sane idea to block the blogs please raise your hands. Hmmmm... the hall's empty!

by Falkor, Bangalore, on Jul 20, 2006 04:40 PM, Report abuse

i see little reason for blocking the blog sites even though the attackers it seems Were using email to communicate. Sure, congress has gone nuts & will surely face the wrath of the youth bcos of reservation & this thing.

by vishal mungi, mumbai, on Jul 20, 2006 03:20 PM, Report abuse Reply

Techtree's next article: Should Google be Banned?

by Shaurya Anand, Bangalore, on Jul 20, 2006 12:37 AM, Report abuse Reply

Yes, google should be banned immideately because it let Indian users to find sites which could be objectionable in view of our dumb and blind government. That day is not far when they ban everything other then nic.gov.in where we can see their fake achivements. Guies belive me we will get this kind of shocks everymonth till this Congress govt will remain in the power. I am sure about that.

by Ankur Mehta, Surat, on Jul 20, 2006 01:09 PM, Report abuse

stop using services of any company, doesnt matter how big, if they agree to go ahead with govs bad policy... do u kno I personally wanted to kill everyone in chinese government when I got to kno that they are blockin so much content.. my mates... its free speech, free media,, right to information... start doin something before this thing also starts being controlled by governments..... and the reason for governments wanting to control it is simple.... they dont wanna anyone to be able to raise their voice.... like wuts happenin in a country, everyone around the world can kno, if the info is posted on the internet,,, true knowledge through media is impossible, doesnt matter what they say that how true they are..eeverything is censored.... there are so many news channels in India.. I see lot of em... I had very good chances to where I got in touch with the rightr peeps and I saw the difference between whats shown on tv and the truth.... start doin something mates.. and I kno only those who are considered ultra modern (bad in indian culture) can do something... all these cultured bharatiyaas cant do anything .. because from day one what they have learnt is to go the way they are told... they dont have it in their ass!!.. they cant take actions... be free man...

by Vikram, Del, on Jul 20, 2006 11:57 AM, Report abuse Reply

kartar singh is 100% a fake sikh name, must be a hindu bcoz of these comments... talkin about hindu & muslim.. does sikhs have time to think about hindus under muslims.. dont they have time to think wut hindus did to sikhs.. ever sikh does remember wut hindus did to sikhs.. so sikhs doesnt have time to think wut muslims are doin to hindus.. he's some fake ... and the this gov has blocked blogss .. these a$$holes blocked foreign media in 84.. but that was for sikhs so no one spoke... same a$$holes hv blocked blogs and this is good that so many people are raisin thier voice.. even if its on the internet.. it does effect... keep it up my friends ... gr8 job.. keep raisin your voice on everything u feel is bad done by the gov.... forget religions and everything .. be an Indian and just ignore any sukr who talks bout religion.. whether he's a hindu or muslim or sikh or christian... bcoz if you start talkin bout religion then there's so much that sikhs have to give back to these hindus... I still remember everything in 84.. so its better if we just dont bother religion.. and I tell you believe this kartaraa cant be sikh mate.... understand

by Vikram, Del, on Jul 20, 2006 11:48 AM, Report abuse Reply

SHAME SHAME SHAME !!!!!!! In today's, July-20-2006 edition of Punjab Kesri, Published from Jallandhar, I have read an article by Mr Ashwani Kumar, Editor of the news paper in which he told that in some regions of Jammu and Kashmir, slogan "BHARAT MATA KEE JAI" have been banned by administration. Reading all this , my head fallen in Shame.Is it truly Independent India??? Should Hindus to live on the dictates of Muslim terrorist??? Is there no Government for caring Hindus social and religious sentiments in this country, know as Hindustan also ? Were they all fools who lost their live for freedom of India ?? Is it not a fact that Pakistan was created on religion basis ? Do Hindus in Pakistan enjoy same facilities which Muslims are enjoying in India ? WERE I MUST ASK FROM READERS, WERE WE HINDUS NOT BETTER IN ENGLISH RULE THAN OF UNDER THIS WORST RULE OF SO CALLED SECULARS ???????? THINK ! THINK !! THINK !!! THINK !!!! THINK !!!!! SOCHO DOSTO SOCHO AND YEH SOI HUI SARKAR KO JAGAO !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

by Kartar Singh, Chandigarh, on Jul 20, 2006 10:28 AM, Report abuse Reply

blocking blogs ...senseless ...

by vikram, chennai, on Jul 20, 2006 10:03 AM, Report abuse Reply

Restriction is intrusion into privacy.I Understand the government's motives.But still,it's blatant dictatorship.

by john, Bangalore, on Jul 20, 2006 09:58 AM, Report abuse Reply

Its the fault of our Incompetent ISPs., not a failure of Govt. Lets be clear about this. Now the thing to do is IDENTIFY which ISP's are implementing the block correctly and move our business there. To start this off: I use Tata Indicom, and they've blocked off blogspot, geocities etc completely. So DONT GIVE ANY BUSINESS TO TATA INDICOM. Now will someone who is able to access blogspot tell me which ISP they use ?

by Pradeep, Pune, on Jul 20, 2006 09:51 AM, Report abuse Reply

by Pradeep, Pune, on Jul 20, 2006 09:50 AM, Report abuse Reply

Freedom of speech and all that is fine. Now lets look at a parallel, if someone in your neighbourhood is publishing pamphlets publishing anti nationalist sentiments and you were to be receive one from one of the f@#$@ who published it. Wont you first tear it up in front of the man and proceed to give him a thrashing (of course assuming that you would not think twice to stand up for defending the flag). Government's reaction is the same and its sad indeed that our ISPs have proceeded to shut down all the blogs rather than just the offending ones.one reason could be that it is like banning the terrorist outfits. Ban them, they just change their names and roam freely. So, shutdown a blog and they just start a new one.. What would you do?

by James, Chennai, on Jul 20, 2006 09:00 AM, Report abuse Reply

Can you stop me with my weaponz comprising of a lot of alternate proxy servers off which I will keep on bouncing and loading inflammatory content :) . You dumB f$kz would never realize technology and hacks even if it were hanging on your head!

by insanish1, hyderabad, on Jul 20, 2006 04:30 AM, Report abuse Reply

Oh shut up! The intent was to ban 17 urls which were posting agitative topics. If found guitly they shud be punished. its the stupid ISP's fault that they blocked the entire domain!

by lky, Mumbai, on Jul 20, 2006 02:43 AM, Report abuse Reply

Guys dont worry, its just a drawback in our Indian ISPs that they cant block subdomains.. dont say its a death of democracy .. we got sso much democracy that even terror groups emjoy it and go blasting everywhere. it will be Lifted soon. there is RTI to rescue. Its all temperory. Our Ministry doesnt have few Updated techies who do not know to value blogs.. They all know blah blah blah of blogger is something bad. i read that they sent 22pages of domains to be blocked to major ISPs most of our ISPs buy bandwidth from VSNL so naturally the child ISPs will suffer the bloackage. so buddies do not worry we will soon access all blogs and websites.. and Techtree its stupid to publish an article wether google should be banned. . this would be the most foolish post i would read on techtree. please dont spoil ur impression

by Santosh, Bangalore, on Jul 20, 2006 02:30 AM, Report abuse Reply