Lifestyle /
#PORNBAN: India Stops Access To Over 800 Pornography Sites
India blocks more than 800 porn sites as the country's Ministry of Communications and Information Technology cracks down on adult entertainment websites among an ongoing legal debate.
Based on government requests, all of India's Internet service providers have blocked the country's citizens from accessing more than 800 pornographic websites with several hundred sites still pending review. This means that, in the coming days and weeks, the number may rise to well above 1,000 websites. So far, 857 websites have been blocked on the grounds of morality and decency, claiming powers under section 79(3)(b) of the Information Technology Act.
Indian Internet service providers went public, telling the media that they received letters ordering the ban on Saturday, with the government's Information Technology secretary adding that the ministry was acting under "court directives."
"Certain websites have been reviewed and found to be spreading anti-social activities as hyperlinks from these websites, some of them were pornographic, so we have sent letters to internet service providers to block them. The action has been taken in reference to section 79 of IT Act," sources revealed to The Hindustan Times.
Canadian-Indian Porn Star–Turned–Bollywood Film Actress Sunny Leone
Source: www.financialexpress.com
One of the world's most popular and largest pornographic websites, Pornhub.com, revealed data that proves that Indians, in the company's words, are some of the world's most "prolific consumers" of Internet pornography. Forty per cent of the website's 14.2 billion visits come from India alone. The northeast Indian state Mizoram consumes the most pornography, according to Pornhub's data, with Delhi coming in second place. The website also stated that Canadian-Indian actress and porn star Sunny Leone is the most-searched-for personality in the country.
40 per cent of Pornhub's 14.2 billion visits are from India alone!
The decision, as expected, met a slew of varied responses from the public at large. While many political groups have been advocating for this ban for years, others consider it a violation of individual freedom, claiming that the decision to ban pornography sites is a direct violation of Article 21, which is the right to personal liberty.
In fact, last month, the Indian Supreme Court denied a ban on pornographic sites that was brought to the court's attention with a petition that stated that easy access to porn encouraged crime against women and rape culture within Indian society. The court declined, stating it did not have the authority to violate personal freedoms, which was a constitutional right afforded to Indians by law.
Well-respected and successful Indian film director Ram Gopal Varma has openly spoken against the ban on social media:
Source: www.twitter.com
Even music director Vishal Dadlani voiced his disappointment at the decision openly:
Source: www.twitter.com
In addition to the tweets, the hashtag #PornBan erupted on Twitter and various other social media sites as individuals expressed their anger and outrage over the decision to ban the websites in India. Many felt that it was a violation of their freedom.
Many have also claimed loudly that the decisions is a typical one under the conservative government of Prime Minister Narendra Modi — which has sought to tighten its control over the Internet, raising concerns over free speech and expression.
"There is no proper justification that they have given for banning all porn, rather than child porn or revenge porn or something like that," Pranesh Prakash of the Centre for Internet and Society told The Financial Times. "The reaction is heavy handed, and has been done under the cloak of secrecy."
Is the ban a violation of an individual's personal freedom?
Has the decision been made with the good of Indian society in mind?
Has this decision been made with a greater purpose in mind?
What are your thoughts on the #PornBan? Comment below and tell us exactly what you think. We would love to hear from you.
Article Sources:
The Hindustan Times, The Times of India, The Financial Times, First Post, The Verge, India Real Time
Photo Sources:
Featured Image: www.fusion.net
Daniel Pillai
Author
Daniel is the Digital Media Manager for ANOKHI MEDIA and the host for ANOKHI's entertainment channel, PULSE TV. As part of the dream team, Daniel manages all multiple channels under ANOKHI’s portfolio, while also training new on-air talent, and showing budding p...
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