The orders of India’s DoT have blocked 32 websites in India. The list includes some very popular websites like Vimeo, Pastebin, Dailymotion, Github and many others. The issue is reported mainly by the users using BSNL, Hathway and Vodafone network. Several users have reported the block via social network Twitter. However, the block was first reported on December 19, 2014 by Pastebin.com; a website for pasting and sharing text files.
The website posted a Tweet saying, “Pastebin.com Seems to have been blocked in India. If you are from India and unable to visit Pastebin, please email us.”
http://t.co/e3zRKnJJQO seems to have been blocked in India. If you are from India and unable to visit Pastebin, please email us.
— Pastebin (@pastebin) December 19, 2014
While there is no official word from DoT about blocking these websites, Arvind Gupta, National Head of BJP India IT Cell said in his Tweet, “The websites that have been blocked were based on an advisory by the Anti-Terrorism Squad, as they were carrying Anti India content from ISIS.
The websites that have been blocked were based on an advisory by Anti Terrorism Squad, and were carrying Anti India content from ISIS. 1/2
— Arvind Gupta (@buzzindelhi) December 31, 2014
Mr. Gupta further said in his tweet that the websites who have removed the objectionable content are unblocked.
According to reorts, these websites are inaccessible only for Vodafone, BSNL and Hathway users but a user from Bangalore also reported the issue with Tata Docomo Network.
Being an Airtel user, I can access most of the website from the list. At the time of posting this news, I can access pastebin.com, ipage.com, hpage.com, vimeo.com and many more. Supposedly the ban order is still rolling out and only ISPs like BSNL, Vodafone and Hathway have blocked these websites for now.
Sampling some of the sites you listed in your graphic, it appears sketchy posts of phar files (compressed collections of PHP applications which can also run images but which don’t need installation to run) were made at all relevant paste-it sites by someone/something using name “phorkie”; sites such as gist.github are for pasting code and forks; nothing when I checked appeared there in terms of content produced in connection with such apps/codes.
The art of many malcontents today seems to be creating impressions all governments, techs, and world populations are powerless before “mighty” thugs or bitter loners; having the slightest computer/internet savvy, many of them like to scamper across the internet pasting/defacing/sybil-attacking as much as they can before a plug is put in or pulled. Certainly, some miscreants do effect a one-time, localized heinous crime to further an illusion “they outnumber officials and normal people”; but messing with internet seems popular with their ilk as a way to bring “the masses” to their knees.
New millenia, new years, major holidays…all present a time for creeps to ply their threats; look for example at the recent antics of “Lizard Squad”…nothing but punks whose chief “power” seems to be exploiting Misfortune Cookie, emboldened by sites which give them $300,000USD-worth of annual subscriptions to sell as they’re afraid of ddos. So suppose that in this case, the Indian government knew of yahoos mass-pasting slurs against India hoping lots of folks would see it and panic in many ways. Given the jackrabbit pace with which a single buffoon could rant in the age of Misfortune Cookie, botnets, et al, India’s officials might have little choice than temporarily suspend access to sites known or likely to contain sociopathic diatribes…until such pablum can be removed/blocked.
Even I don’t agree all speech is protected (e.g., yelling “fire!” in a crowded theatre for laughs, or saying “I’ll mash you when I get my hands on you!”), and currently believe it’s possible India really was just trying to keep a lunatic fringe from unduly rattling Indians and those who care about them. That said, thank you for your great report, and again all have a good and better New Year, cheers!
Thanks for adding info to my article Dan..and a very Happy New Year to you too 🙂
why in world govt would block github. they all are blocked in Reliance GSM too.