Block 827 Porn Websites, DoT tells ISPs

News agency PTI reports that following an order by the Uttarakhand High Court, according to official sources, the Internet Service Providers are ordered to ban 827 websites that are hosting pornographic content. Even though Uttarakhand High Court has asked to block 857 websites, according to the report, the Ministry of Electronics and IT (Meity) found 30 portals without any pornographic content. Department of Telecom (DoT) was asked by Meity asked to block these porn websites named in the list issued as part of the order, sources said.

"... all the internet service licensees are instructed to take immediate necessary action for blocking of 827 websites as per the direction from Meity and for the compliance of the Hon'ble High Court order," the Department of Telecom said in an order issued to internet service providers.

The high court order was issued on September 27, 2018, and it was received by Meity on October 8, the PTI reports. Meity brought DoT upto date with Uttarakhand High Court’s ruling which has directed for blocking 857 websites contained in an old notice of DoT (dated July 31, 2015).

PTI reports that this old order was changed by DoT on August 4, 2015, saying that the ISPs are free not to disable any of the 857 web links which do not have child pornographic content.