Question : Blocking of Websites

(a) whether the Government has issued any orders to Internet Service Providers (ISPs) asking them to block access to URLs, Facebook pages and YouTube videos and if so, the details thereof;

(b) whether the Government has received any complaint regarding illegal domains posing as Government Websites and if so, the details thereof and the action taken by the Government in this regard;

(c) whether the ISPs have necessary technology to block specific items or contents instead of blocking the entire website and if so, the details thereof; and

(d) whether the Government proposes to coordinate with various Ministries and ISPs to streamline the procedure for online blocking and if so, the details in this regard and if not, the reasons therefor along with the steps taken by the Government in this regard?

THE MINISTER OF STATE (IC) OF THE MINISTRY OF COMMUNICATIONS &
MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS
(SHRI MANOJ SINHA)

(a) As per Information Technology Act, 2000 [Section 69A] and Procedure and Safeguards for Blocking for Access of Information by Public Rules 2009 made thereunder, the directions for blocking of website for access by public is issued by Group Coordinator, Cyber Law Division, Ministry of Electronics & Information Technology (MeitY). As per the directions of MeitY, instructions for blocking of 1791 Uniform Resource Locators (URLs) including Facebook pages and YouTube videos in 2016 and 2017 (till 30th November 2017) have been issued by Department of Telecommunications (DoT) to Internet Service Providers (ISPs).

Further, a total of 2133 URLs were blocked in order to comply with the directions of various Courts in 2016 and 2017 (till 30th November 2017).

In addition, DoT has directed Internet Service Providers to block the list of 4694 URLs of child sexual abuse material as provided by Central Bureau of Investigation.




(b) Government received complaint pertaining to fake news of PM Laptop Vitran Yojana 2017 about distribution of free laptops using fake website which had the potential to mislead masses to believe the fake scheme. Complaint was also received about a fake website issuing appointment letters on behalf of DD Kisan Channel. The alleged fake website looked similar to Doordarshan website creating an impression of the genuine website of Doordarshan. The concerned URLs were blocked.

(c) Internet Service Providers implement blocking of Internet websites/Uniform Resource Locators (URLs) by using suitable technology. However, at present, technically it is not feasible to block specific items or contents contained in a particular URL/webpage.

(d) There is no such proposal as on date. However, Ministry of Electronics & Information Technology (MeitY) has issued an order in April 2017 for online blocking of Child Pornography URLs/ Websites based on the list maintained by Internet Watch Foundation (IWF), United Kingdom.