The government has ordered internet service providers (ISPs) to remove 67 pornographic websites in response to court rulings and for violating new IT guidelines announced in 2021.
In an email to internet service providers, the Department of Telecom (DoT) requested that they block 63 websites based on a Pune court decision and four websites based on an Uttarakhand High Court ruling and Ministry of Electronics and IT orders (MeitY).
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"MeitY in compliance of the said (Uttarakhand High court) order read along with rule 3(2)(b) of the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021, and in view of certain obscene material available in the below mentioned website that tarnish the image of modesty of women, has directed to immediately take down (block) the ... websites/URLs," the DoT order dated September 24 said.
The IT Rules 2021 invoked by MeitY mandates IT companies to remove or disable access to content hosted, stored or published by them which "shows such individual in full or partial nudity or shows or depicts such individual in any sexual act or conduct" and also content which is allegedly impersonated or artificially morphed.
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