“Somebody must have blocked some sites. What is your problem?”

“Somebody must have blocked some sites. What is your problem?” | Jul 17th 2006

Two days ago, good Mridula sent me an email saying her ISP, and some others had blocked blogspot sites. I personally had no problem with the shady ISP I was using.

In 2003 India enacted an Information Technology Law, which is currently in the process of an amendment, under which it created an authority called the Computer Emergency Response Team, or CERT-IN, which maintains a decent, regularly updated website.

Apart from internet security, CERT-IN’s mandate includes maintaing a ‘balanced flow of information’, which is by far the most verbose description of censorship that I have come across.

One of the first things the CERT-IN did after taking birth was to discover that a banned militant outfit in Meghalaya, the Hynniewtrep National Liberation Council (HNLC) of the Khasi tribe, was publicly, openly using Yahoo! Groups (which, even now, is the best mailing list solution). The mailing list in question was called kynhun, and its popularity and visibility went up by leaps and bounds instantaneously, despite it being blocked by all ISPs! Clearly, you can’t ban anything on the internet.I’m having this deja vu feeling because it seems the very same thing has happened with blogspot.

This morning, 10 AM, I called up CERT-IN and one Mr Madhur (forgot his surname) said that CERT-IN had *not* ordered blogspot or any particular blog to be blocked. They said that by lunch time (1:30 IST) they will be in a position to tell me whether and which government agency has ask for the block, and why.

Then I called up a senior MTNL engineer who’s in-charge of these things, Mr. R.H.Sharma. Mr Sharma was polite and helpful and said that he had a long 22-page of list of sites, sent to him by the National Informatics Centre, and he would needs two hours to go through it and find out if it contains any Blogspot or Typepad site! But he said that as far as he knew MTNL had not blocked blogspot per se.

I called up a senior Spectranet official who confirmed that the Department of Telecommunications (not the Ministry of IT) had on Friday sent a list of sites to be blocked. This is the same list, it seems, that MTNL’s Sharma was telling me about. This list is not public. It deserves to be.

I took a lot of insistent calling and being asked to call other numbers to get through to the CERT-IN director. My credibility as a caller was hurt because I was not representing any organisation.

Secy: “You are?”
Me: “Shivam Vij”
Secy: “From?”
Me: “I’m a blogger.”
Secy: “Okay, Just a second please”
[pause]
Secy: “He’s busy, Please call back in 30 mins.”

I called up Mr Anil Saxena, a senior Spectranet official who’s the in-charge there of blocking-shlocking and such things, who confirmed that the list of sites to be blocked, sent recently to ISPs, does contain particular blogs hosted on blogspot. However, he said blogspot as a whole is not blocked. He says that he had a Spectranet connection before him even as he was speaking to him. I asked him to check mumbaihelp.blogspot.com - he said it was accessible. He says Spectranet customers should access mumbaihelp.blogspot.com and if it is inaccessible, inform the Spectranet call centre that mumbaihelp.blogspot.com is not accessible. Saxena also told me that the list of sites to be blocked is “highly confidential” and not to be made public.

However, Mridula is still unable to access any blogspot blog on her Spectranet connection. She writes in, “The call centre guy this time said that not entire blogger but certain domains on blogspot has been blocked by orders of DOT. When asked which sites on blogspot are opening or which sites are blocked, the guy said, I can share only
limited information with you.”

Also, I emailed the good Praveen Dalal and he tells me about CERT-IN’s functioning as far as site blocking is concerned:

“Indian Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-In) has been designated as the single authority for issuing of instructions in the context of blocking of web sites. CERT-In has to instruct the Department of Telecommunications to block the web sites after verifying the authenticity of the complaint and satisfying that action of blocking of website is absolutely essential. There is no explicit provision in the IT Act, 2000 for blocking of websites. In fact, blocking is considered to be censorship; hence it can be challenged if it restricts the freedom of speech and expression. But websites promoting hate, contempt, slander or defamation of others, promoting gambling, promoting racism, violence and terrorism, pornography and violent sex can reasonably be blocked since all such websites cannot claim the Fundamental Right of free speech and expression. The blocking of such website may be equated to “balanced flow of information” and not censorship. If the blocking of a website is arbitrary, unreasonable and unfair and is based on extraneous and irrelevant materials and reasons, then it would be vulnerable to the attack of unconstitutionality, being in violation of Articles 14, 19 and 21 of the Constitution of India.”

I also spoke to a senior official at the National Informatics Centre, Mr RS Mani, who said the NIC has nothing to do with all this, and that I should speak to Dr Gulshan Rai. Mr Mani also told me that he doubts if the list of sites to be blocked is classified as confidential.

Finally I managed to get through to Dr Gulshan Rai. He was downright rude. He said he
couldn’t understand what my problem was, and in any case he could not solve it on phone.

Me: “So should I send you an email?” (Which, btw, I already did last night, to CERT-IN.)

Gulshan Rai: “Do whatever.”So that’s that for now.

The phone numbers I called, I got them mostly from here and here.

Time for an RTI application, I guess.

Is there a moral of the story? Yes, there is. Shift to your own domain and your own hosting and most of all, to WordPress. If you want help with that, write to me.

Update: Rediff carries my story on the un-CERT-in blog blockade. Also on IndiaAbroad.

Update 2: See my follow-up stories on Rediff.

Posted in Blogging

145 Comments »

initiated protest by Bloggers. A new wiki is setup against censorship Shivam Vij managed to talk to Dr Gulshan Rai, director of CERT-IN, the only body authorised to issue a blocking directive. His response: “Somebody must have asked for some sites to be blocked. What is your problem?”. Every ban Govt proposes is in the name of controlling terrorists. There are such unclarified reports this time too. It is very same as denying public water supply in the name of terrorists are used to drink it. This also shows that Govt of India

Pingback by Anivar's journal — January 1, 1970 @ 12:00 am
[...] Note - Updates are being added towards the end of the post. Please keep checking. I am including some government contacts in Update 10. Please contact them and ask them to release an official list of those sites that are on the list of blocked sites, or ask them if they would prefer a Right to Information application. Shivam posts on his experience - calling up a government official. [...]

Pingback by Blogger blocked by some ISPs in India? at Within / Without — July 17, 2006 @ 3:06 pm
Hmm..

Interestingly, I am not facing such problems. I am able to access all blogspot sites in spite of using Airtel Broadband, which I am told is one of the ISPs that is blocking access to blogspot sites.

And yes, I think it is time to invoke the RTI..

But I am not really surprised that the Indian government is trying to censor the internet. After all, it ranks really low in the world press freedom index.

Comment by Apurva — July 17, 2006 @ 3:49 pm
[...] Saket writes about the Indian Government doing a Big Brother. Shivam posts on his experience - calling up a government official. Dina shares the mail she wrote to CERT-IN and her ISP. [...]

Pingback by DesiPundit » Archives » Blogspot.com Blocked In India By Some ISPs — July 17, 2006 @ 4:17 pm
Unfortunately we all don’t have the funds to use our own domains and hosting :P

I do though, I just haven’t implemented it yet.

Comment by Nonedone — July 17, 2006 @ 4:39 pm
Shivam, shouldn’t the moral be to stand up and fight for your rights? People have legitimate reasons for using a hosted service, ranging from the existing community who can hold discussions with you via the comments section, to simply not having the time/resources to maintain something independently.

Comment by Jace — July 17, 2006 @ 4:58 pm
AirTel has joined in. I use AirTel Broadband in Delhi and I can confirm blogspot blogs are not accessible. I can login blogger.com, go to the dashboard, write and publish but I cant see the post. I cant see acces any other blogspot blog.

Comment by Atlantean — July 17, 2006 @ 5:03 pm
[...] Shivam Vij [...]

Pingback by Writing Cave » Blogger websites blocked in India — here’s how you can access them — July 17, 2006 @ 5:14 pm
@nonedone: you do not need to buy hosting. buy a domain name and make it point to your blogspot address/ip.

Comment by Apurva — July 17, 2006 @ 5:20 pm
why censor? in the name of democracy; freedom of speech and expression; fundamental right thats why…

Comment by Aaditya Dar — July 17, 2006 @ 5:42 pm
Yes my blogspot site is also inaccessible from MTNL (Though it was not updated since a month or so, and hence nothing to do with mumbai blast…..TRUST ME) Call centre MTNL guy said “no blocking”

Is everything alright in this great democarcy?

vijender

Comment by masijeevi — July 17, 2006 @ 5:45 pm
Damn them, we are not living in some islamic country run by an extremist!! I’m on Hathway connection in delhi & Blogspot.com is blocked, though blogger is opening!!

Comment by Amit Gupta — July 17, 2006 @ 5:49 pm
Shivam,
Suggesting WP is fine and all, but the very scenario is not a champion for the case to do that. What if tomorrow all wordpress.com sites are blocked and what if shivamvij .com is made to be present in the “To be blocked sites” list that will be given to ISPs ? :) Changing the host can not be solution to this problem, no ?

Comment by Rk — July 17, 2006 @ 6:00 pm
This is highly intolerable. Though moving to one’s own domain isn’t really a solution. If a babu so decides, the domain may land up in the 22-page document.

And about classified lists… Arrrrgghhh!

Comment by vijayendra — July 17, 2006 @ 6:22 pm
Instead of deciding to read those blogs to find out what they are upto, he decides to ban them. I am shit-scared that my country’s security is in that guy’s hands” Indian Blog Censoring by Vijay Anand Blogs and the Right To Information Act“Somebody must have blocked some sites. What is your problem?”“Indian Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-In) has been designated as the single authority for issuing of instructions in the context of blocking of web sites. CERT-In has to instruct the Department of

Pingback by Ram H. Viswanathan’s Blog — July 17, 2006 @ 6:39 pm
Whether this is intentional or not, all blogspot blogs are not accessible from India. Nikhil was the first one I knew who had this problem. Since then, many people have noticed the same. Some havetalked to government officials. I personally didn’t have any problems accessing mine or any other blog, until this evening. It seems that Sify has joined in the fray, and has started the blockages too. Frankly, I’m pissed. I’m betting on this being a temporary problem,

Pingback by Twisted View — July 17, 2006 @ 6:52 pm
[...] I called up a senior Spectranet official who confirmed that the Department of Telecommunications (not the Ministry of IT) had on Friday sent a list of sites to be blocked. This is the same list, it seems, that MTNL’s Sharma was telling me about. This list is not public. It deserves to be. [Link] [...]

Pingback by Ultrabrown : India censors Blogspot — July 17, 2006 @ 7:07 pm
Report: Indian government blocking all Blogspot blogs

Manish says, As of Saturday, Blogspot sites seem to be blocked via many major Indian ISPs. A blogger called up several government officials and was told the Department of Telecommunications sent a list of sites to be blocked on Friday. The ISPs seemed …

Trackback by Boing Boing — July 17, 2006 @ 7:30 pm
[...] Shivam posts on his experience - calling up a government official. [...]

Pingback by Rohan Pinto » Anonymity Is Not a Crime — July 17, 2006 @ 7:31 pm
It is so unfortunate to block all the Blogspot blogs.

However , i presume the cross border terror could have made the Indian authorities to filter certain contents..It may be temporary…

Those with Blogsopts blogs like me …. http://benzeneinternational.blogspot.com
need not worry so much

My 2cents worth comment..

Comment by Ellango — July 17, 2006 @ 7:54 pm
Iqara joins the list of IPSs doing the blocking. Can’t get through to any blogspot blogs now.

Comment by Matt — July 17, 2006 @ 7:59 pm
then had no subdomain level blocking technology and so they blocked whole domain. As of now, with the help of this page, I have e-mailed to Assistant Public Information Officer (APIO) for my telecom circle. Here is rediff.com story on this issue.Hereis Shivam’s blog for the story. A google group BloggersCollective is made to follow up the issue. Wiki is maintained where all ISPs which are facing this problem are listed. I am unable to view my

Pingback by aadipa — July 17, 2006 @ 8:01 pm
What do you mean by ‘blocked’? Does it shows ‘404 - Page cannot be displayed’ or some other message like the site is being banned/blocked is displayed when you type the URL?

I don’t believe that GoI will do something like this.

Comment by Partha — July 17, 2006 @ 8:16 pm
Well the blogspot was very slow in the morning and now it is completely inaccessible. I have airtel broadband. And the call centre guy, first said that it was redirecting him to blogger.com and when I insisted I didn’t get redirected they have registered the problem and promised to resolve it by tomorrow. No mention of any blocking whatsoever even after asking several times.

Comment by Abhipraya — July 17, 2006 @ 8:18 pm
Indian Blog Censoring

It seems that there are reports about a lot of ISPs in India censoring a host of blog sites. For the moment, it seems that domains ending with blogspot.com and geocities.com are the target. The list of ISPS include, Spectranet…

Trackback by Anonymous — July 17, 2006 @ 8:20 pm
[...] “Somebody must have blocked some sites. What is your problem?” சென்னையிலும் போட்டுத் தள்ளினால், எல்லாரும் முழித்துக் கொள்வார்கள் என்று நினைக்கிறேன். [...]

Pingback by Prakash’s Chronicle » Blog Archive » Blogspot.com ban, Next in Chennai? — July 17, 2006 @ 8:54 pm
[...] Boing Boing directed me to a post on national highway about India’s Department of Telecommunications blocking blogs en masse. This cant be good news and there is, apparently, no explanation being given. No Tags [...]

Pingback by “Somebody must have blocked some sites. What is your problem?” at Shawn Blog — July 17, 2006 @ 9:02 pm
1. Buying your own domain name and pointing it to blogspot will not help you coz, blocking is by IP address and not domain name. The IP address does not change.

2. Moving to wordpress will also not be much helpful. What if govt blocks wordpress too?

3. I like the idea of RTI petition. I would love to help you guys. Get in touch with me @ honeyuee@yahoo.com

4. The govt may want to block a particular blog, but they dont have the right to block the entire blogspot. Lets challenge them in the court if needs be.

Comment by Himanshu Sahani — July 17, 2006 @ 9:08 pm
India Censoring Blogs?

Amit Varma @ India Uncut and other Indian bloggers noticed they were having problems accessing Blogspot sites. Now there’s confirmation that Internet providers are getting government orders to block Geocities, Typepad and Blogger sites, although there…

Trackback by Pajamas Media — July 17, 2006 @ 9:11 pm
The Terrorists Have Won

…because now, you can’t read Blogspot or Typepad-hosted blogs in India. No Barmaid, no Abhi, no MD, no Brimful, no Badmash, no Maisnon. Erstwhile Mutineer Manish has more (natch) on Ultrabrown: For all the talk of India�s freedom and democr…

Trackback by Sepia Mutiny — July 17, 2006 @ 9:45 pm
I am facing the same poblem trying to access my blog. Now it has nothing that could be of potential harm. Censorship on net is unacceptable. I am using MTNL. It sucks.

Comment by Tanvi — July 17, 2006 @ 9:59 pm
Basically this is nothing but carelessness of the ISPs. The 22 page list might be having many blogspot and other sites so that they must have done is, blocked whole blogspot domain instead of spending time in blocking each site.

It is same case like Yahoo Groups one…just non-technical dumb ass people adding *.blogspot.com in the block list lol

Deep

Comment by Deep — July 17, 2006 @ 10:01 pm
[...] This is the first question in the minds of people who were / are not able to access their blogspot blogs. I just got to know about it from my friend Shivam Vij [...]

Pingback by Oh where is my blog? — July 17, 2006 @ 10:20 pm
This is pathetic. The only sites that I would support blocking are those involved in clearly illegal activities like child pornography. To block sites for expressing dissenting political viewpoints is stupid. If a site espouses secession from India, is that feeling going to go away just because the morons in the bureaucracy/political establishment decide that they are going to make it difficult to access those sites?

In general, I am not a supporter of taking Indian problems to the West (Europe/America) but as with all third world countries - and sorry to say, we are no exception - the only thing our beloved bureaucratic/political masters fear is bad publicity in the big bad West. So, I would suggest mailing a report of this idiotic behaviour to as many media outlets in the West as possible and then wait for the bureaucratic shuffle — “We are supporters of freedom of expression” etc. etc. Amidst the rhetoric, it is more than likely that the block will be quietly removed.

Comment by suresh — July 17, 2006 @ 10:21 pm
Apparently It’s Not Only America

Apparently it’s not only the US that overreacts to terrorism. This morning, the entire country of India starting blocking all Geocities, TypePad, and BlogSpot websites in entirety. The reasons being given is that terrorists communicate via blogs. Wow….

Trackback by MauriceReeves.com — July 17, 2006 @ 10:49 pm
For those who are stuck behind ISP firewalls, I have written a small article on how to bypass these firewalls through proxies and email surfing. Please refer to http://www.pranavnegandhi.com/notadesigner/2006/07/big-brother-vs-nerds-round-1.html.

Comment by Pranav Negandhi — July 17, 2006 @ 11:17 pm
Die indische Regierung hat sichoffenbarentschlossen, mein Blog sowie alle anderen Blogspot, Typepad und Geocities Seiten für ihre Bürger zu sperren. Es geht dabei mutmaßlich um Terroristen, die über Blogs Informationen austauschten. Für die Terroristen gibt es

Pingback by Traui verschwendet Deine Zeit — July 17, 2006 @ 11:25 pm
or simply access your blogspot blog like this: http://www.pkblogs.com/blogname

replace blogname with your blogspot blog name

Comment by Deep — July 17, 2006 @ 11:35 pm
How can I tell if my website, Incredible Fukn.us (www.fukn.us) is being blocked? Despite the name sounding vaguely dirty, it is a site dedicated to the odd things in life, strange barter, and small dictators. Can anyone tell me if it is blocked?

chris damitio
chairman of the fukn bored

Comment by Chris Damitio — July 17, 2006 @ 11:44 pm
[...] Update 2: July 17 2006 Shivam Vij has managed to get the media interested through Rediff. That is a good sign. It will be interesting to see what the Government has to say on the issue, and why they have banned it - I dont think they did be taking an extreme step like this not without any basis. [...]

Pingback by techborg » Technology » Blogspot Blocked In India? — July 17, 2006 @ 11:53 pm
Everyone: thank you. Will reply each comment individually very soon.

Comment by Shivam Vij — July 17, 2006 @ 11:56 pm
[...] The story that seems to be emerging: a directive from the Department of Telecommunications has ordered a set of sites to be blocked within India. Shivam Vij reports: Then I called up a senior MTNL engineer who’s in-charge of these things, Mr. R.H.Sharma. Mr Sharma was polite and helpful and said that he had a long 22-page of list of sites, sent to him by the National Informatics Centre, and he would needs two hours to go through it and find out if it contains any Blogspot or Typepad site! But he said that as far as he knew MTNL had not blocked blogspot per se. [...]

Pingback by …My heart’s in Accra » India joins an elite club? — July 18, 2006 @ 12:10 am
Bangalore BSNL seems to have been the last one to go down. I can still access TypePad as I type Blogspot went down a couple of hours back.

Comment by Deep Joy Majumdar — July 18, 2006 @ 12:18 am
Confirmed - my cable operator (7Star) is also serving up an ‘Operation timed out while attempting to connect to ___.blogspot.com’ Was ok in office, though; will check again tomorrow.
This is very, very worrying, whichever way you look at it; either as a deliberate act or as a careless mistake. The Government of India either does not understand or care about something called fundamental rights; we don’t have the right to equality, we don’t have educational and cultural rights, we don’t have the right to equality, and now we don’t have the right to freedom of speech and expression.

Comment by Ashish — July 18, 2006 @ 12:28 am
Did the govt start unblocking the sites? I saw a hit from BSNL (WB) yesterday (US time), which should be Monday IST.

Comment by common man — July 18, 2006 @ 12:32 am
[...] India is again playing with censorship on web just after china. The Department of Telecommunications passed an order to ISPs Friday to block several websites. The list is confidential. ISPs have been slowly coming into compliance. blogs & sites hosted on Blogger , Typepad & Geocities are not accessible now. The List of ISP’s that Blocked Blogger is here. Bloggers collective initiated protest by Bloggers. Shivam Vij managed to talk to Dr Gulshan Rai, director of CERT-IN, the only body authorised to issue a blocking directive. His response: “Somebody must have asked for some sites to be blocked. What is your problem?”. [...]

Pingback by moving republic » India’s censors web again — July 18, 2006 @ 1:09 am
pkblogs is overloaded I think. I can’t access the site. Meanwhile, I have implemented a tool that will show any Blogger post in text-only format. It works with most Blogger blogs.
Please check out.

http://www.anniyalogam.com/scripts/freedomviewer.php

Coming soon: If you are able to login to Blogger, you can also leave comments in others’ blogs using my tool.

Comment by Ramani — July 18, 2006 @ 1:21 am
[...] Here is Shivam’s blog for the story. [...]

Pingback by Blog sites blocked in India at aadipa.be — July 18, 2006 @ 1:34 am
GREAT JOB SHIVAM!!!
Thanks for the mail too. Had no clue about this blockage before that…
As someone rightly pointed out switching to WP can’t be the solution to this madness… Something more concrete and more direct must be done to undo this colossal stupidity!

Comment by Maharajadhiraj — July 18, 2006 @ 1:36 am
What is your problem?

..the move is like cutting the phone connection of the whole country because some terrorists are using phone. This is a big mess up and we are waiting to see what happens next.

Trackback by The third world view — July 18, 2006 @ 1:42 am
[...] All of the blogosphere is abuzzed by this news. People are taling about it here, here and here. [...]

Pingback by Sarvesh’s Blog » How to Shoot Yourself in the Foot — July 18, 2006 @ 2:43 am
[...] All of the blogosphere is abuzzed by this news. People are taling about it here, here and here. [...]

Pingback by Sarvesh Bhardwaj’s Blog » Blog Archive » How to Shoot Yourself in the Foot — July 18, 2006 @ 2:46 am
must have asked for some sites to be blocked. What is your problem?” If any Boing Boing readers in India find several sites inaccessible today, please call your ISP and demand to know why. If you can help, please join the coordinating group: Link.Linkto Shivam’s post, and Jace is following developments on his blog, here. Manish adds, The block is still spreading through Indian ISPs. This recalls Pakistan’s Blogspot ban during the Danish cartoon controversy and India’s Yahoo Groups ban in ‘03 to

Pingback by 美丽人生--Helen — July 18, 2006 @ 3:00 am
[...] Its futile to block anything on the internet. Any block has a way around it. I am sure Indian government is not trying to become another China. It is a very poor decision by the Indian government. You can find more details about this on Shivam Vij’s blog. Here’s a quick list on how to get around this ban: [...]

Pingback by kunjan.net » Blog Archive » How to get around Indian Censorship — July 18, 2006 @ 3:28 am
Report: Indian gov blocks Blogspot, Typepad, Geocities blogs (UPDATED)

Xeni Jardin: BoingBoing reader Jace says, India’s Department of Telecommunications (DoT) passed an order

Trackback by Tech Headlines — July 18, 2006 @ 6:10 am
The title really says it all!! Thats the level of knowledge of the indian govt!

Indian govt and majority of the market still dont get the concept of web 2.0 or community websites! This reminds me of the arrest of Avnish Bajaj because some guy sold some porno MMS on eBay/Bazee! knee jerk reaction of the poor ignorant politicians if you ask me! :-(

sad reality http://www.desihub.com/blogs/page/mihir/20060717#indian_market_government_not_yet

Comment by Mihir — July 18, 2006 @ 6:47 am
[...] Boing Boing [...]

Pingback by India Blocks Blog at The Blog Herald — July 18, 2006 @ 6:56 am
i did all crappy things in the last three days .. .after i was not able to view my blogpage in blogspot !!!

ppl i guess we need to go to press .. NDTV or aaj tak…. if there is a popular revolution .. these guys will get bogged down !!!!

what more i saw a huge article on blogging in blogspot @ CNBC on sunday evening !!!!

Comment by Anonymous — July 18, 2006 @ 9:09 am
i did all crappy things in the last three days .. .after i was not able to view my blogpage in blogspot !!!!!

I saw a half an hour article on blogging in CNBC .. sunday evening .. we should take it to the press … what say ppl ? AAJ TAK wud be fine !!

Comment by Bharani — July 18, 2006 @ 9:11 am
website is arbitrary, unreasonable and unfair and is based on extraneous and irrelevant materials and reasons, then it would be vulnerable to the attack of unconstitutionality, being in violation of Articles 14, 19 and 21 of the Constitution of India.read the rest of his post…Looks like someone is actually planning to sue. And guess where he’s posted his proposal? Google Groups! Didn’t see that coming, did you, DoT?

Pingback by Protected Blog Login « WordPress.com — July 18, 2006 @ 10:23 am
The Great Indian Government did it again. We elected those asses now they are paying up. Just answer me one thing, the Babus who know nothing they are dealing with. Do you own the internet? Do you have the right to censor it? Did your Dad own it? Did you buy it? Did you overtake it from anyone through Bruteforce. Let me answer this one for you. NO. The Government NEVER helped to popularise the Internet. The Internet is the real thing FOR THE PEOPLE, BY THE PEOPLE and TO THE PEOPLE. Now from nowhere comes this banning. The ISP are helpless and they have to ban else they will also be in some jail like Avnish Bajaj. This is a cheap act. The government doesn’t understand that if someone needs to spead something they can over the internet. And one thing is for sure the terrorists are much smarter than the people in the Government. Banning some sites won’t help stopping them. People just don’t get influenced by blogs, we are not that dumb. Are we kids who will believe whatever we read. I am upset with this policing. Anyways, here is all I can do. Just open these sites and you will be able to access. These are webproxies enter the url and visit.
http://tproxy.guardster.com/proxy.php/
http://hidemyass.com
And please if anyone gives me the crap that I elected the Government; which is most times told on TV news channels; I would say Dude didn’t you realise that I ran out of Options.

Comment by ToyDaVirus — July 18, 2006 @ 11:17 am
This is only since 17th July afternoon, I use Airtel Chennai
This morning I was able to publish but unable to view it. I thought blogspot was under some kind of maintainance.
Strangely I was receiving comments for my current and previous posts. I was confused until a friend of mine informed me about the block. Called Airtel and confirmed it
unfortunately this happens to a super power of IT

Comment by Rauf — July 18, 2006 @ 11:28 am
[...] Yesterday when i was going through my ususual routine of checking RSS feeds of various blogs.And all blogspot accounts returned error.When i checked some blogger accounts it returned a timed out error.(Some people says they get a banned error!!) . I thought blogspot server may be down.Even after a few hours there is no change. Even at night things where same..I googled and found out some news in rediff.com. Indian ISPs are blocking blogger accounts! WTF!! I agree that there are some anti-Indian blogs in blogspot.But what about others? Almost all my friends blog in blogspot as it is simple and free.Backed up by google , it gives reasonable service with less downtime. Thats the reaseon why everyone opted for blogspot for satrting their blog. I used to blog on Blogspot and later switched to my own domain. I know people who run business through blogspot blogs.Some use it as a news service. And now..!! I think indian govt is taking some harsh steps after the mumbai tragedy. Its ok to ban anti-Indian sites.But it has to be precise. You cant block entire domain just because of having 1 or 2 violent sites. Even mumbai help(a blog created after the trajedy for providing help and service to people affected by the bomb blast) was blocked! So the next step will be blocking google.com as one can reach a "anti-indian" site by searching in google.I think its the time to react . We , the bloggers need to protest.No one else is going to give pressure as i dont think the polititians even know about blogging.First i thought about mass mailing.But now..i think it would be better to tell them directly about it through telephone(I thought abt this after reading this blog ) . Phone numbers are available here and here . [...]

Pingback by Blog.nEo999.com » Blog Archive » India Govt Banned Blogspot — July 18, 2006 @ 12:26 pm
[...] The supposed reason is an order from India’s Department of Telecommunications (DoT), and if it’s true, the only thing I’ve to say to the person who ordered this, is - “Sir, you are a moron. Thank you!” [...]

Pingback by Reverberations » Blog Archive » Indian ISPs blocking Blogspot, Typepad — July 18, 2006 @ 1:03 pm
[...] I was not able to access certain BlogSpot sites on my blogroll on Friday evening. But didn’t think much into and just blamed my ISP for the glitch and the people behind BlogSpot.com. However the same situation was repeated on Saturday and later when I hopped onto DesiPundit did I realize that the same problem was being experienced by majority of bloggers in India (only). As we Bloggers are known for spreading our causes and struggles across the internet - even this un-wanted act committed by DoT has been criticized and discussed by local and international bloggers. And our MSM has also touched on the topic, so what it took them nearly 4 days to figure it out (though some are still confused over the number of blocked sites). Shivan Vij has put up a detailed on account on this story. From what I understand, our (not) efficient government has ordered a blackout of certain number of (some say 12, some believe its 18 and some think it’s around 20) sites for publishing content that was ‘anti-national’ and ‘against public interest’. Though government officials have defended their move by stating that the action against the concerned sites were in the pipe-line but most of us are smart enough to figure the actual reason behind this move; Mumbai Train Blasts. [...]

Pingback by To Each Its Own » Archives » Bloggers Blocked — July 18, 2006 @ 1:17 pm
[...] Shivam Vij, tried to contact the authorities seeking a clarification about the issue. He was was made to (virtually) run from pillar to post, and ended up with a curt, “What’s your problem? Someone must have blocked some site. So?” Typical. [...]

Pingback by Corporate Spices » Blog Archive » All sanity has ‘Left’ India… — July 18, 2006 @ 2:05 pm
What Can India Learn From China?

If You Can’t Beat Blogs, Block Them Global Voice reports the blockage of Blogspot/TypePad-hosted blogs in India. The official response is Somebody must have blocked some sites. What is your problem? Mdeii wholeheartedly supports the Indian nanny:I who…

Trackback by Letters from China — July 18, 2006 @ 2:10 pm
Internet censorship in India

It is all over the place - Slashdot, Boingboing, Desipundit, Financial Express, Hindustan Times, Rediff and elsewhere - Indian ISPs are enforcing the ban ordered on websites, some of which happens to be hosted on Blogspot, Typepad and Geocities.
This i…

Trackback by Security — July 18, 2006 @ 2:32 pm
“Beware he who would deny you access to information, for in his heart he dreams himself your master”

Comment by Saurabh — July 18, 2006 @ 3:24 pm
It is just height of stupidity. I have a post on this which discusses some more issues which the goverment has to concenterate rather than bringing in a blanket ban.

http://viewsreviews.wordpress.com/2006/07/18/india-information-blackout/

Comment by Deepak Kumar Vasudevan — July 18, 2006 @ 3:49 pm
[...] I am confident, that we are going to push the government into lifting the blocks. Lots of Indian bloggers, including me have made it their mission to blog about this and make sure everyone knows what is going on (Kiran, Shivam, Neha,) Mridula). This needs to be stopped. The Times of India article continues to say, that many bloggers reckon that this clampdown amounts to repression of free speech. I think it does. It has also cut into helpful organisations like the Mumbai Help blog, which was helping people during the blasts of 7/11 and during the floods last year. Almost nobody can access that blog anymore, as it was hosted on Blogspot. [...]

Pingback by Quantum Thinking » Free speech gets a beating in the worlds largest democracy — July 18, 2006 @ 3:56 pm
Hi.
Sify also joined in that wagon of blocking the blogsites.I could’nt able to access any of the blogspot sites from sify cafe’s ( bangalore, ITPL main road )
I guess, the person who created that list must be a non-IT person. Instead of blocking individual sites,ordering to block all the sites is stupidy !
Come on yaar, its a democratic country !

thanks shivam for valuable post !! Keep blogging and sharing !!!

Mahes
Bangalore

Comment by Maheshkumar.R — July 18, 2006 @ 4:09 pm
Hi,

I did not know how I can get in touch with you. So I am leaving a msg here. I liked this story very much and request u to share it at merinews. Will like to know if you can do that. Plz mail me at consultingsudipta@gmail.com.
I will really wait for your mail ASAP.

Comment by Sudipta Sengupta — July 18, 2006 @ 4:10 pm
[...] Die indische blogosphere scheint derzeit beschäftigt, herauszufinden, was zur Hölle eigentlich los ist und hat dafür eine google-group eingerichtet. [...]

Pingback by FalsePositive » Blog Archive » Zensur-Groteske in Indien — July 18, 2006 @ 5:28 pm
Some twenty sites are blocked in India and people started making nonsense by saying blah.. blah.. blah.., comparing India with China, with countries of Middle-East and even with North Korea too. This is as kike as most of the stupid ‘breaking-news’ come every hour on news channel containing no valuable content.

As working as the fifth pillar of Indian Democracy, we should be more cautious while reacting on the decision of the government. Comparing Indian democracy with autocratic countries is an extreme step. We should completely avoid these kinds of blogging. People are in a hurry to react and taking no time to literally abusing the step taken by the government, which yet not be released officially.

On the other hand, the government should take cautious steps to block some websites, and it should release the proofs or basis of blocking. In spite of giving directives to ISPs, they might ask Google to do that.

Anyway, I am requesting the respected bloggers to stop criticizing the government move so harshly and try to find out the major cause behind that. We should provide some suggestive measures in front of the government to have an eye before taking such kind of step.

Comment by Pratyush Ranjan — July 18, 2006 @ 6:15 pm
somehow the govt came to know tht terrorists were using blogs to communicate and pass commands…and what does ourgovt do???
it decides to block http://www.blogspot.com and leaves out http://www.blogger.com

hehe…dont these idiots kno tht still blogs can be read and published…

Comment by humbl devil — July 18, 2006 @ 6:45 pm
Initially I thought it was some regular glitch, I seem to have woken up quite late!
I believe we should take the course of legal action.

Comment by Basudeb Dasgupta — July 18, 2006 @ 6:52 pm
[...] There’s news on the web to the effect that our beloved but extremely mis-guided government is clamping down on popular blogging sites. At the moment ‘blogger.com’ ‘typepad.com’ among others are on the ‘Do Not Let Through’ list being handed out to major ISPs. Make sure you read this blog in it’s awe-inspiring completeness before I have to join the underground fugitive blogger role-call. Read about it - http://www.shivamvij.com/2006/07/somebody-must-have-blocked-some-sites-what-is-your-problem.html http://www.boingboing.net/2006/07/17/report_indian_gov_bl.html [...]

Pingback by Carlos’ Chronicles » Indian Govt. Blocks Bloggers — July 18, 2006 @ 7:32 pm
[...] It is no surprise that Bloggers all around India (and I presume from all around the Blogosphere as well) are up in arms against it. There are quite a few blogs out there which give a clearer picture than my own and bring forth the issue to the forefront. Mridula was one of the earliest ones to notice that and has been following it up diligently here. Nandan has a nifty suggestion to use the Right To Information act to get to the root of the act. IF you are unable to access those and other blogs hosted on Blogger.com, then read Labnol’s detailed instructions on how to access them on the sly . The site also has a well-written QnA’s on what has happened allovasudden! Shivam Vij highlights the steps he has taken to follow up on the root-cause of this blanket ban and has some really interesting insights. Please read thorough these and many other such blogs and make your voice heard by signing the Petition at Wikia. [...]

Pingback by My Wierd Wired World » Blog Archive » BlogSpot BlackSpotted!!! — July 18, 2006 @ 8:32 pm
deep is right one can circumvent the ban. In my case this http://www.pkblogs.com/devkumarsblogs.blogspot.com worked but http://devkumarsblogs.blogspot.com doesn’t.

If a person opens an email account and writes a message and saves it in draft mode in the same account then it is virtually impossible to ‘intercept’ such a message. An accomplice in any corner of the globe can then enter the same account and read the message.

Can we curb terrorism by blocking sites which host blogs? I doubt it. One thing is for sure - We will certainly become the laughing stock of the cyber world.

Comment by Dev — July 18, 2006 @ 10:51 pm
[...] Rediff (via) has more on the issue of Indian ISPs blocking access to Blogspot, Geocities, and Typepad domains. [...]

Pingback by GagWatch » More on the Indian blogger ban — July 18, 2006 @ 11:20 pm
To Pratyush Ranjan: Dude get some brains. It’s not about comparing us to China or some totalaterian regime, it’s about one government’s decision to infringe upon the basic freedom of it’s citizens. And you know what, if you let them get away with one, there will be more. Freedom of press and freedom of speech are the two most important components of a democracy. Without absolute freedom of speech we cannot have a true democracy. Remember the surrender to absolute authority occurs in small steps, by giving up your civil liberties one by one. And before you realize you will wake up one morning in Nazi germany. There should not be any compromises on our basic freedom. Period.

Comment by dipesh — July 19, 2006 @ 12:40 am
Dear Fellow Indians
I am also a victim of this senseless BAN on Freedom of Expression.
I beleive this is sheer frustration of govt. in failure of tackling terrorism.
This is same type of situation like what earlier pm Indra Gandhi did by putting Emergency in entire state.But Manmohan Singh jee this is not 1970’s era ,this is Year 2006 where 75% of population is young and knows ways how to express themselves.
SMS ( read as Sardar Manmohan Singh) is just adding fuel to frustration of mumbai blasts and not trying to react to the situations and giveing a befitting reply to terrorists like Isreal did to lebanon.

Anyways regarding blogspot…you have numerous ways to reach your blogspot sites.
Let me send you the link

Get all info through

http://censorship.wikia.com/wiki/Bypassing_The_Ban
site and express yourself.

or read below

Jai Hind
Nitin
http://www.citychd.com

For Blogspot

* http://www.hidemyass.com
* http://www.shadowsurf.com
* http://pkblogs.com (Enter blog name. Or directly use a URL of the form http://www.pkblogs.com/blogyouwanttoread. http://www.pkblogs.com/mumbaihelp will let you see http://mumbaihelp.blogspot.com
* Anniyalogam Freedom viewer You can quickly view just the latest post of the blog with hyperlinks, formatting etc (no more text-only). Also shown is a link to the Blogger comment page to view and post comments, which is an advantage over Bloglines.
* bloglines and find an RSS Feed to the blog.
* http://techbytes.co.in/experimental/bypass.php?url=http://XYZ.blogspot.com:Works with non-blogspot domains as well.
* INBLOGS Just Like PKBLOGS

[edit]
Firefox Extension

* httProxy:
A firefox extension for proxyfing the sites. Also included pkblogs.com along with other options.
* Dilettante via pkblogs or Dilettante:
A Greasemonkey script to use Coral Cache to rewrite Blogspot URLs. It’s at the bottom of the post.

[edit]
For sites blocked by domain names

* Using google translate, e.g., if the blog is “blogyouwanttoread.blogspot.com”, then use

http://www.google.com/translate?langpair=en|en&u=blogyouwanttoread.blogspot.com

(May not work)
[edit]
For Tamil Blogs aggregated by thenkoodu.com

* Bloggers Blockage - A Quick Solution For tamil blogs aggregated by Thenkoodu

[edit]
For Malayalam Blogs aggregated by chintha.com

* Recent Malayalam blogs from Chintha.com.

Also see Malayalam-blogs at malayalam-blogs.blogspot.com/ for general information on fonts and other blogging sites in Malayalam.

For Mozilla Firefox Users Create a quick search

* Bookmark the above URL( Boomarks | Bookmark this page / Ctrl D )
* Goto Bookmarks | Manage Bookmarks
* Right Click on the saved bookmark, goto Properties
* In the URL field replace u=blogyouwantedtoread.blogspot.com to u=%s
* In the keyword field give a simple name like bypass or dumbgoi etc.
* Now goto the address bar ( Alt D ) and enter bypass blogname
* example ( shameless plug hehe): bypass makash.wordpress.com
* Hope This Helps you save some time and typing.

[edit]
Proxy server list

One way to visit a blocked site is through another site, generally called a proxy site or proxy server. Some proxies are listed below.

* http://www.boreproxy.com ((below the link for favourites you will find an edit box; enter URI there)
* http://www.shadowsurf.com
* http://www.hidemyass.com
* http://www.shysurfer.com
* http://www.daveproxy.co.uk
* http://www.ninjaproxy.com
* Anonymouse Proxy (cookies are not stored, so you cannot submit comment with saved Username & Password.)
* Unipeak
* Search in google for nph proxy.cgi, you’ll get lots of free proxies.

[edit]
Using TOR to bypass the block

* Onion Routing for the Paranoid
* Tor and FoxyProxy extension for Firefox - straightforward set up
o A one click solution. Use the Tor network.
o Go to http://torpark.nfshost.com/download.html,
o Download the torpark.exe (a self extracting archive which will extract the Torpark.exe executable) and run it.
o Torpark.exe is a secure version of firefox which will let you access any site via the tor network. Speed on my 1 Mbit connection is slow , but this should work for all. Since this is a version of firefox , any other firefox windows you open up while using this will be the copies of this exe and not the Firefow you have installed. Closing all Torpark Firefox windows is enough to start using your installed version of firefox again.
o There are no extensions and all scripts are blocked by default. You can use Opera or some other browser to Post blogs via Blogger ( since blogger is not blocked ).

[edit]
External Links

* Boing Boing’s guide to defeating Censorware Lost of links and good advice
* Amit on getting around the ban
* Google free proxy! Access restricted web sites using Google language tools service as a proxy. Essentially, you’re asking Google to translate an English page into English.
* Reporters Without Borders -Technical ways to get around censorship
* Workaround for censorship - Blogger way (via pkblogs)

[edit]
By Using Google Web Accelerator

Downloadand install Google Web accelreator and bypass the BAN. When using GWA, you actually access the blogspot pages from the Google Proxy server, where they are cached and not directly from the blogspot server.

Comment by Nitin — July 19, 2006 @ 4:55 am
[...] go here. here. here. here. here and here. [...]

Pingback by fractured.earth / a short, crisp note to the indian government — July 19, 2006 @ 8:46 am
[...] Related Links: http://www.withinandwithout.com/?p=854 http://www.shivamvij.com/2006/07/somebody-must-have-blocked-some-sites-what-is-your-problem.html [...]

Pingback by Milliblog! » Gimme my 2 channel Doordarshan back! — July 19, 2006 @ 10:40 am
this is for Dipesh, I am completely agree with you dear with all your knowing about the constitution of India and others. Let me clear one thing, If Government did it for the sake of the national security. it is fine. you cannot question on the security measures. let me give an example to you. Its better to hit hard on the backbone of the threat element to the nation.

But the government should come forward with the basis and cause of such kind of acts. that would be positive move.

Do not worry about the guarantee of the fredom of the speech in India. this is 21st century dear. and this is India. the ban of media in India is history.

I am making you sure that if it clears that Government is doing this without any basis and only to curb the voice of the people, I will be probably the first person to stand with you. visit http://www.indiadaily.org/entry/government-feels-bloggers-heat-now/

Comment by Pratyush Ranjan — July 19, 2006 @ 12:41 pm
of ‘to be blocked’ sites to ISPs and some of the lazy ass ISPs blocked the whole domains instead of spending time and blocking each and every sub domain mentioned in the list. Other related posts by Bloggers Aadi BoingBoing Deep NoneDone RediffShivamSimran

Pingback by Sreejith’s NETwork — July 19, 2006 @ 4:42 pm
This certainly sounds like internet censorship to me.

Comment by Rose DesRochers — July 20, 2006 @ 7:28 am
[...] According to a Wall Street Journal article (available temporarily without subscription), the Department of Telecommunications stated that the ISPs have been asked only to block specific websites, although the confusion might have led to some ISPs to do a blanket ban, e.g. instead of banning just a few specific blogs hosted on blogspot, all blogs on blogspot are banned. There also have been recent signs that blanket bans are slowly being lifted by some ISPs. It is not certain whether the lift is of permanent nature. There is a general lack of further official government explanation and justification for these censorship practices and asking government officials in an effort to find out more have proven futile so far. This is especially frustrating considering India often prides itself being “the world’s largest democracy”. [...]

Pingback by book and sword : gratitude and revenge » india’s recent censorship practices — July 21, 2006 @ 2:35 am
To Pratyush. You talk of national security. Here we have ordinary people providing so many solutions to bypass all these restrictions. Those highly motivated terrorists would certainly come up with more ways to overcome these cosmetic blockades. So, it defeats the main purpose of the move.
Govt. and yourself are too naive to think that blocking the whole of blogspot will solve the problem.
what if this is 21st century?

Comment by yossarian — July 21, 2006 @ 2:32 pm
[...] (via) “Somebody must have blocked some sites. What is your problem? [...]

Pingback by Days in a wannabe punk’s life » Blog Archive » Groan… — July 22, 2006 @ 12:33 pm
ohjeisti perjantaina maan internet-palveluntarjoajia estämään pääsy useisiin verkkopalveluihin. Blokkilistalle joutuneet osoitteet ovat pääasiassa blogipalveluita, kuten Blogspot, Typepad ja Geocities.com. Eräs internetin käyttäjä, Shivam Vij, yritti selvittää tilannetta paikallisen CERT-ryhmän johtajalta Gulshan Railta, mutta hän ei ollut kiinnostunut tilanteesta. Huhujen mukaan kyseessä on väliaikainen terrorisminvastainen operaatio, sillä terroristisolujen on epäilty käyttävän

Pingback by Sektori.com - Tärkeimmät uutiset. Edelleen. — July 24, 2006 @ 7:47 pm
Only the paranoid survive?

In which I explore the reasons for paranoia against totalitarianism and restriction of freedom.
India has been subjected to online censorship, and there have been muses from both side of the fence. From those that believe the
government�…

Trackback by DAtum — July 25, 2006 @ 11:27 am
must have asked for some sites to be blocked. What is your problem?” If any Boing Boing readers in India find several sites inaccessible today, please call your ISP and demand to know why. If you can help, please join the coordinating group: Link. Link to Shivam’s post, and Jace is following developments on his blog, here . Manish adds, The block is still spreading through Indian ISPs. This recalls Pakistan’s Blogspot ban during the Danish cartoon controversy and India’s Yahoo Groups ban in ‘03

Pingback by Feringhee: The India Diaries — July 27, 2006 @ 2:41 pm
As an european having lived in india for half a year (Alas shorter than i wish it to be), i can only say that there is a definite need for more people like you out there.

I am always amazed at the amount of effort you, simple guys (I am thinking of other blogs on the subject of corruption in India), can put up with to get things known, and in a certain way to get them right.

I can’t even see that happening in my homecountry (france). Maybe this is due to a somewhat free press that takes all the attention away, but i havent even seen it tried, and i can’t stop feeling that this grassroot activism is the exercise of a proper and functionning democracy.

Congrats, and keep up!

Comment by Ed en Vadrouille — July 27, 2006 @ 7:33 pm
are thousands or even hundreds of thousands of bloggers in the country, they are still a blip in a billion-plus population. They don’t just matter very much to the politicians and the officials. As the Indian Internet watchdog supremo told blogger Shivam Vij, “A few sites have been blocked. What’s your problem?” It can’t happen in Singapore I can’t imagine anything like that happening in Singapore. Sure, the authorities keep watch on the media and cyberspace. Singapore Internet service

Pingback by Blog-o-desi — July 30, 2006 @ 12:49 pm
there are thousands or even hundreds of thousands of bloggers in the country, they are still a blip in a billion-plus population. They don’t just matter very much to the politicians and the officials. As the Indian Internet watchdog supremo told blogger Shivam Vij, “A few sites have been blocked. What’s your problem?” It can’t happen in Singapore I can’t imagine anything like that happening in Singapore. Sure, the authorities keep watch on the media and cyberspace. Singapore Internet service providers block

Pingback by Memory and Desire — July 31, 2006 @ 7:26 am
[...] Link [...]

Pingback by newsBreaks.net » Report: Indian government blocking all Blogspot blogs — August 4, 2006 @ 11:22 am
[...] Link to Shivam’s post, and Jace is following developments on his blog, here. [...]

Pingback by newsBreaks.net » Report: Indian gov blocks Blogspot, Typepad, Geocities blogs (UPDATED) — August 4, 2006 @ 11:23 am
[...] Several theories have been put forth, regarding this whole imbroglio. Support executives at Spectranet have stated that indeed they received a letter from the Ministry Of Communications, with only instructions to block “certain blogs”. When confronted with the information that not a single blogspot blog was accessible, they did not have a satisfactory answer. One theory could be that the government has indeed asked the ISPs to block certain blogs, but the ISPs have gone ahead and overzealously blocked the entire domain. Comrade Shivam has tried to further probe into the matter, but has received quite a rude response. He’s done an excellent rediff article on the issue, nevertheless. [...]

Pingback by The Plot Thickens… at Psychotic Ramblings Of A Mad Man… — August 4, 2006 @ 5:36 pm
，极少服务器提供商阻断了网络访问。星期一，短短两个小时内就有五六个（甚至更多）服务器提供商们封锁了上述网站。人们仍可以通过[Blogger]发表文章，但无法在[Blogspot]看到所写文章。[Shivam向政府官员求助，希望能有一个说法。] 我好不容易联系上了Gulshan Rai博士，他倒是个很质朴很实在的人。他说他也不明白我的问题究竟出在哪，况且也不是电话里三言两语就能解决问题。

Pingback by 全球之声-全球博客内容中文翻译版 — August 5, 2006 @ 1:31 am
[...] On another note, there is no difference in attitude between “I’ll be the commissioner” verbiage and “Somebody must have blocked some sites. What is your problem?” which incidentally, was the response the aforementioned poster got from a certain Gulshan Rai, a public servant of India. [...]

Pingback by Impedance mismatch over HTTP » Blog Archive » “I’ll be the commissioner” — August 6, 2006 @ 9:39 am
ISPs to ban those sites, which host thousands of Indian blogs. Besides noting that a) the ban won’t work, and b) it’s a grotesque violation of freedom of speech, I don’t really have anything brilliant to add to what others have said here, here, here, or here. By all indications it’s a Department of Communication order, though Shivam Vij failed in his quest to track down anyone in the government who would actually take responsibility for imposing the ban.

Pingback by Amardeep Singh — August 9, 2006 @ 2:12 am
Here’s how to bypass the government’s blocks. Thanks to Pranav Gandhi. Related stories in the Business Standard, Blog Herald, Web Pro News, Moneycontrol and The Financial Express. Shivam Vij has blogged about the issue. Rediff News has also published an article by Shivam Vij. UPDATE: India Uncut has more detailed information on how to bypass the weblock. Neha Vishwanathan has covered the issue too. So has Mridula

Pingback by angry fix — August 11, 2006 @ 7:41 am
உயர் அதிகாரி, டாக்டர்.குல்ஷன் ராய் ( CERT-IN இயக்குனர்) அவர்களிடம் கேட்ட போது கிடைத்த பதில், “Somebody must have blocked some sites. What is your problem?” சென்னையிலும் போட்டுத் தள்ளினால், எல்லாரும் முழித்துக் கொள்வார்கள் என்று நினைக்கிறேன்.

Pingback by Prakash's Chronicle — August 16, 2006 @ 11:01 pm
i want join this site

Comment by keyan — September 8, 2006 @ 9:27 pm
hello someone has blocked shysurfer can u unblock it

Comment by nas — September 25, 2006 @ 10:17 am
It will not happen in my lifetime or my children’s lifetime, but it is inevitable. It is on the cards. The promise of a free, empowered society is our fountain of hope. There will be people who will deem the blocking of a bunch sites as trivial — “Somebody must have blocked some sites. What is your problem ?” they will say. Well, here is my problem. When you selectively block a bunch of sites, you are stifling opinion and debate. You are are shutting out certain ideologies since you do not like them. You Sir, have no freaking right to do that to

Pingback by Ennui and other Truths — September 27, 2006 @ 9:48 am
[...] Previous posts/stories by me on internet censorship: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 [...]

Pingback by The Discreet Charms of the Nanny State at National Highway — October 7, 2006 @ 2:02 pm
is also blocked. Dina Mehta has her take on the situation. Amit Agarwal has a collection of tips on how to bypass the block (but first you’ll have to bypass the block to read that). Shivam Vij now has a longer write-up on the information he dug up this morning. Update 3 – 5:15 PM: Airtel (and possibly) Sify have also started blocking. Update 4 – 10:55 PM: Sify and Tata Indicom (previously VSNL) are also confirmed blocking now. Shivam Vij has an article out at Rediff

Pingback by Kiran Jonnalagadda’s Blog — jace.seacrow.com — November 1, 2006 @ 6:28 am
Why is bebo blocked

Comment by Ashley Vaughan — November 3, 2006 @ 12:53 am
[...] The problem’s been coming to light since the weekend. Dina Mehta and a number of others have posted about it on their respective blogs. Jace gives a good description of the situation, According to Jace, CERT-IN (Computer Emergency Response Team-India) is the only body that can block websites but the DoT routinely hands off lists of URLs to block. There are comments on some of these blogs stating that it’s an “operation” and all will be back to normal by the 19th. But finding out information hasn’t been easy – a CERT official, once reached, was not exactly polite to one blogger. [...]

Pingback by girlwonder: July 2006 Archives — November 11, 2006 @ 1:16 pm
[...] Somebody must have blocked some sites. What is your problem?�? at … Somebody must have blocked some sites. What is your problem?�? at …Two days ago, good Mridula sent me an email saying her ISP, and some others had blocked blogspot sites . I personally had no problem with the shady ISP I was using.www.shivamvij.com/2006/07/somebody-must-have-blocked-some-sites-what-is-your-problem.htmlis [...]

Pingback by Somebody must have blocked some sites. What is your problem?�? at ... — November 13, 2006 @ 9:26 pm
[...] “Somebody must have blocked some sites. What is yo… … the list of sites to be blocked, sent recently to ISPs … One way to visit a blocked site is through … guide to defeating Censorware Lost of li… http://www.shivamvij.com/2006/07/somebody-must-have-blocked-some-sites-what-is-y... « Previous Page 2 of 6287 Next » [...]

Pingback by links to visit blocked sites - #1 All Hip Hop Search Engine swicki - powered by eurekster — November 15, 2006 @ 11:52 pm
[...] India restricting web access As we catch up with the news this week, we have been reading with interest the debate in India regarding the Government’s efforts to restrict the way in which terrorist organisations can make use of the Internet. In the wake of the dreadful Mumbai train bombings 10 days ago, they do, of course, have our sympathy.There is significant nervousness in the Indian Internet community, however, when China-style site blocking kicks in. The Great Indian Mutiny blog has some interesting commentary. “There is a crack down in place” the site confirms. Meanwhile, WebProNews carries a detailed story here. Writer Jason Lee Miller confirms the “…Department of Telecommunications was found to have given directives to regional Internet service providers to block access to blogspot.com, typepad.com and geocities. Over the weekend, the blogosphere lit up with reports that access to these sites had been blocked. As bloggers busied themselves trying to find the reason, update upon update revealed that ISP call center representatives were instructed by the DOT to block access to the sites, but did not offer a reason why”. Permalink Posted by Paul Woodward @ 1:15 PM postCount(’115363170568606933′); | postCountTB(’115363170568606933′); [...]

Pingback by Asia Business Media: July 2006 — November 17, 2006 @ 3:47 am
[...] you might want to read this- http://www.shivamvij.com/2006/07/somebody-must-have-blocked-some-sites-what-is-your-problem.html and http://mutiny.wordpress.com/2006/07/17/blog-blackout/ [...]

Pingback by Blocking Blogger « Scobleizer - Tech Geek Blogger — November 21, 2006 @ 11:04 am
As working as the fifth pillar of Indian Democracy, we should be more cautious while reacting on the decision of the government. Comparing Indian democracy with autocratic countries is an extreme step. We should completely avoid these kinds of blogging. People are in a hurry to react and taking no time to literally abusing the step taken by the government, which yet not be released officially.

Comment by Taggert — November 21, 2006 @ 6:38 pm
[...] Shivam Vij, tried to contact the authorities seeking a clarification about the issue. He was was made to (virtually) run from pillar to post, and ended up with a curt, “What’s your problem? Someone must have blocked some site. So?” Typical. [...]

Pingback by 42 Quirks - » All sanity has ‘Left’ India… — November 28, 2006 @ 1:26 pm
[...] The Indian government was accused of censorship after the Department of Telecommunications was found to have given directives to regional Internet service providers to block access to blogspot.com, typepad.com and geocities. Over the weekend, the blogosphere lit up with reports that access to these sites had been blocked. As bloggers busied themselves trying to find the reason, update upon update revealed that ISP call center representatives were instructed by the DOT to block access to the sites, but did not offer a reason why. It didn’t take long bloggers using other platforms to publish their theories and some clever workarounds to be able access those sites again. Not until Monday was there any more light shed on the matter. According to a blog called “The Great Indian Mutiny,” reported that the block was associated with terror plots inside the country: Two sources, one inside the Government of India and the other kind of inside/outside have confirmed to the Mutiny, that ISPs are being instructed to �control’ access to blogspot. It seems that some blogs are being used by some terror units (read SIMI) to communicate. There is a crack down in place. IP numbers are being physically located and identified. All should come back to normal once this operation is over. There is no ban in place. Livejournal and WordPress have been spared. No reason given. The block occurs very soon after a series of attacks on suburban trains in Mumbai, carried about radical Islamist groups. Only the Indian government knows the reasoning behind the measures. It seems blocking the websites would derail intelligence gathering and tip off the cells in question. India terrorism censorship | document.write(”Email WebProNews here.”) Drag this to your Bookmarks. Add to document.write(”Del.icio.us”) DiggThis Yahoo My Web Receive Our Daily Email of Breaking eBusiness News About the Author: Jason L. Miller is a staff writer for WebProNews covering technology and business. WebProNews RSS Feed More Top News Articles Contact WebProNews [...]

Pingback by India Blocks Access Major Blog Sites — November 29, 2006 @ 1:12 am
Without absolute freedom of speech we cannot have a true democracy. Remember the surrender to absolute authority occurs in small steps, by giving up your civil liberties one by one.

Comment by Michael — December 7, 2006 @ 6:17 pm
[...] What appeared to be on the 15th just some ISPs blocking access, on Monday, in a matter of about two hours, five to six more ISPs started blocking the above stated sites. People could still publish to their blog via Blogger.com, but not see their blog at Blogspot.com. Shivam shares his experience, calling up government officials to get some sort of response from them. Finally I managed to get through to Dr Gulshan Rai. He was downright rude. He said he couldn’t understand what my problem was, and in any case he could not solve it on phone. [...]

Pingback by Global Voices Online » Blog Archive » India: Blocking access to Blogs on Blogspot and Typepad in India — December 9, 2006 @ 3:23 am
[...] Shivam Vij, tried to contact the authorities seeking a clarification about the issue. He was was made to (virtually) run from pillar to post, and ended up with a curt, “What’s your problem? Someone must have blocked some site. So?” Typical. [...]

Pingback by Performancing.com | Helping Bloggers Succeed — December 10, 2006 @ 7:46 am
Hi there could you please email me a huge list of proxys my email is brogdens@otocoll.schoolzone.net.nz i want heaps because my school has already blocked heaps…thanks

Comment by Sam.b — December 11, 2006 @ 5:24 am
[...] Report: Indian gov blocks Blogspot, Typepad, Geocities blogs [...]

Pingback by digg / bobsil1 / dugg — December 12, 2006 @ 10:55 am
[...] “Somebody must have blocked some sites. What is your problem?” Published by Shivam Vij July 17th, 2006 in Blogging. [...]

Pingback by “Somebody must have blocked some sites. What is your problem?” at National Highway — December 19, 2006 @ 6:56 pm
[...] Update 2 - Over IM, Mridula (Delhi) confirms that her ISP’s call centre stated that they have received a letter from the Government, hinting that it has something to do with the block. Dina called up her ISP’s call centre and they confirm that there is no blocking or filtering at their end. Update 3 - Anupa on Sify.net and Rit on Airtel can access. Monica on Tata Indicom confirms that she can post and access Blogspot.com. Angelo showed me how to access blogspot blogs - “use an open proxy - go to http://www.hidemyass.com - type in the blog url (in this case I typed in http://mumbaihelp.blogspot.com/ - type in the validation code, and you should be able to see it.” It worked! Still, this isn’t the solution, its a real shame if this is a directive from the Government of India. We must all raise our voices against it. Update:This morning, I was checking out some Typepad blogs - same problem as with Blogger blogs. This is what I got from tracert:C:Documents and SettingsDina Mehta>tracert typepad.com Tracing route to typepad.com [204.9.178.11]over a maximum of 30 hops: 1 192.168.17.1 reports: Destination net unreachable. Trace complete.Am really puzzled now … and wonder what’s going on. I just called Reliance Powersurfer again and they tell me that after all my calls yesterday, they checked again and wished to confirm that they were not blocking or filtering any sites themselves. However, the big news from the call centre employee on the line was that they did check and it seems that Blogspot has been blocked by the Ministry of Communication centrally. I asked them for more details, or any sort of confirmation of the same, which they were unable to provide. Update - July 17A set of neat tricks to access blocked websites.A wiki set up by Peter - add your ISP’s contact details if you are facing this problemI have written letters to Powersurfer and to CERT-IN - here’s the text:Dear Sirs,I am a long term subscriber to Reliance Powersurfer and since the last few days, I have been unable to access several blog sites. Have run tracerts on them and they show destination unreachable. However, I can access them through proxy servers. I also spoke to the Reliance Powersurfer Help Desk, and they confirmed that Blogspot blogs have been blocked centrally by the Ministry - and that Powersurfer is not filtering or blocking them at their end. I would be most grateful if you could look into whether there has been any directive from the Government to block blog sites on blogspot.com and typepad.com. There is already much being written about this by way of speculation — see these — http://www.gonomad.com/traveltalesfromindia/2006/07/what-is-up-with-blogspot-blogger-sites.htmlhttp://www.withinandwithout.com/?p=854 http://radio.weblogs.com/0121664/2006/07/15.html#a854This is really important, as all blogs regardless of content are being blocked on these sites - and we would like to get to the bottom of this. We’d like confirmation of this from you and any other details, before we can take it up with the relevant Ministry, and any other information you may have to help us. Many thanks,DinaI’d urge all those affected by this to write to their ISP providers and to CERT-IN.org - incident@cert-in.org.in for clarifications. Please add responses as you get them into the wiki. Update - July 17 evening:Updated list of ISP’s banning blogs - from Neha and some more pointers on who to contact for information.SpectranetMTNLAirtelSifyReliance Powersurfer / InfocomExatt7 Star Cable ServiceBlogspot.com has been blocked by all. Typepad.com and Geocities.com have been blocked by the others.Shivam shares his frustration on calling some of the authorities to get more information.My guess is its just a matter of time, before all ISP’s in India will enforce the block. This is really bad news. Or a terrible mistake somewhere.Update - July 17 nightBSNL and Iqara added to the list. The plot gets thicker as more bloggers are alerted to the fact that an increasing number of Indian ISP’s are involved. We’re treading with a little caution before we go whole-hog at the government. There is a possibility that it is all a mistake - where a directive from the government on a few blogs might have been misrepresented by ISP’s here - who have blocked entire domains. Update - July 18 morningFront page news at Economic Times - Terror Trail - Govt blanks out select blogFinancial Express also reports.Times of India reports - Bloggers upset at government clampdownHindustan Times - This is outrageous - “Officials defended the decision saying, “We would like those people to come forward who access these (the 12) radical websites and please explain to us what are they missing from their lives in the absence of these sites.” Indian Express - Post 7/11, Govt targets �extreme� websites, bloggers on the blink More updates on press converage here.Also, some proxy server aren’t working anymore - http://hidemyass.com/, http://pkblogs.com/. Other ways to bypass the ban. Update - July 18 afternoon. Proxies are now all working again. More voices against:Slashdot - read the discussions thereDNASaket informs us that Angela, the owner of wikia.com has moved our wiki from Scratchpad (which is a casual sort of wiki) to the censorship section of Wikia. The new URI is: http://censorship.wikia.com/wiki/Bloggers_Against_Censorship. Existing pages on the Wiki currently: List of ISPs that seem to have blocked blogger Group Members - Short Introduction of Bloggers Protests By Bloggers - Listing of Blog posts about the ban Quotes by Bloggers Bypassing the ban (Workarounds) Press Coverage of The Ban Blogs and RTI Act Update : July 18 - eveningWe want answers. The silence isn’t helping. I was talking to a journalist who asked me whether the silence from the Government has left us in much confusion. My answer - an unquivocal yes. Questions in my mind ….has the Govt goofed ? Or is it really talking censorship? If it is the latter, as a citizen I feel my constitutional right to freedom of speech and expression is under severe threat. And that disturbs me greatly. There is a lot of anger too as is evident in all the discussions at the Blogger’s Collective google group. There is another angle to this too - is it a goof on the govt’s part … or the ISP’s - if the Govt banned certain blogs … and the ISP’s banned entire domains … that’s perhaps the ISP’s screwup. But now that the issue has taken such serious proportions that we want answers, and soon - what really toook place between the government and ISP’s? Why it happened? What does this mean for my rights as a citizen? What assurance that it will not happen again?Update: July 19Filing RTI’s - here’s how. The Right to Information Act was enacted by Parliament in 2005. It mandates timely response to citizen requests for government information. Any ordinary Indian Citizen can file a Right To Information application and the Government is compelled to respond. You can find more information here: http://persmin.nic.in/RTI/WelcomeRTI.htm.This thread discusses Effective Filing of RTI’s at the Blogger’s Collective. Sarbajit Roy, a cyber-law expert, said, “This block is a mindless exercise and shows that our bureaucrats don’t understand technology at all.” [HT - Govt blames ISPs - Blogger's Protest]Update July 19 - afternoonRTI Filed - here’s the text.Update July 19 - eveningJace spots this - messenger - based VoIP including Yahoo and Skype to be banned too??? Skype - hope you’re listening. Update July 20Peter links to a scanned version of the ACTUAL document that went out to the ISPs and Rediff tells us that the block on blogs (no, not the other sites) will be lifted in 48 hours plus notes on the kind of websites that have been blocked. [Neha] 2:22:45 PM comment [commentCounter (854)] trackback [trackbackCounter (854)] [...]

Pingback by Conversations with Dina — January 1, 2007 @ 10:56 pm
[...] These are two separate issues. See http://www.shivamvij.com/2006/07/somebody-must-have-blocked-some-sites-what-is-your-problem.html [...]

Pingback by Indian Blog Controversy Bull Shit « Daily.GigaOM — January 2, 2007 @ 4:35 am
[...] /*Example CSS for the two demo scrollers*/ #pscroller1{ width: 177px; height: 100px; border: 1px solid white; padding: 5px; background-color: black; } .someclass{ //class to apply to your scroller(s) if desired } /*Example message arrays for the two demo scrollers*/ var pausecontent=new Array() pausecontent[0]=’World IP Day-05′ pausecontent[1]=’The Government’s viewpoint’ pausecontent[2]=’Should nudity be legalized in India?’ pausecontent[3]=’CSR in India’ pausecontent[4]=’Cyber Crimes’ pausecontent[5]=’Copyright and photographers’ pausecontent[6]=’Dataquest-Changing the order’ pausecontent[7]=’Maintenance obligations’ pausecontent[8]=’WIPO-WIPD-06′ pausecontent[9]=’Blocking of sites’ pausecontent[10]=’Blogger blocked’ pausecontent[11]=’E-judiciary and e-lawyering in India’ /*********************************************** * Pausing up-down scroller- � Dynamic Drive (www.dynamicdrive.com) * This notice MUST stay intact for legal use * Visit http://www.dynamicdrive.com/ for this script and 100s more. ***********************************************/ function pausescroller(content, divId, divClass, delay){ this.content=content //message array content this.tickerid=divId //ID of ticker div to display information this.delay=delay //Delay between msg change, in miliseconds. this.mouseoverBol=0 //Boolean to indicate whether mouse is currently over scroller (and pause it if it is) this.hiddendivpointer=1 //index of message array for hidden div document.write(”+content[0]+”+content[1]+”) var scrollerinstance=this if (window.addEventListener) //run onload in DOM2 browsers window.addEventListener(”load”, function(){scrollerinstance.initialize()}, false) else if (window.attachEvent) //run onload in IE5.5+ window.attachEvent(”onload”, function(){scrollerinstance.initialize()}) else if (document.getElementById) //if legacy DOM browsers, just start scroller after 0.5 sec setTimeout(function(){scrollerinstance.initialize()}, 500) } // ——————————————————————- // initialize()- Initialize scroller method. // -Get div objects, set initial positions, start up down animation // ——————————————————————- pausescroller.prototype.initialize=function(){ this.tickerdiv=document.getElementById(this.tickerid) this.visiblediv=document.getElementById(this.tickerid+”1″) this.hiddendiv=document.getElementById(this.tickerid+”2″) this.visibledivtop=parseInt(pausescroller.getCSSpadding(this.tickerdiv)) //set width of inner DIVs to outer DIV’s width minus padding (padding assumed to be top padding x 2) this.visiblediv.style.width=this.hiddendiv.style.width=this.tickerdiv.offsetWidth-(this.visibledivtop*2)+”px” this.getinline(this.visiblediv, this.hiddendiv) this.hiddendiv.style.visibility=”visible” var scrollerinstance=this document.getElementById(this.tickerid).onmouseover=function(){scrollerinstance.mouseoverBol=1} document.getElementById(this.tickerid).onmouseout=function(){scrollerinstance.mouseoverBol=0} if (window.attachEvent) //Clean up loose references in IE window.attachEvent(”onunload”, function(){scrollerinstance.tickerdiv.onmouseover=scrollerinstance.tickerdiv.onmouseout=null}) setTimeout(function(){scrollerinstance.animateup()}, this.delay) } // ——————————————————————- // animateup()- Move the two inner divs of the scroller up and in sync // ——————————————————————- pausescroller.prototype.animateup=function(){ var scrollerinstance=this if (parseInt(this.hiddendiv.style.top)>(this.visibledivtop+5)){ this.visiblediv.style.top=parseInt(this.visiblediv.style.top)-5+”px” this.hiddendiv.style.top=parseInt(this.hiddendiv.style.top)-5+”px” setTimeout(function(){scrollerinstance.animateup()}, 50) } else{ this.getinline(this.hiddendiv, this.visiblediv) this.swapdivs() setTimeout(function(){scrollerinstance.setmessage()}, this.delay) } } // ——————————————————————- // swapdivs()- Swap between which is the visible and which is the hidden div // ——————————————————————- pausescroller.prototype.swapdivs=function(){ var tempcontainer=this.visiblediv this.visiblediv=this.hiddendiv this.hiddendiv=tempcontainer } pausescroller.prototype.getinline=function(div1, div2){ div1.style.top=this.visibledivtop+”px” div2.style.top=Math.max(div1.parentNode.offsetHeight, div1.offsetHeight)+”px” } // ——————————————————————- // setmessage()- Populate the hidden div with the next message before it’s visible // ——————————————————————- pausescroller.prototype.setmessage=function(){ var scrollerinstance=this if (this.mouseoverBol==1) //if mouse is currently over scoller, do nothing (pause it) setTimeout(function(){scrollerinstance.setmessage()}, 100) else{ var i=this.hiddendivpointer var ceiling=this.content.length this.hiddendivpointer=(i+1>ceiling-1)? 0 : i+1 this.hiddendiv.innerHTML=this.content[this.hiddendivpointer] this.animateup() } } pausescroller.getCSSpadding=function(tickerobj){ //get CSS padding value, if any if (tickerobj.currentStyle) return tickerobj.currentStyle["paddingTop"] else if (window.getComputedStyle) //if DOM2 return window.getComputedStyle(tickerobj, “”).getPropertyValue(”padding-top”) else return 0 } [...]

Pingback by Perry4Law, New Delhi, India — January 3, 2007 @ 1:59 pm
to be blocked, and the problem spreads to most ISPs around the country. There are rumours that this is the result of a directive from the Indian government to ISPs. This is confirmed on speaking to the customer service departments of various ISPs. A number of bloggers cover the issue and suggest workarounds. Even the mainstream media jumps in. And the issue goes international. Soon, it starts to appear that the Indian government didn’t ask to block blogspot.com or any of the other domains.

Pingback by Why Me? — January 13, 2007 @ 7:12 am
Maybe this is due to a somewhat free press that takes all the attention away, but i havent even seen it tried, and i can’t stop feeling that this grassroot activism is the exercise of a proper and functionning democracy.

Comment by Jeremy > Money Making Stories — January 19, 2007 @ 1:40 am
[...] Madras 10 Hottest ClicksSyndicate Madras 10 Hottest Clickspost at AgelessBonding on Pallankuzhiagelessbonding.blogspot.comhow you can bypass the blockscratchpad.wikia.comலிவிங் ஸ்மைல் வித்யாவைlivingsmile.blogspot.comShivam posts on his experience - calling up a government officialwww.shivamvij.com[IMG_0205.jpg]photos1.blogger.comBecause we all need a good laughwww.pkblogs.comRediff articlein.rediff.comPhotos of giant ocean waves crashing over a cargo shipwww.geocities.comhttp://pkblogs.compkblogs.comList of ISPs that seem to have blocked bloggerscratchpad.wikia.com [...]

Pingback by Madras, Tamil Nadu, India 10 Hottest Clicks - MyBlogLog — January 20, 2007 @ 1:21 pm
[IMG]“Somebody must have blocked some sites. What is your problem?” at National Highway

Pingback by IndiaSphere - Pulse on the Indian Blogosphere — January 23, 2007 @ 12:47 pm
[...] Your page is now on StumbleUpon! For each appearance in your referral logs, one of our members has ’stumbled upon’ your site after clicking “Stumble!” on our toolbar to discover a new great site. Enter Your URL → [...]

Pingback by StumbleUpon — January 25, 2007 @ 1:19 am
It is a very sad story showing that no none can feel safe nowadays even in the cyberspace.

Comment by Life focus pro — March 3, 2007 @ 4:04 pm
Some people feel, that while the last Congress rubber stamped all government tampering, and the newest Congress sleeps through it all, even the good old land of the free,
is not what it was.
A few short years ago, before the 9/11 excuse, I would not have feared leaving the first three or four words out
of the previous paragraph.
Anyone reading world news reports has heard the facts.
If they feel like reading your mail, or listening in on
phone calls, they now have the right, so I’m told.
Somehow, it doesn’t make me feel safer to know my
privacy is dwindling.
I guess the whole world is giving up some freedom, for
a little security, but I don’t have to like it! And though
I won’t be around much longer, I worry for my children,
and grandchildren!

Keep your eyes open guys, and while you’re at it, keep
your eye on that Mayan calender!!
W.H.

Comment by Wilson Haire — March 3, 2007 @ 10:24 pm
[...] get through to their site, try this. …www.gumbopages.com/scribhneoireacht/censorware.html“Somebody must have blocked some sites. What is your problem?” at …Mr Mani also told me that he doubts if the list of sites to be blocked is classified as [...]

Pingback by how to get through blocked sites: Web Search Results from Answers.com — May 10, 2007 @ 10:06 pm
[...] accounts, post new blogs, edit existing blogs etc but we can’t read any blog in a blogspot URL. Click here for more I dont know what next. How about banning Google in this information age? The Government by this [...]

Pingback by Prabu Karthik's Viewfinder: 07/01/2006 - 08/01/2006 — May 16, 2007 @ 11:45 am
[...] India is again playing with censorship on web just after china. The Department of Telecommunications passed an order to ISPs Friday to block several websites. The list is confidential. ISPs have been slowly coming into compliance. blogs & sites hosted on Blogger , Typepad & Geocities are not accessible now. The List of ISP’s that Blocked Blogger is here. Bloggers collective initiated protest by Bloggers. A new wiki is setup against censorship Shivam Vij managed to talk to Dr Gulshan Rai, director of CERT-IN, the only body authorised to issue a blocking directive. His response: “Somebody must have asked for some sites to be blocked. What is your problem?”. [...]

Pingback by ~~Unplugged!… : Blog Archive : India censors web again — May 21, 2007 @ 8:57 am
[...] Update 11 (edit: July 17, 2006): Shivam has been calling people left, right and centre (more power to him, and us bloggers) and has g… [...]

Pingback by Travel Tales From India — June 5, 2007 @ 11:58 pm
Enna sir,
I don’t know about such problems to us Tams, but you must try quillpad.in/tamil
It’s a haven for Tamizh bloggers.
Please do have a look.

Comment by santhanam — July 10, 2007 @ 7:07 pm
[...] order’ pausecontent[7]=’Maintenance obligations’ pausecontent[8]=’WIPO-WIPD-06′ pausecontent[9]=’Blocking of sites’ pausecontent[10]=’Blogger blocked’ pausecontent[11]=’E-judiciary and e-lawyering in India’ [...]

Pingback by Perry4Law - First Techno-Legal and ICT Firm, New Delhi, India. — July 27, 2007 @ 10:07 am
It is INTERNET CENSORSHIP of this sort that must be Banned!

Comment by Newsdrive — August 8, 2007 @ 12:22 pm
I cannot access the typepad blogs and blogsopt blogs. I don’t know why. Is anyone know how to access them?

Comment by zhonglanfeng — August 19, 2007 @ 6:51 pm
[...] Shivam Vij began calling up representatives of ISPs and officials in the government. In what has come to encapsulate the government’s refusal to [...]

Pingback by Indian bloggers fight government censorship from Guardian Unlimited: News blog — August 29, 2007 @ 7:55 am
[...] Elsewhere “Somebody must have blocked some sites. What is your problem?” [...]

Pingback by Blogspot blogs blocked in India by some ISPs :-( : Alootechie — October 21, 2007 @ 10:01 pm

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initiated protest by Bloggers. A new wiki is setup against censorship Shivam Vij managed to talk to Dr Gulshan Rai, director of CERT-IN, the only body authorised to issue a blocking directive. His response: “Somebody must have asked for some sites to be blocked. What is your problem?”. Every ban Govt proposes is in the name of controlling terrorists. There are such unclarified reports this time too. It is very same as denying public water supply in the name of terrorists are used to drink it. This also shows that Govt of India

Pingback by Anivar's journal — January 1, 1970 @ 12:00 am

[...] Note - Updates are being added towards the end of the post. Please keep checking. I am including some government contacts in Update 10. Please contact them and ask them to release an official list of those sites that are on the list of blocked sites, or ask them if they would prefer a Right to Information application. Shivam posts on his experience - calling up a government official. [...]

Pingback by Blogger blocked by some ISPs in India? at Within / Without — July 17, 2006 @ 3:06 pm

Hmm..

Interestingly, I am not facing such problems. I am able to access all blogspot sites in spite of using Airtel Broadband, which I am told is one of the ISPs that is blocking access to blogspot sites.

And yes, I think it is time to invoke the RTI..

But I am not really surprised that the Indian government is trying to censor the internet. After all, it ranks really low in the world press freedom index.

Comment by Apurva — July 17, 2006 @ 3:49 pm

[...] Saket writes about the Indian Government doing a Big Brother. Shivam posts on his experience - calling up a government official. Dina shares the mail she wrote to CERT-IN and her ISP. [...]

Pingback by DesiPundit » Archives » Blogspot.com Blocked In India By Some ISPs — July 17, 2006 @ 4:17 pm

Unfortunately we all don’t have the funds to use our own domains and hosting :P

I do though, I just haven’t implemented it yet.

Comment by Nonedone — July 17, 2006 @ 4:39 pm

Shivam, shouldn’t the moral be to stand up and fight for your rights? People have legitimate reasons for using a hosted service, ranging from the existing community who can hold discussions with you via the comments section, to simply not having the time/resources to maintain something independently.

Comment by Jace — July 17, 2006 @ 4:58 pm

AirTel has joined in. I use AirTel Broadband in Delhi and I can confirm blogspot blogs are not accessible. I can login blogger.com, go to the dashboard, write and publish but I cant see the post. I cant see acces any other blogspot blog.

Comment by Atlantean — July 17, 2006 @ 5:03 pm

[...] Shivam Vij [...]

Pingback by Writing Cave » Blogger websites blocked in India — here’s how you can access them — July 17, 2006 @ 5:14 pm

@nonedone: you do not need to buy hosting. buy a domain name and make it point to your blogspot address/ip.

Comment by Apurva — July 17, 2006 @ 5:20 pm

why censor? in the name of democracy; freedom of speech and expression; fundamental right thats why…

Comment by Aaditya Dar — July 17, 2006 @ 5:42 pm

Yes my blogspot site is also inaccessible from MTNL (Though it was not updated since a month or so, and hence nothing to do with mumbai blast…..TRUST ME) Call centre MTNL guy said “no blocking”

Is everything alright in this great democarcy?

vijender

Comment by masijeevi — July 17, 2006 @ 5:45 pm

Damn them, we are not living in some islamic country run by an extremist!! I’m on Hathway connection in delhi & Blogspot.com is blocked, though blogger is opening!!

Comment by Amit Gupta — July 17, 2006 @ 5:49 pm

Shivam,
Suggesting WP is fine and all, but the very scenario is not a champion for the case to do that. What if tomorrow all wordpress.com sites are blocked and what if shivamvij .com is made to be present in the “To be blocked sites” list that will be given to ISPs ? :) Changing the host can not be solution to this problem, no ?

Comment by Rk — July 17, 2006 @ 6:00 pm

This is highly intolerable. Though moving to one’s own domain isn’t really a solution. If a babu so decides, the domain may land up in the 22-page document.

And about classified lists… Arrrrgghhh!

Comment by vijayendra — July 17, 2006 @ 6:22 pm

Instead of deciding to read those blogs to find out what they are upto, he decides to ban them. I am shit-scared that my country’s security is in that guy’s hands” Indian Blog Censoring by Vijay Anand Blogs and the Right To Information Act“Somebody must have blocked some sites. What is your problem?”“Indian Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-In) has been designated as the single authority for issuing of instructions in the context of blocking of web sites. CERT-In has to instruct the Department of

Pingback by Ram H. Viswanathan’s Blog — July 17, 2006 @ 6:39 pm

Whether this is intentional or not, all blogspot blogs are not accessible from India. Nikhil was the first one I knew who had this problem. Since then, many people have noticed the same. Some havetalked to government officials. I personally didn’t have any problems accessing mine or any other blog, until this evening. It seems that Sify has joined in the fray, and has started the blockages too. Frankly, I’m pissed. I’m betting on this being a temporary problem,

Pingback by Twisted View — July 17, 2006 @ 6:52 pm

[...] I called up a senior Spectranet official who confirmed that the Department of Telecommunications (not the Ministry of IT) had on Friday sent a list of sites to be blocked. This is the same list, it seems, that MTNL’s Sharma was telling me about. This list is not public. It deserves to be. [Link] [...]

Pingback by Ultrabrown : India censors Blogspot — July 17, 2006 @ 7:07 pm

Report: Indian government blocking all Blogspot blogs

Manish says, As of Saturday, Blogspot sites seem to be blocked via many major Indian ISPs. A blogger called up several government officials and was told the Department of Telecommunications sent a list of sites to be blocked on Friday. The ISPs seemed …

Trackback by Boing Boing — July 17, 2006 @ 7:30 pm

[...] Shivam posts on his experience - calling up a government official. [...]

Pingback by Rohan Pinto » Anonymity Is Not a Crime — July 17, 2006 @ 7:31 pm

It is so unfortunate to block all the Blogspot blogs.

However , i presume the cross border terror could have made the Indian authorities to filter certain contents..It may be temporary…

Those with Blogsopts blogs like me …. http://benzeneinternational.blogspot.com
need not worry so much

My 2cents worth comment..

Comment by Ellango — July 17, 2006 @ 7:54 pm

Iqara joins the list of IPSs doing the blocking. Can’t get through to any blogspot blogs now.

Comment by Matt — July 17, 2006 @ 7:59 pm

then had no subdomain level blocking technology and so they blocked whole domain. As of now, with the help of this page, I have e-mailed to Assistant Public Information Officer (APIO) for my telecom circle. Here is rediff.com story on this issue.Hereis Shivam’s blog for the story. A google group BloggersCollective is made to follow up the issue. Wiki is maintained where all ISPs which are facing this problem are listed. I am unable to view my

Pingback by aadipa — July 17, 2006 @ 8:01 pm

What do you mean by ‘blocked’? Does it shows ‘404 - Page cannot be displayed’ or some other message like the site is being banned/blocked is displayed when you type the URL?

I don’t believe that GoI will do something like this.

Comment by Partha — July 17, 2006 @ 8:16 pm

Well the blogspot was very slow in the morning and now it is completely inaccessible. I have airtel broadband. And the call centre guy, first said that it was redirecting him to blogger.com and when I insisted I didn’t get redirected they have registered the problem and promised to resolve it by tomorrow. No mention of any blocking whatsoever even after asking several times.

Comment by Abhipraya — July 17, 2006 @ 8:18 pm

Indian Blog Censoring

It seems that there are reports about a lot of ISPs in India censoring a host of blog sites. For the moment, it seems that domains ending with blogspot.com and geocities.com are the target. The list of ISPS include, Spectranet…

Trackback by Anonymous — July 17, 2006 @ 8:20 pm

[...] “Somebody must have blocked some sites. What is your problem?” சென்னையிலும் போட்டுத் தள்ளினால், எல்லாரும் முழித்துக் கொள்வார்கள் என்று நினைக்கிறேன். [...]

Pingback by Prakash’s Chronicle » Blog Archive » Blogspot.com ban, Next in Chennai? — July 17, 2006 @ 8:54 pm

[...] Boing Boing directed me to a post on national highway about India’s Department of Telecommunications blocking blogs en masse. This cant be good news and there is, apparently, no explanation being given. No Tags [...]

Pingback by “Somebody must have blocked some sites. What is your problem?” at Shawn Blog — July 17, 2006 @ 9:02 pm

1. Buying your own domain name and pointing it to blogspot will not help you coz, blocking is by IP address and not domain name. The IP address does not change.

2. Moving to wordpress will also not be much helpful. What if govt blocks wordpress too?

3. I like the idea of RTI petition. I would love to help you guys. Get in touch with me @ honeyuee@yahoo.com

4. The govt may want to block a particular blog, but they dont have the right to block the entire blogspot. Lets challenge them in the court if needs be.

Comment by Himanshu Sahani — July 17, 2006 @ 9:08 pm

India Censoring Blogs?

Amit Varma @ India Uncut and other Indian bloggers noticed they were having problems accessing Blogspot sites. Now there’s confirmation that Internet providers are getting government orders to block Geocities, Typepad and Blogger sites, although there…

Trackback by Pajamas Media — July 17, 2006 @ 9:11 pm

The Terrorists Have Won

…because now, you can’t read Blogspot or Typepad-hosted blogs in India. No Barmaid, no Abhi, no MD, no Brimful, no Badmash, no Maisnon. Erstwhile Mutineer Manish has more (natch) on Ultrabrown: For all the talk of India�s freedom and democr…

Trackback by Sepia Mutiny — July 17, 2006 @ 9:45 pm

I am facing the same poblem trying to access my blog. Now it has nothing that could be of potential harm. Censorship on net is unacceptable. I am using MTNL. It sucks.

Comment by Tanvi — July 17, 2006 @ 9:59 pm

Basically this is nothing but carelessness of the ISPs. The 22 page list might be having many blogspot and other sites so that they must have done is, blocked whole blogspot domain instead of spending time in blocking each site.

It is same case like Yahoo Groups one…just non-technical dumb ass people adding *.blogspot.com in the block list lol

Deep

Comment by Deep — July 17, 2006 @ 10:01 pm

[...] This is the first question in the minds of people who were / are not able to access their blogspot blogs. I just got to know about it from my friend Shivam Vij [...]

Pingback by Oh where is my blog? — July 17, 2006 @ 10:20 pm

This is pathetic. The only sites that I would support blocking are those involved in clearly illegal activities like child pornography. To block sites for expressing dissenting political viewpoints is stupid. If a site espouses secession from India, is that feeling going to go away just because the morons in the bureaucracy/political establishment decide that they are going to make it difficult to access those sites?

In general, I am not a supporter of taking Indian problems to the West (Europe/America) but as with all third world countries - and sorry to say, we are no exception - the only thing our beloved bureaucratic/political masters fear is bad publicity in the big bad West. So, I would suggest mailing a report of this idiotic behaviour to as many media outlets in the West as possible and then wait for the bureaucratic shuffle — “We are supporters of freedom of expression” etc. etc. Amidst the rhetoric, it is more than likely that the block will be quietly removed.

Comment by suresh — July 17, 2006 @ 10:21 pm

Apparently It’s Not Only America

Apparently it’s not only the US that overreacts to terrorism. This morning, the entire country of India starting blocking all Geocities, TypePad, and BlogSpot websites in entirety. The reasons being given is that terrorists communicate via blogs. Wow….

Trackback by MauriceReeves.com — July 17, 2006 @ 10:49 pm

For those who are stuck behind ISP firewalls, I have written a small article on how to bypass these firewalls through proxies and email surfing. Please refer to http://www.pranavnegandhi.com/notadesigner/2006/07/big-brother-vs-nerds-round-1.html.

Comment by Pranav Negandhi — July 17, 2006 @ 11:17 pm

Die indische Regierung hat sichoffenbarentschlossen, mein Blog sowie alle anderen Blogspot, Typepad und Geocities Seiten für ihre Bürger zu sperren. Es geht dabei mutmaßlich um Terroristen, die über Blogs Informationen austauschten. Für die Terroristen gibt es

Pingback by Traui verschwendet Deine Zeit — July 17, 2006 @ 11:25 pm

or simply access your blogspot blog like this: http://www.pkblogs.com/blogname

replace blogname with your blogspot blog name

Comment by Deep — July 17, 2006 @ 11:35 pm

How can I tell if my website, Incredible Fukn.us (www.fukn.us) is being blocked? Despite the name sounding vaguely dirty, it is a site dedicated to the odd things in life, strange barter, and small dictators. Can anyone tell me if it is blocked?

chris damitio
chairman of the fukn bored

Comment by Chris Damitio — July 17, 2006 @ 11:44 pm

[...] Update 2: July 17 2006 Shivam Vij has managed to get the media interested through Rediff. That is a good sign. It will be interesting to see what the Government has to say on the issue, and why they have banned it - I dont think they did be taking an extreme step like this not without any basis. [...]

Pingback by techborg » Technology » Blogspot Blocked In India? — July 17, 2006 @ 11:53 pm

Everyone: thank you. Will reply each comment individually very soon.

Comment by Shivam Vij — July 17, 2006 @ 11:56 pm

[...] The story that seems to be emerging: a directive from the Department of Telecommunications has ordered a set of sites to be blocked within India. Shivam Vij reports: Then I called up a senior MTNL engineer who’s in-charge of these things, Mr. R.H.Sharma. Mr Sharma was polite and helpful and said that he had a long 22-page of list of sites, sent to him by the National Informatics Centre, and he would needs two hours to go through it and find out if it contains any Blogspot or Typepad site! But he said that as far as he knew MTNL had not blocked blogspot per se. [...]

Pingback by …My heart’s in Accra » India joins an elite club? — July 18, 2006 @ 12:10 am

Bangalore BSNL seems to have been the last one to go down. I can still access TypePad as I type Blogspot went down a couple of hours back.

Comment by Deep Joy Majumdar — July 18, 2006 @ 12:18 am

Confirmed - my cable operator (7Star) is also serving up an ‘Operation timed out while attempting to connect to ___.blogspot.com’ Was ok in office, though; will check again tomorrow.
This is very, very worrying, whichever way you look at it; either as a deliberate act or as a careless mistake. The Government of India either does not understand or care about something called fundamental rights; we don’t have the right to equality, we don’t have educational and cultural rights, we don’t have the right to equality, and now we don’t have the right to freedom of speech and expression.

Comment by Ashish — July 18, 2006 @ 12:28 am

Did the govt start unblocking the sites? I saw a hit from BSNL (WB) yesterday (US time), which should be Monday IST.

Comment by common man — July 18, 2006 @ 12:32 am

[...] India is again playing with censorship on web just after china. The Department of Telecommunications passed an order to ISPs Friday to block several websites. The list is confidential. ISPs have been slowly coming into compliance. blogs & sites hosted on Blogger , Typepad & Geocities are not accessible now. The List of ISP’s that Blocked Blogger is here. Bloggers collective initiated protest by Bloggers. Shivam Vij managed to talk to Dr Gulshan Rai, director of CERT-IN, the only body authorised to issue a blocking directive. His response: “Somebody must have asked for some sites to be blocked. What is your problem?”. [...]

Pingback by moving republic » India’s censors web again — July 18, 2006 @ 1:09 am

pkblogs is overloaded I think. I can’t access the site. Meanwhile, I have implemented a tool that will show any Blogger post in text-only format. It works with most Blogger blogs.
Please check out.

http://www.anniyalogam.com/scripts/freedomviewer.php

Coming soon: If you are able to login to Blogger, you can also leave comments in others’ blogs using my tool.

Comment by Ramani — July 18, 2006 @ 1:21 am

[...] Here is Shivam’s blog for the story. [...]

Pingback by Blog sites blocked in India at aadipa.be — July 18, 2006 @ 1:34 am

GREAT JOB SHIVAM!!!
Thanks for the mail too. Had no clue about this blockage before that…
As someone rightly pointed out switching to WP can’t be the solution to this madness… Something more concrete and more direct must be done to undo this colossal stupidity!

Comment by Maharajadhiraj — July 18, 2006 @ 1:36 am

What is your problem?

..the move is like cutting the phone connection of the whole country because some terrorists are using phone. This is a big mess up and we are waiting to see what happens next.

Trackback by The third world view — July 18, 2006 @ 1:42 am

[...] All of the blogosphere is abuzzed by this news. People are taling about it here, here and here. [...]

Pingback by Sarvesh’s Blog » How to Shoot Yourself in the Foot — July 18, 2006 @ 2:43 am

Pingback by Sarvesh Bhardwaj’s Blog » Blog Archive » How to Shoot Yourself in the Foot — July 18, 2006 @ 2:46 am

must have asked for some sites to be blocked. What is your problem?” If any Boing Boing readers in India find several sites inaccessible today, please call your ISP and demand to know why. If you can help, please join the coordinating group: Link.Linkto Shivam’s post, and Jace is following developments on his blog, here. Manish adds, The block is still spreading through Indian ISPs. This recalls Pakistan’s Blogspot ban during the Danish cartoon controversy and India’s Yahoo Groups ban in ‘03 to

Pingback by 美丽人生--Helen — July 18, 2006 @ 3:00 am

[...] Its futile to block anything on the internet. Any block has a way around it. I am sure Indian government is not trying to become another China. It is a very poor decision by the Indian government. You can find more details about this on Shivam Vij’s blog. Here’s a quick list on how to get around this ban: [...]

Pingback by kunjan.net » Blog Archive » How to get around Indian Censorship — July 18, 2006 @ 3:28 am

Report: Indian gov blocks Blogspot, Typepad, Geocities blogs (UPDATED)

Xeni Jardin: BoingBoing reader Jace says, India’s Department of Telecommunications (DoT) passed an order

Trackback by Tech Headlines — July 18, 2006 @ 6:10 am

The title really says it all!! Thats the level of knowledge of the indian govt!

Indian govt and majority of the market still dont get the concept of web 2.0 or community websites! This reminds me of the arrest of Avnish Bajaj because some guy sold some porno MMS on eBay/Bazee! knee jerk reaction of the poor ignorant politicians if you ask me! :-(

sad reality http://www.desihub.com/blogs/page/mihir/20060717#indian_market_government_not_yet

Comment by Mihir — July 18, 2006 @ 6:47 am

[...] Boing Boing [...]

Pingback by India Blocks Blog at The Blog Herald — July 18, 2006 @ 6:56 am

i did all crappy things in the last three days .. .after i was not able to view my blogpage in blogspot !!!

ppl i guess we need to go to press .. NDTV or aaj tak…. if there is a popular revolution .. these guys will get bogged down !!!!

what more i saw a huge article on blogging in blogspot @ CNBC on sunday evening !!!!

Comment by Anonymous — July 18, 2006 @ 9:09 am

i did all crappy things in the last three days .. .after i was not able to view my blogpage in blogspot !!!!!

I saw a half an hour article on blogging in CNBC .. sunday evening .. we should take it to the press … what say ppl ? AAJ TAK wud be fine !!

Comment by Bharani — July 18, 2006 @ 9:11 am

website is arbitrary, unreasonable and unfair and is based on extraneous and irrelevant materials and reasons, then it would be vulnerable to the attack of unconstitutionality, being in violation of Articles 14, 19 and 21 of the Constitution of India.read the rest of his post…Looks like someone is actually planning to sue. And guess where he’s posted his proposal? Google Groups! Didn’t see that coming, did you, DoT?

Pingback by Protected Blog Login « WordPress.com — July 18, 2006 @ 10:23 am

The Great Indian Government did it again. We elected those asses now they are paying up. Just answer me one thing, the Babus who know nothing they are dealing with. Do you own the internet? Do you have the right to censor it? Did your Dad own it? Did you buy it? Did you overtake it from anyone through Bruteforce. Let me answer this one for you. NO. The Government NEVER helped to popularise the Internet. The Internet is the real thing FOR THE PEOPLE, BY THE PEOPLE and TO THE PEOPLE. Now from nowhere comes this banning. The ISP are helpless and they have to ban else they will also be in some jail like Avnish Bajaj. This is a cheap act. The government doesn’t understand that if someone needs to spead something they can over the internet. And one thing is for sure the terrorists are much smarter than the people in the Government. Banning some sites won’t help stopping them. People just don’t get influenced by blogs, we are not that dumb. Are we kids who will believe whatever we read. I am upset with this policing. Anyways, here is all I can do. Just open these sites and you will be able to access. These are webproxies enter the url and visit.
http://tproxy.guardster.com/proxy.php/
http://hidemyass.com
And please if anyone gives me the crap that I elected the Government; which is most times told on TV news channels; I would say Dude didn’t you realise that I ran out of Options.

Comment by ToyDaVirus — July 18, 2006 @ 11:17 am

This is only since 17th July afternoon, I use Airtel Chennai
This morning I was able to publish but unable to view it. I thought blogspot was under some kind of maintainance.
Strangely I was receiving comments for my current and previous posts. I was confused until a friend of mine informed me about the block. Called Airtel and confirmed it
unfortunately this happens to a super power of IT

Comment by Rauf — July 18, 2006 @ 11:28 am

[...] Yesterday when i was going through my ususual routine of checking RSS feeds of various blogs.And all blogspot accounts returned error.When i checked some blogger accounts it returned a timed out error.(Some people says they get a banned error!!) . I thought blogspot server may be down.Even after a few hours there is no change. Even at night things where same..I googled and found out some news in rediff.com. Indian ISPs are blocking blogger accounts! WTF!! I agree that there are some anti-Indian blogs in blogspot.But what about others? Almost all my friends blog in blogspot as it is simple and free.Backed up by google , it gives reasonable service with less downtime. Thats the reaseon why everyone opted for blogspot for satrting their blog. I used to blog on Blogspot and later switched to my own domain. I know people who run business through blogspot blogs.Some use it as a news service. And now..!! I think indian govt is taking some harsh steps after the mumbai tragedy. Its ok to ban anti-Indian sites.But it has to be precise. You cant block entire domain just because of having 1 or 2 violent sites. Even mumbai help(a blog created after the trajedy for providing help and service to people affected by the bomb blast) was blocked! So the next step will be blocking google.com as one can reach a "anti-indian" site by searching in google.I think its the time to react . We , the bloggers need to protest.No one else is going to give pressure as i dont think the polititians even know about blogging.First i thought about mass mailing.But now..i think it would be better to tell them directly about it through telephone(I thought abt this after reading this blog ) . Phone numbers are available here and here . [...]

Pingback by Blog.nEo999.com » Blog Archive » India Govt Banned Blogspot — July 18, 2006 @ 12:26 pm

[...] The supposed reason is an order from India’s Department of Telecommunications (DoT), and if it’s true, the only thing I’ve to say to the person who ordered this, is - “Sir, you are a moron. Thank you!” [...]

Pingback by Reverberations » Blog Archive » Indian ISPs blocking Blogspot, Typepad — July 18, 2006 @ 1:03 pm

[...] I was not able to access certain BlogSpot sites on my blogroll on Friday evening. But didn’t think much into and just blamed my ISP for the glitch and the people behind BlogSpot.com. However the same situation was repeated on Saturday and later when I hopped onto DesiPundit did I realize that the same problem was being experienced by majority of bloggers in India (only). As we Bloggers are known for spreading our causes and struggles across the internet - even this un-wanted act committed by DoT has been criticized and discussed by local and international bloggers. And our MSM has also touched on the topic, so what it took them nearly 4 days to figure it out (though some are still confused over the number of blocked sites). Shivan Vij has put up a detailed on account on this story. From what I understand, our (not) efficient government has ordered a blackout of certain number of (some say 12, some believe its 18 and some think it’s around 20) sites for publishing content that was ‘anti-national’ and ‘against public interest’. Though government officials have defended their move by stating that the action against the concerned sites were in the pipe-line but most of us are smart enough to figure the actual reason behind this move; Mumbai Train Blasts. [...]

Pingback by To Each Its Own » Archives » Bloggers Blocked — July 18, 2006 @ 1:17 pm

[...] Shivam Vij, tried to contact the authorities seeking a clarification about the issue. He was was made to (virtually) run from pillar to post, and ended up with a curt, “What’s your problem? Someone must have blocked some site. So?” Typical. [...]

Pingback by Corporate Spices » Blog Archive » All sanity has ‘Left’ India… — July 18, 2006 @ 2:05 pm

What Can India Learn From China?

If You Can’t Beat Blogs, Block Them Global Voice reports the blockage of Blogspot/TypePad-hosted blogs in India. The official response is Somebody must have blocked some sites. What is your problem? Mdeii wholeheartedly supports the Indian nanny:I who…

Trackback by Letters from China — July 18, 2006 @ 2:10 pm

Internet censorship in India

It is all over the place - Slashdot, Boingboing, Desipundit, Financial Express, Hindustan Times, Rediff and elsewhere - Indian ISPs are enforcing the ban ordered on websites, some of which happens to be hosted on Blogspot, Typepad and Geocities.
This i…

Trackback by Security — July 18, 2006 @ 2:32 pm

“Beware he who would deny you access to information, for in his heart he dreams himself your master”

Comment by Saurabh — July 18, 2006 @ 3:24 pm

It is just height of stupidity. I have a post on this which discusses some more issues which the goverment has to concenterate rather than bringing in a blanket ban.

http://viewsreviews.wordpress.com/2006/07/18/india-information-blackout/

Comment by Deepak Kumar Vasudevan — July 18, 2006 @ 3:49 pm

[...] I am confident, that we are going to push the government into lifting the blocks. Lots of Indian bloggers, including me have made it their mission to blog about this and make sure everyone knows what is going on (Kiran, Shivam, Neha,) Mridula). This needs to be stopped. The Times of India article continues to say, that many bloggers reckon that this clampdown amounts to repression of free speech. I think it does. It has also cut into helpful organisations like the Mumbai Help blog, which was helping people during the blasts of 7/11 and during the floods last year. Almost nobody can access that blog anymore, as it was hosted on Blogspot. [...]

Pingback by Quantum Thinking » Free speech gets a beating in the worlds largest democracy — July 18, 2006 @ 3:56 pm

Hi.
Sify also joined in that wagon of blocking the blogsites.I could’nt able to access any of the blogspot sites from sify cafe’s ( bangalore, ITPL main road )
I guess, the person who created that list must be a non-IT person. Instead of blocking individual sites,ordering to block all the sites is stupidy !
Come on yaar, its a democratic country !

thanks shivam for valuable post !! Keep blogging and sharing !!!

Mahes
Bangalore

Comment by Maheshkumar.R — July 18, 2006 @ 4:09 pm

Hi,

I did not know how I can get in touch with you. So I am leaving a msg here. I liked this story very much and request u to share it at merinews. Will like to know if you can do that. Plz mail me at consultingsudipta@gmail.com.
I will really wait for your mail ASAP.

Comment by Sudipta Sengupta — July 18, 2006 @ 4:10 pm

[...] Die indische blogosphere scheint derzeit beschäftigt, herauszufinden, was zur Hölle eigentlich los ist und hat dafür eine google-group eingerichtet. [...]

Pingback by FalsePositive » Blog Archive » Zensur-Groteske in Indien — July 18, 2006 @ 5:28 pm

Some twenty sites are blocked in India and people started making nonsense by saying blah.. blah.. blah.., comparing India with China, with countries of Middle-East and even with North Korea too. This is as kike as most of the stupid ‘breaking-news’ come every hour on news channel containing no valuable content.

As working as the fifth pillar of Indian Democracy, we should be more cautious while reacting on the decision of the government. Comparing Indian democracy with autocratic countries is an extreme step. We should completely avoid these kinds of blogging. People are in a hurry to react and taking no time to literally abusing the step taken by the government, which yet not be released officially.

On the other hand, the government should take cautious steps to block some websites, and it should release the proofs or basis of blocking. In spite of giving directives to ISPs, they might ask Google to do that.

Anyway, I am requesting the respected bloggers to stop criticizing the government move so harshly and try to find out the major cause behind that. We should provide some suggestive measures in front of the government to have an eye before taking such kind of step.

Comment by Pratyush Ranjan — July 18, 2006 @ 6:15 pm

somehow the govt came to know tht terrorists were using blogs to communicate and pass commands…and what does ourgovt do???
it decides to block http://www.blogspot.com and leaves out http://www.blogger.com

hehe…dont these idiots kno tht still blogs can be read and published…

Comment by humbl devil — July 18, 2006 @ 6:45 pm

Initially I thought it was some regular glitch, I seem to have woken up quite late!
I believe we should take the course of legal action.

Comment by Basudeb Dasgupta — July 18, 2006 @ 6:52 pm

[...] There’s news on the web to the effect that our beloved but extremely mis-guided government is clamping down on popular blogging sites. At the moment ‘blogger.com’ ‘typepad.com’ among others are on the ‘Do Not Let Through’ list being handed out to major ISPs. Make sure you read this blog in it’s awe-inspiring completeness before I have to join the underground fugitive blogger role-call. Read about it - http://www.shivamvij.com/2006/07/somebody-must-have-blocked-some-sites-what-is-your-problem.html http://www.boingboing.net/2006/07/17/report_indian_gov_bl.html [...]

Pingback by Carlos’ Chronicles » Indian Govt. Blocks Bloggers — July 18, 2006 @ 7:32 pm

[...] It is no surprise that Bloggers all around India (and I presume from all around the Blogosphere as well) are up in arms against it. There are quite a few blogs out there which give a clearer picture than my own and bring forth the issue to the forefront. Mridula was one of the earliest ones to notice that and has been following it up diligently here. Nandan has a nifty suggestion to use the Right To Information act to get to the root of the act. IF you are unable to access those and other blogs hosted on Blogger.com, then read Labnol’s detailed instructions on how to access them on the sly . The site also has a well-written QnA’s on what has happened allovasudden! Shivam Vij highlights the steps he has taken to follow up on the root-cause of this blanket ban and has some really interesting insights. Please read thorough these and many other such blogs and make your voice heard by signing the Petition at Wikia. [...]

Pingback by My Wierd Wired World » Blog Archive » BlogSpot BlackSpotted!!! — July 18, 2006 @ 8:32 pm

deep is right one can circumvent the ban. In my case this http://www.pkblogs.com/devkumarsblogs.blogspot.com worked but http://devkumarsblogs.blogspot.com doesn’t.

If a person opens an email account and writes a message and saves it in draft mode in the same account then it is virtually impossible to ‘intercept’ such a message. An accomplice in any corner of the globe can then enter the same account and read the message.

Can we curb terrorism by blocking sites which host blogs? I doubt it. One thing is for sure - We will certainly become the laughing stock of the cyber world.

Comment by Dev — July 18, 2006 @ 10:51 pm

[...] Rediff (via) has more on the issue of Indian ISPs blocking access to Blogspot, Geocities, and Typepad domains. [...]

Pingback by GagWatch » More on the Indian blogger ban — July 18, 2006 @ 11:20 pm

To Pratyush Ranjan: Dude get some brains. It’s not about comparing us to China or some totalaterian regime, it’s about one government’s decision to infringe upon the basic freedom of it’s citizens. And you know what, if you let them get away with one, there will be more. Freedom of press and freedom of speech are the two most important components of a democracy. Without absolute freedom of speech we cannot have a true democracy. Remember the surrender to absolute authority occurs in small steps, by giving up your civil liberties one by one. And before you realize you will wake up one morning in Nazi germany. There should not be any compromises on our basic freedom. Period.

Comment by dipesh — July 19, 2006 @ 12:40 am

Dear Fellow Indians
I am also a victim of this senseless BAN on Freedom of Expression.
I beleive this is sheer frustration of govt. in failure of tackling terrorism.
This is same type of situation like what earlier pm Indra Gandhi did by putting Emergency in entire state.But Manmohan Singh jee this is not 1970’s era ,this is Year 2006 where 75% of population is young and knows ways how to express themselves.
SMS ( read as Sardar Manmohan Singh) is just adding fuel to frustration of mumbai blasts and not trying to react to the situations and giveing a befitting reply to terrorists like Isreal did to lebanon.

Anyways regarding blogspot…you have numerous ways to reach your blogspot sites.
Let me send you the link

Get all info through

http://censorship.wikia.com/wiki/Bypassing_The_Ban
site and express yourself.

or read below

Jai Hind
Nitin
http://www.citychd.com

For Blogspot

* http://www.hidemyass.com
* http://www.shadowsurf.com
* http://pkblogs.com (Enter blog name. Or directly use a URL of the form http://www.pkblogs.com/blogyouwanttoread. http://www.pkblogs.com/mumbaihelp will let you see http://mumbaihelp.blogspot.com
* Anniyalogam Freedom viewer You can quickly view just the latest post of the blog with hyperlinks, formatting etc (no more text-only). Also shown is a link to the Blogger comment page to view and post comments, which is an advantage over Bloglines.
* bloglines and find an RSS Feed to the blog.
* http://techbytes.co.in/experimental/bypass.php?url=http://XYZ.blogspot.com:Works with non-blogspot domains as well.
* INBLOGS Just Like PKBLOGS

[edit]
Firefox Extension

* httProxy:
A firefox extension for proxyfing the sites. Also included pkblogs.com along with other options.
* Dilettante via pkblogs or Dilettante:
A Greasemonkey script to use Coral Cache to rewrite Blogspot URLs. It’s at the bottom of the post.

[edit]
For sites blocked by domain names

* Using google translate, e.g., if the blog is “blogyouwanttoread.blogspot.com”, then use

http://www.google.com/translate?langpair=en|en&u=blogyouwanttoread.blogspot.com

(May not work)
[edit]
For Tamil Blogs aggregated by thenkoodu.com

* Bloggers Blockage - A Quick Solution For tamil blogs aggregated by Thenkoodu

[edit]
For Malayalam Blogs aggregated by chintha.com

* Recent Malayalam blogs from Chintha.com.

Also see Malayalam-blogs at malayalam-blogs.blogspot.com/ for general information on fonts and other blogging sites in Malayalam.

For Mozilla Firefox Users Create a quick search

* Bookmark the above URL( Boomarks | Bookmark this page / Ctrl D )
* Goto Bookmarks | Manage Bookmarks
* Right Click on the saved bookmark, goto Properties
* In the URL field replace u=blogyouwantedtoread.blogspot.com to u=%s
* In the keyword field give a simple name like bypass or dumbgoi etc.
* Now goto the address bar ( Alt D ) and enter bypass blogname
* example ( shameless plug hehe): bypass makash.wordpress.com
* Hope This Helps you save some time and typing.

[edit]
Proxy server list

One way to visit a blocked site is through another site, generally called a proxy site or proxy server. Some proxies are listed below.

* http://www.boreproxy.com ((below the link for favourites you will find an edit box; enter URI there)
* http://www.shadowsurf.com
* http://www.hidemyass.com
* http://www.shysurfer.com
* http://www.daveproxy.co.uk
* http://www.ninjaproxy.com
* Anonymouse Proxy (cookies are not stored, so you cannot submit comment with saved Username & Password.)
* Unipeak
* Search in google for nph proxy.cgi, you’ll get lots of free proxies.

[edit]
Using TOR to bypass the block

* Onion Routing for the Paranoid
* Tor and FoxyProxy extension for Firefox - straightforward set up
o A one click solution. Use the Tor network.
o Go to http://torpark.nfshost.com/download.html,
o Download the torpark.exe (a self extracting archive which will extract the Torpark.exe executable) and run it.
o Torpark.exe is a secure version of firefox which will let you access any site via the tor network. Speed on my 1 Mbit connection is slow , but this should work for all. Since this is a version of firefox , any other firefox windows you open up while using this will be the copies of this exe and not the Firefow you have installed. Closing all Torpark Firefox windows is enough to start using your installed version of firefox again.
o There are no extensions and all scripts are blocked by default. You can use Opera or some other browser to Post blogs via Blogger ( since blogger is not blocked ).

[edit]
External Links

* Boing Boing’s guide to defeating Censorware Lost of links and good advice
* Amit on getting around the ban
* Google free proxy! Access restricted web sites using Google language tools service as a proxy. Essentially, you’re asking Google to translate an English page into English.
* Reporters Without Borders -Technical ways to get around censorship
* Workaround for censorship - Blogger way (via pkblogs)

[edit]
By Using Google Web Accelerator

Downloadand install Google Web accelreator and bypass the BAN. When using GWA, you actually access the blogspot pages from the Google Proxy server, where they are cached and not directly from the blogspot server.

Comment by Nitin — July 19, 2006 @ 4:55 am

[...] go here. here. here. here. here and here. [...]

Pingback by fractured.earth / a short, crisp note to the indian government — July 19, 2006 @ 8:46 am

Pingback by Milliblog! » Gimme my 2 channel Doordarshan back! — July 19, 2006 @ 10:40 am

this is for Dipesh, I am completely agree with you dear with all your knowing about the constitution of India and others. Let me clear one thing, If Government did it for the sake of the national security. it is fine. you cannot question on the security measures. let me give an example to you. Its better to hit hard on the backbone of the threat element to the nation.

But the government should come forward with the basis and cause of such kind of acts. that would be positive move.

Do not worry about the guarantee of the fredom of the speech in India. this is 21st century dear. and this is India. the ban of media in India is history.

I am making you sure that if it clears that Government is doing this without any basis and only to curb the voice of the people, I will be probably the first person to stand with you. visit http://www.indiadaily.org/entry/government-feels-bloggers-heat-now/

Comment by Pratyush Ranjan — July 19, 2006 @ 12:41 pm

of ‘to be blocked’ sites to ISPs and some of the lazy ass ISPs blocked the whole domains instead of spending time and blocking each and every sub domain mentioned in the list. Other related posts by Bloggers Aadi BoingBoing Deep NoneDone RediffShivamSimran

Pingback by Sreejith’s NETwork — July 19, 2006 @ 4:42 pm

This certainly sounds like internet censorship to me.

Comment by Rose DesRochers — July 20, 2006 @ 7:28 am

[...] According to a Wall Street Journal article (available temporarily without subscription), the Department of Telecommunications stated that the ISPs have been asked only to block specific websites, although the confusion might have led to some ISPs to do a blanket ban, e.g. instead of banning just a few specific blogs hosted on blogspot, all blogs on blogspot are banned. There also have been recent signs that blanket bans are slowly being lifted by some ISPs. It is not certain whether the lift is of permanent nature. There is a general lack of further official government explanation and justification for these censorship practices and asking government officials in an effort to find out more have proven futile so far. This is especially frustrating considering India often prides itself being “the world’s largest democracy”. [...]

Pingback by book and sword : gratitude and revenge » india’s recent censorship practices — July 21, 2006 @ 2:35 am

To Pratyush. You talk of national security. Here we have ordinary people providing so many solutions to bypass all these restrictions. Those highly motivated terrorists would certainly come up with more ways to overcome these cosmetic blockades. So, it defeats the main purpose of the move.
Govt. and yourself are too naive to think that blocking the whole of blogspot will solve the problem.
what if this is 21st century?

Comment by yossarian — July 21, 2006 @ 2:32 pm

[...] (via) “Somebody must have blocked some sites. What is your problem? [...]

Pingback by Days in a wannabe punk’s life » Blog Archive » Groan… — July 22, 2006 @ 12:33 pm

ohjeisti perjantaina maan internet-palveluntarjoajia estämään pääsy useisiin verkkopalveluihin. Blokkilistalle joutuneet osoitteet ovat pääasiassa blogipalveluita, kuten Blogspot, Typepad ja Geocities.com. Eräs internetin käyttäjä, Shivam Vij, yritti selvittää tilannetta paikallisen CERT-ryhmän johtajalta Gulshan Railta, mutta hän ei ollut kiinnostunut tilanteesta. Huhujen mukaan kyseessä on väliaikainen terrorisminvastainen operaatio, sillä terroristisolujen on epäilty käyttävän

Pingback by Sektori.com - Tärkeimmät uutiset. Edelleen. — July 24, 2006 @ 7:47 pm

Only the paranoid survive?

In which I explore the reasons for paranoia against totalitarianism and restriction of freedom.
India has been subjected to online censorship, and there have been muses from both side of the fence. From those that believe the
government�…

Trackback by DAtum — July 25, 2006 @ 11:27 am

must have asked for some sites to be blocked. What is your problem?” If any Boing Boing readers in India find several sites inaccessible today, please call your ISP and demand to know why. If you can help, please join the coordinating group: Link. Link to Shivam’s post, and Jace is following developments on his blog, here . Manish adds, The block is still spreading through Indian ISPs. This recalls Pakistan’s Blogspot ban during the Danish cartoon controversy and India’s Yahoo Groups ban in ‘03

Pingback by Feringhee: The India Diaries — July 27, 2006 @ 2:41 pm

As an european having lived in india for half a year (Alas shorter than i wish it to be), i can only say that there is a definite need for more people like you out there.

I am always amazed at the amount of effort you, simple guys (I am thinking of other blogs on the subject of corruption in India), can put up with to get things known, and in a certain way to get them right.

I can’t even see that happening in my homecountry (france). Maybe this is due to a somewhat free press that takes all the attention away, but i havent even seen it tried, and i can’t stop feeling that this grassroot activism is the exercise of a proper and functionning democracy.

Congrats, and keep up!

Comment by Ed en Vadrouille — July 27, 2006 @ 7:33 pm

are thousands or even hundreds of thousands of bloggers in the country, they are still a blip in a billion-plus population. They don’t just matter very much to the politicians and the officials. As the Indian Internet watchdog supremo told blogger Shivam Vij, “A few sites have been blocked. What’s your problem?” It can’t happen in Singapore I can’t imagine anything like that happening in Singapore. Sure, the authorities keep watch on the media and cyberspace. Singapore Internet service

Pingback by Blog-o-desi — July 30, 2006 @ 12:49 pm

there are thousands or even hundreds of thousands of bloggers in the country, they are still a blip in a billion-plus population. They don’t just matter very much to the politicians and the officials. As the Indian Internet watchdog supremo told blogger Shivam Vij, “A few sites have been blocked. What’s your problem?” It can’t happen in Singapore I can’t imagine anything like that happening in Singapore. Sure, the authorities keep watch on the media and cyberspace. Singapore Internet service providers block

Pingback by Memory and Desire — July 31, 2006 @ 7:26 am

[...] Link [...]

Pingback by newsBreaks.net » Report: Indian government blocking all Blogspot blogs — August 4, 2006 @ 11:22 am

[...] Link to Shivam’s post, and Jace is following developments on his blog, here. [...]

Pingback by newsBreaks.net » Report: Indian gov blocks Blogspot, Typepad, Geocities blogs (UPDATED) — August 4, 2006 @ 11:23 am

[...] Several theories have been put forth, regarding this whole imbroglio. Support executives at Spectranet have stated that indeed they received a letter from the Ministry Of Communications, with only instructions to block “certain blogs”. When confronted with the information that not a single blogspot blog was accessible, they did not have a satisfactory answer. One theory could be that the government has indeed asked the ISPs to block certain blogs, but the ISPs have gone ahead and overzealously blocked the entire domain. Comrade Shivam has tried to further probe into the matter, but has received quite a rude response. He’s done an excellent rediff article on the issue, nevertheless. [...]

Pingback by The Plot Thickens… at Psychotic Ramblings Of A Mad Man… — August 4, 2006 @ 5:36 pm

，极少服务器提供商阻断了网络访问。星期一，短短两个小时内就有五六个（甚至更多）服务器提供商们封锁了上述网站。人们仍可以通过[Blogger]发表文章，但无法在[Blogspot]看到所写文章。[Shivam向政府官员求助，希望能有一个说法。] 我好不容易联系上了Gulshan Rai博士，他倒是个很质朴很实在的人。他说他也不明白我的问题究竟出在哪，况且也不是电话里三言两语就能解决问题。

Pingback by 全球之声-全球博客内容中文翻译版 — August 5, 2006 @ 1:31 am

[...] On another note, there is no difference in attitude between “I’ll be the commissioner” verbiage and “Somebody must have blocked some sites. What is your problem?” which incidentally, was the response the aforementioned poster got from a certain Gulshan Rai, a public servant of India. [...]

Pingback by Impedance mismatch over HTTP » Blog Archive » “I’ll be the commissioner” — August 6, 2006 @ 9:39 am

ISPs to ban those sites, which host thousands of Indian blogs. Besides noting that a) the ban won’t work, and b) it’s a grotesque violation of freedom of speech, I don’t really have anything brilliant to add to what others have said here, here, here, or here. By all indications it’s a Department of Communication order, though Shivam Vij failed in his quest to track down anyone in the government who would actually take responsibility for imposing the ban.

Pingback by Amardeep Singh — August 9, 2006 @ 2:12 am

Here’s how to bypass the government’s blocks. Thanks to Pranav Gandhi. Related stories in the Business Standard, Blog Herald, Web Pro News, Moneycontrol and The Financial Express. Shivam Vij has blogged about the issue. Rediff News has also published an article by Shivam Vij. UPDATE: India Uncut has more detailed information on how to bypass the weblock. Neha Vishwanathan has covered the issue too. So has Mridula

Pingback by angry fix — August 11, 2006 @ 7:41 am

உயர் அதிகாரி, டாக்டர்.குல்ஷன் ராய் ( CERT-IN இயக்குனர்) அவர்களிடம் கேட்ட போது கிடைத்த பதில், “Somebody must have blocked some sites. What is your problem?” சென்னையிலும் போட்டுத் தள்ளினால், எல்லாரும் முழித்துக் கொள்வார்கள் என்று நினைக்கிறேன்.

Pingback by Prakash's Chronicle — August 16, 2006 @ 11:01 pm

i want join this site

Comment by keyan — September 8, 2006 @ 9:27 pm

hello someone has blocked shysurfer can u unblock it

Comment by nas — September 25, 2006 @ 10:17 am

It will not happen in my lifetime or my children’s lifetime, but it is inevitable. It is on the cards. The promise of a free, empowered society is our fountain of hope. There will be people who will deem the blocking of a bunch sites as trivial — “Somebody must have blocked some sites. What is your problem ?” they will say. Well, here is my problem. When you selectively block a bunch of sites, you are stifling opinion and debate. You are are shutting out certain ideologies since you do not like them. You Sir, have no freaking right to do that to

Pingback by Ennui and other Truths — September 27, 2006 @ 9:48 am

[...] Previous posts/stories by me on internet censorship: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 [...]

Pingback by The Discreet Charms of the Nanny State at National Highway — October 7, 2006 @ 2:02 pm

is also blocked. Dina Mehta has her take on the situation. Amit Agarwal has a collection of tips on how to bypass the block (but first you’ll have to bypass the block to read that). Shivam Vij now has a longer write-up on the information he dug up this morning. Update 3 – 5:15 PM: Airtel (and possibly) Sify have also started blocking. Update 4 – 10:55 PM: Sify and Tata Indicom (previously VSNL) are also confirmed blocking now. Shivam Vij has an article out at Rediff

Pingback by Kiran Jonnalagadda’s Blog — jace.seacrow.com — November 1, 2006 @ 6:28 am

Why is bebo blocked

Comment by Ashley Vaughan — November 3, 2006 @ 12:53 am

[...] The problem’s been coming to light since the weekend. Dina Mehta and a number of others have posted about it on their respective blogs. Jace gives a good description of the situation, According to Jace, CERT-IN (Computer Emergency Response Team-India) is the only body that can block websites but the DoT routinely hands off lists of URLs to block. There are comments on some of these blogs stating that it’s an “operation” and all will be back to normal by the 19th. But finding out information hasn’t been easy – a CERT official, once reached, was not exactly polite to one blogger. [...]

Pingback by girlwonder: July 2006 Archives — November 11, 2006 @ 1:16 pm

[...] Somebody must have blocked some sites. What is your problem?�? at … Somebody must have blocked some sites. What is your problem?�? at …Two days ago, good Mridula sent me an email saying her ISP, and some others had blocked blogspot sites . I personally had no problem with the shady ISP I was using.www.shivamvij.com/2006/07/somebody-must-have-blocked-some-sites-what-is-your-problem.htmlis [...]

Pingback by Somebody must have blocked some sites. What is your problem?�? at ... — November 13, 2006 @ 9:26 pm

[...] “Somebody must have blocked some sites. What is yo… … the list of sites to be blocked, sent recently to ISPs … One way to visit a blocked site is through … guide to defeating Censorware Lost of li… http://www.shivamvij.com/2006/07/somebody-must-have-blocked-some-sites-what-is-y... « Previous Page 2 of 6287 Next » [...]

Pingback by links to visit blocked sites - #1 All Hip Hop Search Engine swicki - powered by eurekster — November 15, 2006 @ 11:52 pm

[...] India restricting web access As we catch up with the news this week, we have been reading with interest the debate in India regarding the Government’s efforts to restrict the way in which terrorist organisations can make use of the Internet. In the wake of the dreadful Mumbai train bombings 10 days ago, they do, of course, have our sympathy.There is significant nervousness in the Indian Internet community, however, when China-style site blocking kicks in. The Great Indian Mutiny blog has some interesting commentary. “There is a crack down in place” the site confirms. Meanwhile, WebProNews carries a detailed story here. Writer Jason Lee Miller confirms the “…Department of Telecommunications was found to have given directives to regional Internet service providers to block access to blogspot.com, typepad.com and geocities. Over the weekend, the blogosphere lit up with reports that access to these sites had been blocked. As bloggers busied themselves trying to find the reason, update upon update revealed that ISP call center representatives were instructed by the DOT to block access to the sites, but did not offer a reason why”. Permalink Posted by Paul Woodward @ 1:15 PM postCount(’115363170568606933′); | postCountTB(’115363170568606933′); [...]

Pingback by Asia Business Media: July 2006 — November 17, 2006 @ 3:47 am

[...] you might want to read this- http://www.shivamvij.com/2006/07/somebody-must-have-blocked-some-sites-what-is-your-problem.html and http://mutiny.wordpress.com/2006/07/17/blog-blackout/ [...]

Pingback by Blocking Blogger « Scobleizer - Tech Geek Blogger — November 21, 2006 @ 11:04 am

Comment by Taggert — November 21, 2006 @ 6:38 pm

Pingback by 42 Quirks - » All sanity has ‘Left’ India… — November 28, 2006 @ 1:26 pm

[...] The Indian government was accused of censorship after the Department of Telecommunications was found to have given directives to regional Internet service providers to block access to blogspot.com, typepad.com and geocities. Over the weekend, the blogosphere lit up with reports that access to these sites had been blocked. As bloggers busied themselves trying to find the reason, update upon update revealed that ISP call center representatives were instructed by the DOT to block access to the sites, but did not offer a reason why. It didn’t take long bloggers using other platforms to publish their theories and some clever workarounds to be able access those sites again. Not until Monday was there any more light shed on the matter. According to a blog called “The Great Indian Mutiny,” reported that the block was associated with terror plots inside the country: Two sources, one inside the Government of India and the other kind of inside/outside have confirmed to the Mutiny, that ISPs are being instructed to �control’ access to blogspot. It seems that some blogs are being used by some terror units (read SIMI) to communicate. There is a crack down in place. IP numbers are being physically located and identified. All should come back to normal once this operation is over. There is no ban in place. Livejournal and WordPress have been spared. No reason given. The block occurs very soon after a series of attacks on suburban trains in Mumbai, carried about radical Islamist groups. Only the Indian government knows the reasoning behind the measures. It seems blocking the websites would derail intelligence gathering and tip off the cells in question. India terrorism censorship | document.write(”Email WebProNews here.”) Drag this to your Bookmarks. Add to document.write(”Del.icio.us”) DiggThis Yahoo My Web Receive Our Daily Email of Breaking eBusiness News About the Author: Jason L. Miller is a staff writer for WebProNews covering technology and business. WebProNews RSS Feed More Top News Articles Contact WebProNews [...]

Pingback by India Blocks Access Major Blog Sites — November 29, 2006 @ 1:12 am

Without absolute freedom of speech we cannot have a true democracy. Remember the surrender to absolute authority occurs in small steps, by giving up your civil liberties one by one.

Comment by Michael — December 7, 2006 @ 6:17 pm

[...] What appeared to be on the 15th just some ISPs blocking access, on Monday, in a matter of about two hours, five to six more ISPs started blocking the above stated sites. People could still publish to their blog via Blogger.com, but not see their blog at Blogspot.com. Shivam shares his experience, calling up government officials to get some sort of response from them. Finally I managed to get through to Dr Gulshan Rai. He was downright rude. He said he couldn’t understand what my problem was, and in any case he could not solve it on phone. [...]

Pingback by Global Voices Online » Blog Archive » India: Blocking access to Blogs on Blogspot and Typepad in India — December 9, 2006 @ 3:23 am

Pingback by Performancing.com | Helping Bloggers Succeed — December 10, 2006 @ 7:46 am

Hi there could you please email me a huge list of proxys my email is brogdens@otocoll.schoolzone.net.nz i want heaps because my school has already blocked heaps…thanks

Comment by Sam.b — December 11, 2006 @ 5:24 am

[...] Report: Indian gov blocks Blogspot, Typepad, Geocities blogs [...]

Pingback by digg / bobsil1 / dugg — December 12, 2006 @ 10:55 am

[...] “Somebody must have blocked some sites. What is your problem?” Published by Shivam Vij July 17th, 2006 in Blogging. [...]

Pingback by “Somebody must have blocked some sites. What is your problem?” at National Highway — December 19, 2006 @ 6:56 pm

[...] Update 2 - Over IM, Mridula (Delhi) confirms that her ISP’s call centre stated that they have received a letter from the Government, hinting that it has something to do with the block. Dina called up her ISP’s call centre and they confirm that there is no blocking or filtering at their end. Update 3 - Anupa on Sify.net and Rit on Airtel can access. Monica on Tata Indicom confirms that she can post and access Blogspot.com. Angelo showed me how to access blogspot blogs - “use an open proxy - go to http://www.hidemyass.com - type in the blog url (in this case I typed in http://mumbaihelp.blogspot.com/ - type in the validation code, and you should be able to see it.” It worked! Still, this isn’t the solution, its a real shame if this is a directive from the Government of India. We must all raise our voices against it. Update:This morning, I was checking out some Typepad blogs - same problem as with Blogger blogs. This is what I got from tracert:C:Documents and SettingsDina Mehta>tracert typepad.com Tracing route to typepad.com [204.9.178.11]over a maximum of 30 hops: 1 192.168.17.1 reports: Destination net unreachable. Trace complete.Am really puzzled now … and wonder what’s going on. I just called Reliance Powersurfer again and they tell me that after all my calls yesterday, they checked again and wished to confirm that they were not blocking or filtering any sites themselves. However, the big news from the call centre employee on the line was that they did check and it seems that Blogspot has been blocked by the Ministry of Communication centrally. I asked them for more details, or any sort of confirmation of the same, which they were unable to provide. Update - July 17A set of neat tricks to access blocked websites.A wiki set up by Peter - add your ISP’s contact details if you are facing this problemI have written letters to Powersurfer and to CERT-IN - here’s the text:Dear Sirs,I am a long term subscriber to Reliance Powersurfer and since the last few days, I have been unable to access several blog sites. Have run tracerts on them and they show destination unreachable. However, I can access them through proxy servers. I also spoke to the Reliance Powersurfer Help Desk, and they confirmed that Blogspot blogs have been blocked centrally by the Ministry - and that Powersurfer is not filtering or blocking them at their end. I would be most grateful if you could look into whether there has been any directive from the Government to block blog sites on blogspot.com and typepad.com. There is already much being written about this by way of speculation — see these — http://www.gonomad.com/traveltalesfromindia/2006/07/what-is-up-with-blogspot-blogger-sites.htmlhttp://www.withinandwithout.com/?p=854 http://radio.weblogs.com/0121664/2006/07/15.html#a854This is really important, as all blogs regardless of content are being blocked on these sites - and we would like to get to the bottom of this. We’d like confirmation of this from you and any other details, before we can take it up with the relevant Ministry, and any other information you may have to help us. Many thanks,DinaI’d urge all those affected by this to write to their ISP providers and to CERT-IN.org - incident@cert-in.org.in for clarifications. Please add responses as you get them into the wiki. Update - July 17 evening:Updated list of ISP’s banning blogs - from Neha and some more pointers on who to contact for information.SpectranetMTNLAirtelSifyReliance Powersurfer / InfocomExatt7 Star Cable ServiceBlogspot.com has been blocked by all. Typepad.com and Geocities.com have been blocked by the others.Shivam shares his frustration on calling some of the authorities to get more information.My guess is its just a matter of time, before all ISP’s in India will enforce the block. This is really bad news. Or a terrible mistake somewhere.Update - July 17 nightBSNL and Iqara added to the list. The plot gets thicker as more bloggers are alerted to the fact that an increasing number of Indian ISP’s are involved. We’re treading with a little caution before we go whole-hog at the government. There is a possibility that it is all a mistake - where a directive from the government on a few blogs might have been misrepresented by ISP’s here - who have blocked entire domains. Update - July 18 morningFront page news at Economic Times - Terror Trail - Govt blanks out select blogFinancial Express also reports.Times of India reports - Bloggers upset at government clampdownHindustan Times - This is outrageous - “Officials defended the decision saying, “We would like those people to come forward who access these (the 12) radical websites and please explain to us what are they missing from their lives in the absence of these sites.” Indian Express - Post 7/11, Govt targets �extreme� websites, bloggers on the blink More updates on press converage here.Also, some proxy server aren’t working anymore - http://hidemyass.com/, http://pkblogs.com/. Other ways to bypass the ban. Update - July 18 afternoon. Proxies are now all working again. More voices against:Slashdot - read the discussions thereDNASaket informs us that Angela, the owner of wikia.com has moved our wiki from Scratchpad (which is a casual sort of wiki) to the censorship section of Wikia. The new URI is: http://censorship.wikia.com/wiki/Bloggers_Against_Censorship. Existing pages on the Wiki currently: List of ISPs that seem to have blocked blogger Group Members - Short Introduction of Bloggers Protests By Bloggers - Listing of Blog posts about the ban Quotes by Bloggers Bypassing the ban (Workarounds) Press Coverage of The Ban Blogs and RTI Act Update : July 18 - eveningWe want answers. The silence isn’t helping. I was talking to a journalist who asked me whether the silence from the Government has left us in much confusion. My answer - an unquivocal yes. Questions in my mind ….has the Govt goofed ? Or is it really talking censorship? If it is the latter, as a citizen I feel my constitutional right to freedom of speech and expression is under severe threat. And that disturbs me greatly. There is a lot of anger too as is evident in all the discussions at the Blogger’s Collective google group. There is another angle to this too - is it a goof on the govt’s part … or the ISP’s - if the Govt banned certain blogs … and the ISP’s banned entire domains … that’s perhaps the ISP’s screwup. But now that the issue has taken such serious proportions that we want answers, and soon - what really toook place between the government and ISP’s? Why it happened? What does this mean for my rights as a citizen? What assurance that it will not happen again?Update: July 19Filing RTI’s - here’s how. The Right to Information Act was enacted by Parliament in 2005. It mandates timely response to citizen requests for government information. Any ordinary Indian Citizen can file a Right To Information application and the Government is compelled to respond. You can find more information here: http://persmin.nic.in/RTI/WelcomeRTI.htm.This thread discusses Effective Filing of RTI’s at the Blogger’s Collective. Sarbajit Roy, a cyber-law expert, said, “This block is a mindless exercise and shows that our bureaucrats don’t understand technology at all.” [HT - Govt blames ISPs - Blogger's Protest]Update July 19 - afternoonRTI Filed - here’s the text.Update July 19 - eveningJace spots this - messenger - based VoIP including Yahoo and Skype to be banned too??? Skype - hope you’re listening. Update July 20Peter links to a scanned version of the ACTUAL document that went out to the ISPs and Rediff tells us that the block on blogs (no, not the other sites) will be lifted in 48 hours plus notes on the kind of websites that have been blocked. [Neha] 2:22:45 PM comment [commentCounter (854)] trackback [trackbackCounter (854)] [...]

Pingback by Conversations with Dina — January 1, 2007 @ 10:56 pm

[...] These are two separate issues. See http://www.shivamvij.com/2006/07/somebody-must-have-blocked-some-sites-what-is-your-problem.html [...]

Pingback by Indian Blog Controversy Bull Shit « Daily.GigaOM — January 2, 2007 @ 4:35 am

[...] /*Example CSS for the two demo scrollers*/ #pscroller1{ width: 177px; height: 100px; border: 1px solid white; padding: 5px; background-color: black; } .someclass{ //class to apply to your scroller(s) if desired } /*Example message arrays for the two demo scrollers*/ var pausecontent=new Array() pausecontent[0]=’World IP Day-05′ pausecontent[1]=’The Government’s viewpoint’ pausecontent[2]=’Should nudity be legalized in India?’ pausecontent[3]=’CSR in India’ pausecontent[4]=’Cyber Crimes’ pausecontent[5]=’Copyright and photographers’ pausecontent[6]=’Dataquest-Changing the order’ pausecontent[7]=’Maintenance obligations’ pausecontent[8]=’WIPO-WIPD-06′ pausecontent[9]=’Blocking of sites’ pausecontent[10]=’Blogger blocked’ pausecontent[11]=’E-judiciary and e-lawyering in India’ /*********************************************** * Pausing up-down scroller- � Dynamic Drive (www.dynamicdrive.com) * This notice MUST stay intact for legal use * Visit http://www.dynamicdrive.com/ for this script and 100s more. ***********************************************/ function pausescroller(content, divId, divClass, delay){ this.content=content //message array content this.tickerid=divId //ID of ticker div to display information this.delay=delay //Delay between msg change, in miliseconds. this.mouseoverBol=0 //Boolean to indicate whether mouse is currently over scroller (and pause it if it is) this.hiddendivpointer=1 //index of message array for hidden div document.write(”+content[0]+”+content[1]+”) var scrollerinstance=this if (window.addEventListener) //run onload in DOM2 browsers window.addEventListener(”load”, function(){scrollerinstance.initialize()}, false) else if (window.attachEvent) //run onload in IE5.5+ window.attachEvent(”onload”, function(){scrollerinstance.initialize()}) else if (document.getElementById) //if legacy DOM browsers, just start scroller after 0.5 sec setTimeout(function(){scrollerinstance.initialize()}, 500) } // ——————————————————————- // initialize()- Initialize scroller method. // -Get div objects, set initial positions, start up down animation // ——————————————————————- pausescroller.prototype.initialize=function(){ this.tickerdiv=document.getElementById(this.tickerid) this.visiblediv=document.getElementById(this.tickerid+”1″) this.hiddendiv=document.getElementById(this.tickerid+”2″) this.visibledivtop=parseInt(pausescroller.getCSSpadding(this.tickerdiv)) //set width of inner DIVs to outer DIV’s width minus padding (padding assumed to be top padding x 2) this.visiblediv.style.width=this.hiddendiv.style.width=this.tickerdiv.offsetWidth-(this.visibledivtop*2)+”px” this.getinline(this.visiblediv, this.hiddendiv) this.hiddendiv.style.visibility=”visible” var scrollerinstance=this document.getElementById(this.tickerid).onmouseover=function(){scrollerinstance.mouseoverBol=1} document.getElementById(this.tickerid).onmouseout=function(){scrollerinstance.mouseoverBol=0} if (window.attachEvent) //Clean up loose references in IE window.attachEvent(”onunload”, function(){scrollerinstance.tickerdiv.onmouseover=scrollerinstance.tickerdiv.onmouseout=null}) setTimeout(function(){scrollerinstance.animateup()}, this.delay) } // ——————————————————————- // animateup()- Move the two inner divs of the scroller up and in sync // ——————————————————————- pausescroller.prototype.animateup=function(){ var scrollerinstance=this if (parseInt(this.hiddendiv.style.top)>(this.visibledivtop+5)){ this.visiblediv.style.top=parseInt(this.visiblediv.style.top)-5+”px” this.hiddendiv.style.top=parseInt(this.hiddendiv.style.top)-5+”px” setTimeout(function(){scrollerinstance.animateup()}, 50) } else{ this.getinline(this.hiddendiv, this.visiblediv) this.swapdivs() setTimeout(function(){scrollerinstance.setmessage()}, this.delay) } } // ——————————————————————- // swapdivs()- Swap between which is the visible and which is the hidden div // ——————————————————————- pausescroller.prototype.swapdivs=function(){ var tempcontainer=this.visiblediv this.visiblediv=this.hiddendiv this.hiddendiv=tempcontainer } pausescroller.prototype.getinline=function(div1, div2){ div1.style.top=this.visibledivtop+”px” div2.style.top=Math.max(div1.parentNode.offsetHeight, div1.offsetHeight)+”px” } // ——————————————————————- // setmessage()- Populate the hidden div with the next message before it’s visible // ——————————————————————- pausescroller.prototype.setmessage=function(){ var scrollerinstance=this if (this.mouseoverBol==1) //if mouse is currently over scoller, do nothing (pause it) setTimeout(function(){scrollerinstance.setmessage()}, 100) else{ var i=this.hiddendivpointer var ceiling=this.content.length this.hiddendivpointer=(i+1>ceiling-1)? 0 : i+1 this.hiddendiv.innerHTML=this.content[this.hiddendivpointer] this.animateup() } } pausescroller.getCSSpadding=function(tickerobj){ //get CSS padding value, if any if (tickerobj.currentStyle) return tickerobj.currentStyle["paddingTop"] else if (window.getComputedStyle) //if DOM2 return window.getComputedStyle(tickerobj, “”).getPropertyValue(”padding-top”) else return 0 } [...]

Pingback by Perry4Law, New Delhi, India — January 3, 2007 @ 1:59 pm

to be blocked, and the problem spreads to most ISPs around the country. There are rumours that this is the result of a directive from the Indian government to ISPs. This is confirmed on speaking to the customer service departments of various ISPs. A number of bloggers cover the issue and suggest workarounds. Even the mainstream media jumps in. And the issue goes international. Soon, it starts to appear that the Indian government didn’t ask to block blogspot.com or any of the other domains.

Pingback by Why Me? — January 13, 2007 @ 7:12 am

Maybe this is due to a somewhat free press that takes all the attention away, but i havent even seen it tried, and i can’t stop feeling that this grassroot activism is the exercise of a proper and functionning democracy.

Comment by Jeremy > Money Making Stories — January 19, 2007 @ 1:40 am

[...] Madras 10 Hottest ClicksSyndicate Madras 10 Hottest Clickspost at AgelessBonding on Pallankuzhiagelessbonding.blogspot.comhow you can bypass the blockscratchpad.wikia.comலிவிங் ஸ்மைல் வித்யாவைlivingsmile.blogspot.comShivam posts on his experience - calling up a government officialwww.shivamvij.com[IMG_0205.jpg]photos1.blogger.comBecause we all need a good laughwww.pkblogs.comRediff articlein.rediff.comPhotos of giant ocean waves crashing over a cargo shipwww.geocities.comhttp://pkblogs.compkblogs.comList of ISPs that seem to have blocked bloggerscratchpad.wikia.com [...]

Pingback by Madras, Tamil Nadu, India 10 Hottest Clicks - MyBlogLog — January 20, 2007 @ 1:21 pm

[IMG]“Somebody must have blocked some sites. What is your problem?” at National Highway

Pingback by IndiaSphere - Pulse on the Indian Blogosphere — January 23, 2007 @ 12:47 pm

[...] Your page is now on StumbleUpon! For each appearance in your referral logs, one of our members has ’stumbled upon’ your site after clicking “Stumble!” on our toolbar to discover a new great site. Enter Your URL → [...]

Pingback by StumbleUpon — January 25, 2007 @ 1:19 am

It is a very sad story showing that no none can feel safe nowadays even in the cyberspace.

Comment by Life focus pro — March 3, 2007 @ 4:04 pm

Some people feel, that while the last Congress rubber stamped all government tampering, and the newest Congress sleeps through it all, even the good old land of the free,
is not what it was.
A few short years ago, before the 9/11 excuse, I would not have feared leaving the first three or four words out
of the previous paragraph.
Anyone reading world news reports has heard the facts.
If they feel like reading your mail, or listening in on
phone calls, they now have the right, so I’m told.
Somehow, it doesn’t make me feel safer to know my
privacy is dwindling.
I guess the whole world is giving up some freedom, for
a little security, but I don’t have to like it! And though
I won’t be around much longer, I worry for my children,
and grandchildren!

Keep your eyes open guys, and while you’re at it, keep
your eye on that Mayan calender!!
W.H.

Comment by Wilson Haire — March 3, 2007 @ 10:24 pm

[...] get through to their site, try this. …www.gumbopages.com/scribhneoireacht/censorware.html“Somebody must have blocked some sites. What is your problem?” at …Mr Mani also told me that he doubts if the list of sites to be blocked is classified as [...]

Pingback by how to get through blocked sites: Web Search Results from Answers.com — May 10, 2007 @ 10:06 pm

[...] accounts, post new blogs, edit existing blogs etc but we can’t read any blog in a blogspot URL. Click here for more I dont know what next. How about banning Google in this information age? The Government by this [...]

Pingback by Prabu Karthik's Viewfinder: 07/01/2006 - 08/01/2006 — May 16, 2007 @ 11:45 am

[...] India is again playing with censorship on web just after china. The Department of Telecommunications passed an order to ISPs Friday to block several websites. The list is confidential. ISPs have been slowly coming into compliance. blogs & sites hosted on Blogger , Typepad & Geocities are not accessible now. The List of ISP’s that Blocked Blogger is here. Bloggers collective initiated protest by Bloggers. A new wiki is setup against censorship Shivam Vij managed to talk to Dr Gulshan Rai, director of CERT-IN, the only body authorised to issue a blocking directive. His response: “Somebody must have asked for some sites to be blocked. What is your problem?”. [...]

Pingback by ~~Unplugged!… : Blog Archive : India censors web again — May 21, 2007 @ 8:57 am

[...] Update 11 (edit: July 17, 2006): Shivam has been calling people left, right and centre (more power to him, and us bloggers) and has g… [...]

Pingback by Travel Tales From India — June 5, 2007 @ 11:58 pm

Enna sir,
I don’t know about such problems to us Tams, but you must try quillpad.in/tamil
It’s a haven for Tamizh bloggers.
Please do have a look.

Comment by santhanam — July 10, 2007 @ 7:07 pm

[...] order’ pausecontent[7]=’Maintenance obligations’ pausecontent[8]=’WIPO-WIPD-06′ pausecontent[9]=’Blocking of sites’ pausecontent[10]=’Blogger blocked’ pausecontent[11]=’E-judiciary and e-lawyering in India’ [...]

Pingback by Perry4Law - First Techno-Legal and ICT Firm, New Delhi, India. — July 27, 2007 @ 10:07 am

It is INTERNET CENSORSHIP of this sort that must be Banned!

Comment by Newsdrive — August 8, 2007 @ 12:22 pm

I cannot access the typepad blogs and blogsopt blogs. I don’t know why. Is anyone know how to access them?

Comment by zhonglanfeng — August 19, 2007 @ 6:51 pm

[...] Shivam Vij began calling up representatives of ISPs and officials in the government. In what has come to encapsulate the government’s refusal to [...]

Pingback by Indian bloggers fight government censorship from Guardian Unlimited: News blog — August 29, 2007 @ 7:55 am

[...] Elsewhere “Somebody must have blocked some sites. What is your problem?” [...]

Pingback by Blogspot blogs blocked in India by some ISPs :-( : Alootechie — October 21, 2007 @ 10:01 pm