India Can Access BitTorrent Sites Once Again as Block Is Lifted

[rajeesh]

Some Indian users and pirates wanting to access their favorite file-sharing sites found that they had been blocked by their ISPs. Thankfully, their sites are back up and, even better, they're accessible because an Indian court decided that blocking entire sites just so people won't be able to share a single movie is not legal.

Copyright holders, in this case Bollywood, managed to get a court to issue an order the likes of which Hollywood can only dream of (and scheme to make into law). The court handed out an order forcing ISPs to block the illegal distribution of the movie Dhammu.

But the court document left out the details of how this had to be done. It didn't specify that certain sites had to be blocked or certain copies to be taken offline, it just said that ISPs had to make sure the movie doesn't get shared, in any way possible.

Faced with such a wide-reaching document, ISPs took any measure they could think of to comply and took no risks, they simply banned any BitTorrent site they could think of. In fact, the block extended way beyond BitTorrent sites, even Dailymotion found itself blocked.

Of course, different ISPs went about it in different ways, which is why plenty of people in India still enjoyed unhampered access.

The Madras High Court ruled that such an order is illegal and that ISPs can't be forced to block entire sites just because one item is infringing. Copyright holders can provide the URL of the infringing file and ask for that to be removed, but that's it.

It's a great decision in India where internet censorship is going down a slippery slope. Copyright holders became bolder in their requests when they saw that courts were willing to grant them, for whatever reason. More concerning though is the government censorship, which seems to be increasing in the country.



http://news.softpedia.com/news/India-Can-Access-BitTorrent-Sites-Once-Again-as-Block-is-Lifted-276626.shtml

[DesiPirate]

:lmao: :lmao: :lmao:

[DKT27]

Somehow Vimeo is more valuable to me now. :P

Seriously though, I want to slap Madras HC for passing such rediculous order with out giving the specifics but then also thumbs up for them for banishing it.

What this means now is that in future, whever a court decides on a case like this, it cannot ask ISPs to ban sites completely. :)

[Micah J Berman]

i dont understand, just keep the block. that way the bittorrent users actually take more steps to keep themselves private. For example, use an ssl encrypted usenet server or proxy. Use opendnscrypt. Or simply edit your dns without encrypting anything and it works.

[calguyhunk]

I keep hearing 'bout all these blocks, but nothing has ever been blocked by BSNL. Not that I've noticed anyways. tpb, et, h33t, all the open ones has always been working on BSNL, as also Demonoid, the only private one I'm on.

All those sites that were to be blocked also are working just fine including songs.pk (renamed as songspk.pk LOL) :lol:

Who are these numb-nuts btw who actually thought 'bout blocking DM? Was it Airtel, Tata, Rcom? :wtf:

On a more serious note, this is what happens if you allow overt judicial activism in a democracy. Look @ Pakistan, after dismissing PM Gilani, the courts are attempting a judicial coup. How long do we tolerate this "judges gone wild" phenomenon before they get some crazy idea here in this country as well (either the judiciary or the military, that is)??? :o

Whether we like our dumbass civilian politicians or not, the fact remains that we should rather be administered by them, rather than some non-elected body/organisation.

/sorry for going off on a tangent. It's just that I've got very strong feelings 'bout the growing clout of the judiciary and the military with the corporate media playing willing cheerleaders. :wtf:

[DKT27]

@Micah J Berman: Change of DNS had no effect on the block.

@calguyhunk: It was blocked here by MTNL. Funny part, changing tpb from http to https used to bypass the block. :P

One of my (close) cousins had made a songs.pk like site before songs.pk was invented. :wub: He later sold (his own) site. Later I heard he was working with songs.pk before he got busy.

As for the judge thing, sometimes politicians are correct, sometimes judges are.

[dcs18]

As for the judge thing, sometimes politicians are correct, sometimes judges are.

Absolutely right, and for most part both are wrong - that's when everybody gets screwed. :lol:

[calguyhunk]

@calguyhunk: It was blocked here by MTNL. Funny part, changing tpb from http to https used to bypass the block. :P

Good 'ol BSNL/MTNL. Can't even implement a block properly. Where would we be without 'em :P

One of my (close) cousins had made a songs.pk like site before songs.pk was invented. :wub: He later sold (his own) site. Later I heard he was working with songs.pk before he got busy.

Good for him. Hope he made some $ out of it. ;)

[DKT27]

Absolutely right, and for most part both are wrong - that's when everybody gets screwed. :lol:

lol. I care more about Supreme Court judges (of India, not Pak :P ). As most of the times them putting their nose into things have shown that they do use logic (at times).

Good for him. Hope he made some $ out of it. ;)

Honestly, a hell lot. :yes: