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It looks like the Indian government is on a banning spree. After monitoring the use of swear words in films, banning beef in some states and a proposed ban on alcohol, reports have emerged that the government may have unofficially banned porn.
Although a statement is yet to be released, many internet users in India found popular porn sites inaccessible today, with a message saying the portals had been blocked by the "competent authority".
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| — Screengrab from http://www.indiatimes.com |
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| — Screengrab from http://www.indiatimes.com |
According to Scroll India, "These messages mostly appeared for subscribers to Mahanagar Telephone Limited, Bharatiya Sanchar Nigam Limited, Vodafone and ACT. However, those using Airtel, Tikona and a few other cable networks experienced no such problems."
Many drew a connection between the blocks and a recent news article in the Hindustan Times which cited a study that found more women are browsing porn compared to previous years.
Disgruntled – and amused – Indians vented on social media, condemning the blocks.
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Indian film director Ram Gopal Varma poked holes in the twisted logic behind banning porn:
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The government was blasted for 'nannying' its citizens:
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By and large the ban has prompted many LOL moments:
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On DawnNews
Comments (86) Closed
Aug 02, 2015 01:16pm
Indians have lost their identity.
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Aug 02, 2015 01:17pm
Great move by Gov. to stop rape cases in India.
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Aug 02, 2015 01:18pm
What kind of news is being shared? Are you trying to knock in sense to Pakistanis that look how India has made fun of block? why don't you shared the tweets of those Indians who appreciated the step?
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Aug 02, 2015 01:21pm
People are now happy with 2G...say there's no need for 3G or 4G
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Aug 02, 2015 01:22pm
Of all the bans, this one is better.
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Aug 02, 2015 01:40pm
It only corrupts the gullible minds.
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Aug 02, 2015 01:41pm
Well Indian government hasn't issued any public statement that they are officially blocking porn sites,it may be unofficial or may be just a test conducted to see public response or may be some other reason but it is so childish to ban porn.Well may be government is thinking about reviving Indian porn industry,I support if they do..Lets we have days of Khajuraho and Kamasutra come back.We have taught the world so much and we can still teach them how to enjoy.
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Aug 02, 2015 01:48pm
I believe majority would have appreciated the step. So, please don't show one side of the picture. We will not make fun of ban by Pakistani Govt. as was the indirect message of this news was. We are with Govt.
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Aug 02, 2015 02:04pm
The same step should be taken by Pakistani government.
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Aug 02, 2015 02:20pm
My only question to the Indian government is how you are going to stop people from using proxy servers to watch porn on the internet?
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Aug 02, 2015 02:31pm
@Jawed Iqbal Its already banned in Pakistan
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Aug 02, 2015 02:36pm
Good step
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Aug 02, 2015 02:41pm
@Jawed Iqbal Pakistani Government has already taken such steps. All these immoral sites are closed, unavailable .
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Aug 02, 2015 03:15pm
If it is, very good
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Aug 02, 2015 03:32pm
Well good job. Hope it prevents rape in India
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Aug 02, 2015 03:38pm
LOL @IndianGovt
You can't stop us ;)
Hint: use proxies!
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Aug 02, 2015 03:41pm
@Jawed Iqbal Uhhh . . . Porn has been banned in Pakistan since ages.
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Aug 02, 2015 03:53pm
Mental cleaning needed of the masses
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Aug 02, 2015 03:59pm
@Manoj Katri ; I am in Saudia Arabia and these proxy servers even work fine here.....Porn is simply unstoppable....
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Aug 02, 2015 04:02pm
@Jawed Iqbal its been banned for over 4 years now in pakiland.....followed by youtube
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Aug 02, 2015 04:18pm
Surveys have indicated that India is the number user of porn sites globally.
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Aug 02, 2015 04:44pm
Watching porn is my fundamental right no one can take away. This is dictatorship
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Aug 02, 2015 05:04pm
Pakistan should follow Turkey's example and ban porn completely
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Aug 02, 2015 05:11pm
after so many rape cases and still on the rise I think it's one way to keep people away from becoming a sex maniac. you become what you think and definitely what you hear and see has a big impact on your thinking. so hear good and see good. well done Indian govt. A Pakistani.
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Aug 02, 2015 05:12pm
Everyone gonna use proxies as they use here in Pakistan!!
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Aug 02, 2015 05:39pm
Great move... Porn sites should be blocked all over the world...
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Aug 02, 2015 06:25pm
Its a great step. I think. These sites should be blocked in pakistan too.
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Aug 02, 2015 07:03pm
Well,that's the reason then
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Aug 02, 2015 08:08pm
I saw news a year ago that two Indian parliament members were watching porn in parliament during heated discussion on Pakistan. They were caught on camera red handed. I think it's good to ban otherwise Indian leaders would make their parliament their pornographic studio.
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Aug 02, 2015 08:23pm
There are ways to unblock any site.
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Aug 02, 2015 08:37pm
I am surprised to see why indians are so serious about this issue.
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Aug 02, 2015 08:55pm
I think it is cruel to take away the ONLY entertainment the Indians have. If prostitution is so acceptable in India then why ban porn?
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Aug 02, 2015 09:02pm
Commendable step. Good work, people should understand that such rubbish gives nothing but takes all. Moral killer.
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Aug 02, 2015 09:05pm
@Mumbai Man , don't agree with you, it could be one factor, the no of Rape cases both in India and Pakustan are in small towns and villages are higher than big cities,where there is no electricity , TV, cable even no mobile phones, on which they can excess porn . The Law should be strict against Rape, people should have Fear for Law.Banning porn won't change anything, just educate them.
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Aug 02, 2015 09:25pm
@M. Zia Kharal : Absolutely right. I agree and I believe most of us agree what you said.
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Aug 02, 2015 09:44pm
Pornography should be regulated, left unregulated it has created many social ills.
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Aug 02, 2015 11:26pm
Glad I have Airtel.
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Aug 02, 2015 11:28pm
Google report says highest number of porn addicts are in the Indo Pak subcontinent
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Aug 02, 2015 11:58pm
Most likely the government ordered specific videos - containing suspected child porn for instance, blocked. But not all carriers have the competence or equipment that can block specific links. Instead, they block entire sites.
Such crude tactics are easily circumvented.
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Aug 02, 2015 11:59pm
The top-most image is hilarious!
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Aug 03, 2015 12:03am
Our government should take the same steps. I really appreciate what Indian govt did - hats of to India
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Aug 03, 2015 12:07am
Those who have sisters and mothers at home will understand the real value in banning porn sites. I really appreciate what India did. I also urge our govt to ban porn.
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Aug 03, 2015 12:33am
Chudhry Nisar Sahib please follow and block in pakistan too. Infact porn is blocked in whole middle east including Turkey. Why not Paksitan.
These sites are more necessary to block rather then blocking youtube.
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Aug 03, 2015 12:49am
Well done Modi jee. Poor Indian men but look at the bright side, hopefully the rapes will go down there.
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Aug 03, 2015 01:01am
@Sunil wht are those ways??
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Aug 03, 2015 02:06am
India is moving towards civil war.
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Aug 03, 2015 02:18am
I appreciate Indian government and recommend it for Pakistan, also. Strict ban should be imposed on porn sites / pictures. There should be an actively responding cell to immediately block access to the porn sites on getting information (through call/sms/email) from the responsible internet users and parents. Majority of youngsters search nude sites / immages and they've almost never used wikipedia or any other informative site. Consequently, the frustration results in gang rapes, molestations and murders of innocent women / children. Such crimes have surged eversince pornflood has flushed on internet.
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Aug 03, 2015 02:19am
I appreciate Indian government and recommend it for Pakistan, also. Strict ban should be imposed on porn sites / pictures. There should be an actively responding cell to immediately block access to the porn sites on getting information (through call/sms/email) from the responsible internet users and parents. Majority of youngsters search nude sites / immages and they've almost never used wikipedia or any other informative site. Consequently, the frustration results in gang rapes, molestations and murders of innocent women / children. Such crimes have surged eversince pornflood has flushed on internet.
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Aug 03, 2015 02:42am
Simply means that the prices of porn just went up. Black market and underworld have a new market to grow.
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Aug 03, 2015 03:20am
Its important for government to take these measures to stop producing rapists.
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Aug 03, 2015 04:34am
You have elected the Modi's Shiv Sena party and now you pay the price. Everything is going to be banned. This is very close to Taliban running the government.
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Aug 03, 2015 05:40am
This may sound amusing but there seems to be a systematic erosion of civil liberties taking place in India. As an Indian American, I'm not comfortable with this & feel that we are walking a slippery slope here. Its not about whether one watch porn or not, its about the freedom to do so.
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Aug 03, 2015 07:21am
I can't stop myself from laughing at the comments supporting the ban from the Pakistani readers. No wonder ?!
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Aug 03, 2015 07:47am
@NASR Highest number of people live in Indian subcontinent.
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Aug 03, 2015 08:19am
@miaisha who told u tht porn is creating rapist.. If is tht so thn western countries cud hv become the rape world till nw..it's the mindset we r carrying n u knw whts the biggest problem of India n pak tht we ppl r such hypocrite tht we do all but don't want to confess..
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Aug 03, 2015 08:40am
I wonder how this would help. Those who wish to watch porn can download plenty using bit torrents.
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Aug 03, 2015 09:05am
@Mumbai Man Rape happens coz they dont ease themselves by watching porn... what convoluted logic you have!
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Aug 03, 2015 09:11am
@kamran I have sisters mother and daughters yet I watch porn since 1992.... im a perfect father, a dutiful son and brother.
and those guys we grew up with watching porn our class friends..... they are now Vice Presidents, General Managers and successful people in great companies and family men and yet watch porn.
All college students right since 1980s have watched porn. None of the class mates I know of are either rapists or molesters. Rather sexual harassment cases have been filed in my company against those men who claim to be highly pious and religious.
There are a million ways to get around this ban. Champions like us have been through this in college too!
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Aug 03, 2015 11:44am
India is not a theocracy. Any govt which thinks it has public support to restrict freedom of any kind in India, including the right to view what one wants to on the internet, is delusional. The BJP, just one year into its term, is a newbie when it comes to public retribution. It will find out soon enough.
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Aug 03, 2015 11:56am
Great step. Every Government must ban porn sites.
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Aug 03, 2015 02:06pm
India has taken the right step. This will help in reducing the rape cases.
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Aug 03, 2015 03:52pm
This is only limited to government carriers. On Airtel people can freely access porn.
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Aug 03, 2015 05:15pm
@Jawed Iqbal Dear Pak Govt has took this step years ago. In Pak you cannot access porn sites
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Aug 03, 2015 05:36pm
The Modi Government has plenty more urgent and important things to do; compared to this Ban-the-Beef and Ban-the-Porn gimmicks. The nation has serious law-and-order issues, rampant corruption issues, poverty, illiteracy, lack of infrastructure, shortage of electricity, clean water, pollution, massive population growth, violence against women, etc. They better attend to those, else will get kicked out in five years.
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Aug 03, 2015 09:52pm
@Ragu I think MODI govt is doing work in all around.
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Aug 03, 2015 10:10pm
@Ahmad
Immoral sites?
Do not sit on a judgement to say what an individual choose to do so long it doesn't create any problems for anyone else.
Do you mean to say I can not view YouTube here in Pakistan..
Please
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Aug 03, 2015 10:15pm
I would like to ask a simple question..These sites are blocked in all gulf countries..
But anyone can see any sites .
it is time to move on..
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Aug 03, 2015 10:17pm
@Usman
Bro only in few will accept .
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Aug 03, 2015 10:19pm
@Indian
Give example .how
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Aug 03, 2015 10:27pm
Good move by the Indian government, it should also be banned through out the world. It has no place in society. Its cruel to objectify women like this and allow millions to view it...
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Aug 03, 2015 10:31pm
@Haider Rehman Rape is nothing to do with porn sites. Rape is caused mostly by mindset of treating women inferior to them and the impression on person's mind that no harm shall happen to him if he commits rape. Perception that no harm shall be caused to the rapist is proved by the number of persons convicted for the rape in Pakistan and India, not even 1%. In Pakistan even if rape is reported it is almost impossible to get four male witnesses to prove the charge.
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Aug 03, 2015 11:23pm
Worst ban ever!! What is the logic in banning it? So children can't see it? Kids are more well versed with proxies than adults. So there goes that logic.
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Aug 04, 2015 02:22am
@Haider Rehman Cases of reported rape have declined in areas with access to internet and porn.
Without porn, I expect cases of rape to increase.
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Aug 04, 2015 06:11am
@kamran well said.
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Aug 04, 2015 09:30am
99% of the society, who have normal family and not activists approve these steps of the government. Only 1% who are activists and not family persons who are all over the media are against it. Since, they are the one who is doing all talking it looks like people are against the ban...
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Aug 04, 2015 10:30am
now people who use internet for constructive purpose, will get little bit more bandwidth and speed.
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Aug 04, 2015 11:27am
I support the ban on porn. No, porn is not useful in any way. It might also help India curb the rape incidents in North to South. Yes. it is porn which actually objectifies women and help men develop a certain mentality which gives a propensity to rape.
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Aug 04, 2015 02:33pm
@WAY , You are lying brother. I lived in Jeddah for some time. It is unthinkable to even try some sites. Porn is out of question. Proxy or no proxy, it does not work.
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Aug 04, 2015 03:52pm
Guys you need to do little effort to download proxy softwares !!
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Aug 04, 2015 05:40pm
Pornography is reducing a status of woman to an object which satisfies the lust of hungry beasts and their lack of self control.repeatedky watching filth turns you into xn animal who treats his fellow human being like an animal as well.....great move by Indian government although they could have chosen to inform and advocate their principles openly
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Aug 04, 2015 06:00pm
The more repression there is in society be it porn or any other thing, people will find ways and means to that end. Porn is "banned" in many countries, and still available, better to think realistically, moderately, just banning does no good, it does not work.
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Aug 04, 2015 07:10pm
Pakistan society is both conservative and hypocritical. We have double standards, we live in a wishful world, we think we are puritanical, and we would wish others to think of us as puritanical also. But our history, our newsmedia, our sociologist, physiologists, know society as it exists far better, because they study and have the knowledge. When all forms of outlets, entertainment, leisure, are suppressed such as porn, dating, and there are no sports facilities, playgrounds, science parks, museums, and so many other facilities which a normal society should have, we have crime. This is where we are. How much can the state suppress, are we angels, or just plain humans? please decide.
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Aug 04, 2015 08:01pm
Indian government should stop wasting time on these futile acts and should divert its energy in constructive use.
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Aug 04, 2015 09:58pm
Porn sites are banned in many countries around the world but still they are accessible. Its like drugs, those who want them can easily get them. Where there is a will, there is a way.
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Aug 04, 2015 10:46pm
@The real world strange a civilization that created kamasutra & khajuraho temples has problem with porn
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Aug 04, 2015 11:03pm
freedom of expression cuts both ways guys. american constitutional makers called the "government as a necessary evil" . They build their constitution in such a manner that this evil might be contained and never become too strong. Its a matter of taste really.
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