Centre orders 67 porn websites to be blocked for violating IT rules 2021

New Delhi, Sep 29: In a major crackdown on pornographic websites, the government has ordered internet companies to block 67 such websites for violating the new IT rules that were issued in 2021. The fresh order is posted on the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) website.

As per the latest order, 63 websites, while 4 websites are blocked based on the order of the Uttarakhand HC and directions issued by the Ministry of Electronics and IT, reports news agency PTI.

In an email sent to internet service providers, the Department of Telecom (DoT) has asked them to block 63 websites based on the order of a Pune court, and block 4 websites based on the order of the Uttarakhand High Court and directions issued by the Ministry of Electronics and IT (MeitY).

"MeitY in compliance of the said (Uttarakhand High court) order read along with rule 3(2)(b) of the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021, and in view of certain obscene material available in the below mentioned website that tarnish the image of modesty of women, has directed to immediately take down (block) the ... websites/URLs," the DoT order dated September 24 said.

According to the IT Rules 2021, IT companies must remove or disable access to content hosted, stored or published by them which "shows such individual in full or partial nudity or shows or depicts such individual in any sexual act or conduct" and also content which is allegedly impersonated or artificially morphed.