Service providers asked to review 857 porn sites

The government on Tuesday asked the internet service providers (ISP) to review the ban on 857 websites, which were blocked as pornography sites and lift the ban on non-porn ones.

"The government has asked the ISPs to go through the 857 sites again as the government has received complaints that some of the sites which are banned are of non-pornographic nature," an official source told IANS.

"If the ISPs come across such sites, which are non-pornographic then the government will ask them to lift the ban on those," the source added.

The decision was taken after Communications and IT Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad held a meeting with the officials of telecom and information technology department.

Speaking on the ban, Prasad had said on Monday that they were "not a control-freak government and strongly object to the word 'Talibanisation'."

He also said these bans are temporary measures till final orders are taken by the Supreme Court.

The Supreme Court in its observation on the issue on July 8 had said banning such sites would be violation of an individual's right to liberty. The apex court is slated to take up the matter on August 10.