Govt blocks 857 porn websites; plans ombudsman for Net content

The government has ordered blocking of 857 porn websites and plans to put in place an ombudsman to look into cyber content-related issues, even as a debate raged on social media over Internet censorship.
The Department of Electronics and Information Technology has asked Internet service providers to take down 857 porn websites, an official said.
The official, however, said it was a temporary measure till the final orders are pronounced by the top court.
Explaining rationale for the decision, a top government official said the government has merely complied with the Supreme Court directive asking for measures to block porn sites, particularly those dealing with child pornography.

The official, however, said that since the issue is very complicated, the case must be heard in detail by involvement of NGOs, civil society, parental groups, child councillors, ISPs and government, and after hearing the views of all, let the court come with some guidelines.
There is a view in the government that when proper guidelines on the issue will come, it will create a healthy stabilising factor in the country.

"The government must be away from this whole process (blocking of porn sites). On the issue of national security, terrorism, extremism, communalism, government will have the final say...Beyond that the social media divide comes into operation, let there be an ombudsman to take a call, like the TV ombudsman is there," the official said.

The ombudsman could be a retired SC judge or somebody from the civil society. The official said all the stakeholders can give their views regarding the regulatory mechanism that should be adopted for the cyber content related issues.
The order to block porn websites, however, faced flak over social media with commentators calling it censorship of Internet.