Internet Control

MediaNama’s Take: The selective blocking of legitimate websites by BSNL in certain regions is completely against the principles of net neutrality and the fundamental right to open and free access to the internet. The state-owned telecom company has also failed to provide a lawful basis for its blocking actions. Citing Section 8(1)(d) of the RTI Act to withhold blocking orders for sites such as Telegram’s short link, Bitly, The Movie Database, and Dailymotion blatantly misuses a provision meant to protect trade secrets and intellectual property.

What’s the News?

Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) is blocking certain legitimate websites like Dailymotion, TheMovieDB, and shortened URLs of Telegram and Bitly on both its cellular and Fiber-to-the-Home (FTTH) networks. In response to Muhammed Yaseen’s RTI application, BSNL said the ban extends beyond Kerala and applies “Pan India.” However, MediaNama found that these websites are accessible in some regions such as Hyderabad and Guwahati.