Four different journalists have called to ask me - can you access blogspot. Several ISPs have apparently blocked access to the domain.
The answer is yes, and no. From my home connection (iqara.net), I can't access any blogspot domains. From office, it still works on one connection and not from the other.
My guess is that some official issued a directive to ban X, Y and Z blogs for being 'anti national' (a reporter told me that specific blogs are named on the list). In doing so they did not realise that millions of blogs which are sub domains of blogspot would also get blocked. Perhaps ISPs do not have the technology to block subdomains -or they're taking the easy way out.
My thinking is - would it not be easier to simply contact Google, which owns blogspot, and request them to do the needful. I know they believe in extreme freedom of speech but there is a 'flag' system to mark out objectionable content. So in some cases I guess they do censor blogs.
Now let me try and post this and see what happens!
and to think I just signed for the Airtel Broadband connection yesterday. Real Bummer if it's gonna last.
ReplyDeleterashmi try using some proxy sites like http://www.anonymizer.com
ReplyDeleteHello
ReplyDeleteReason of blocking Blogspot is "Rumours" see many people spreading Rumours of bombers will going to target Mumbai again ( Bomb blast in Mumbai) through Blogs so I think Its correct decision taken by Ministry of Communication to Block Blogspot, don't worry it is for short period, according to my knowledge is will release in next 2 days
see my Blog http://www.bolly2holly.blogspot.com its also not opening.
I reach your blog through PKBLOGS.com
Regards
Sanket
Mumbai
aayi aayi aayi dekho congress emergency lekar aayi..
ReplyDeleteAnother senseless decision by a clueless government.
ReplyDeleteEven if the sites are blocked, it should be accessible using either proxies or an anonymizer.
I'm sure the "babus" and the powers to be did not consider that, before deciding on their act against freedom of speach.
It is very easy to get around and make a mockery of this 'ban'(visit http://censorship.wikia.com/wiki/Bypassing_The_Ban for more). But whas effectively happened is that the foolish govt has cheaply advertised the very sites they want to censor! Blocking a few anti-national sites does make some sense, but blocking an entire domain is like bombing an entire city just because somebody in some corner of the city was anti-national.
ReplyDeleteThis is sad! Freedom of speech curtailed. We are in the club of nations like Paskistan, China, Iran etc. Something to be really proud of???
ReplyDeleteWhen people post through pkblogs, in theory they can capture the form content, especially since it is http and clear text.
ReplyDeleteWhile I am thankful to them for providing the free service, I would exercise caution.
What a bunch of fools these politicians are. Some democracy we live in.
ReplyDeleteHey All,
ReplyDeleteMoi a B-School student at scmhrd, Pune and my blog is about life in a B-School, the struggles, the joy and the tribulations. My blog is too affected and am currently accessing it thru pkblogs.com. My blog is titled mbajunction.blogspot.com. Utterly harmless. The ban has served no purpose for the people who perpetrate terror since they can anyway access blogger.com and update their blogs and in turn view it using pkblogs.com.
Cheers
Shankar Iyer
PGDM-II
SCMHRD, Pune
test kamiyaab.. ab hum dekh sakte hain!! :)
ReplyDeletewell Rashmi, i'm not too sure about Google being believers of "extreme freedom".
ReplyDeleteI remember reading an article of them co-operating with local govts worldwide and doing things that i would call shady..
for example i read somewhere that they co-operated with the Chinese govt and customized their search engine such that the results relating to Tibet, which portray the Chinese govt in the negative, are filtered.. now that means most of Tibet-related stuff is filtered [:)]
anyway..thats not the topic of discussion .. so..
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
ReplyDeletespotted ur blog on cnn-ibn a few nitez back and thas how i've come to visit ur blog.
ReplyDeletekewl job!