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Topic: CXO

India starts blocking file storage websites in a move against piracy

Summary: Widely used file storage websites such as Megaupload, Rapidshare, Mediafire and Putlocker are being reported as blocked by users in India.

Manan Kakkar

By Manan Kakkar for India IT |

File storage websites such as Megaupload, Putlocker, Rapidshare are being blocked in India.

A thread started on a popular online forum focused on developments in Indian broadband has furious and surprised users sharing a list of websites blocked by their Internet service providers. Going through the thread and my Twitter interactions, India's Department of Telecommunication is behind the block.

Some users say they are not able to browse the file uploading websites, others say they can access and download content. A screenshot shared by Sunny Chahal on Twitter confirms that the block is in effect. Some other users are seeing the same notice. The error message:

Users of popular Internet Service Providers MTNL, BSNL and Airtel have confirmed seeing the same error while visiting some or all of the following websites:

Megaupload.com Mediafire.com Megavideo.com VideoBB.com Novamov.com Movshare.net Rapidshare.com Putlocker.com Hotfile.com Fileserve.com Filesonic.com Filesonic.in Depositfiles.com Wupload.com

The decision behind banning the websites looks like piracy. Most of these websites are widely used to  share content production houses and record labels would want users to pay for. Users are comparing the ban to Internet rules in China. The Department of Homeland Security in the US also made definitive moves against piracy by seizing domains of websites hosting pirated content.

As of now there is no official word from the DoT, the story will be updated as we get more information.

(hat tip to @kalpik for the headsup.)

Update: Reliance BIG Pictures obtained a court order to get the sites banned. Users are reporting that most of these websites are now working.

Topics: CXO, Browser, Enterprise Software, Hardware, Piracy, Security, Software Development, Storage

Manan Kakkar

About Manan Kakkar

Telecommunication engineer with a keen interest in end-user technology and a News junkie, I share my thoughts while preparing for my Master's in Information Management.

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15 comments
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  • RE: India starts blocking file storage websites in a move against piracy

    That has to be one of the stupidest things I have heard ... Instead of fixing the problem, they are aggravating it! A ban on file sharing websites (itself) will imply an increase in P2P sharing ... At least by trolling the website they can identify copyright infringement.

    What's next? Are they going to disconnect my internet connection just because I'm sharing some phone mod or stuff that *I* created??
    roguexz
    Reply Vote

  • I guess they must block 100% of "cloud" providers

    After all, the cloud is basically a file storage website.
    wackoae
    Reply Vote

  • Democracy FAIL

    Pathetic losers lacking common sense. They are punishing legitimate uses of file sharing for preventing piracy which is anyways unstoppable?
    xp-client
    Reply Vote

  • RE: India starts blocking file storage websites in a move against piracy

    I tried rapidshare and it opening up.
    babureddy
    Reply Vote

  • RE: India starts blocking file storage websites in a move against piracy

    I am using BSNL broadband and I have no problem in accessing those sites.
    nithinr6
    Reply Vote

  • RE: India starts blocking file storage websites in a move against piracy

    Goodbye open internet, it has been a good run.
    yodatech
    Reply Vote

  • RE: India starts blocking file storage websites in a move against piracy

    I do not have any problems with all these websites on BSNL Broadband till now.
    prasanthsr@...
    Reply Vote

  • There are legitamate uses.

    For us developers who don't have money to pay for storage from a professional file host. If you use webs.com or another site with the same function. You know that while you can pay for extra storage (my account has quite a bit) you don't get enough bandwidth. Rapidshare and 4shared came to my rescue. While I'm in the US I don't like that some users won't be able to access content because of site bans. Piracy is unstoppable, All these preventions do is hurt the end users.
    Ninja1507
    Reply Vote

  • No Problem Here :D

    Cant seem to have a problem with the first half of the sites ... not bothering with the other half :D
    If they stop, someone will find an alternative
    scholarsarena
    Reply Vote

  • Piracy IS stoppable.

    Piracy is stoppable and the "Open Internet" is nothing but a figment of the collective public imagination. The Internet exists because of government investments and the right to steal and "trade" movies and music is nothing but a criminal act.
    Curtis-Neeley
    Reply Vote

  • RE: India starts blocking file storage websites in a move against piracy

    Hi Manan, it seems that your claim that DoT is blocking file-sharing sites is not absolutely true. The sites open up on my end. Could it be that Sunny Chahal's PC was a on a network that did not allow access (like from work - private or public offices) or was configured to route via certain servers?
    Just because Sunny Chahal (who I don't even know is) says it's blocked, doesn't mean it is. Does it? And even if it is blocked at certain places, this is an international site with readers from all parts of the country and the world; so unless the news impacts everyone I don't care if Sunny Chahal can't download his files.

    Good day.
    Ravi
    raviwarrier
    Reply Vote

    • RE: India starts blocking file storage websites in a move against piracy

      @raviwarrier there are links to several users facing the same issue in the article. There are 5 links, 4 taking you to forums where many other users have reported the problem. 1 where a friend posted it on twitter and then I had discussions with many others on Twitter who got the same error. So please, read the article in full.
      Manan Kakkar
      Reply Vote

  • RE: India starts blocking file storage websites in a move against piracy

    Why I am not surprised?
    dc20
    Reply Vote

  • RE: India starts blocking file storage websites in a move against piracy

    Service providers that censor their users access to any sites for whatever the reason or give private details to courts will lose customers. hotfile. some time ago started to close customers accounts when they said the customer was uploading pirated files even when the files were password protected & they could not be sure what content was. I think they lost about 90% of customers if you look on rapidshare & other sites you will see it is not an option to use hotfile links for up or downloading. Any service provider that goes this route will go down the same downhill route. webmasters will host sites out of jurisdiction of usa & European courts losing hosting service providers even more business. Rightly or wrongly these tactics will not work under the present system of law.
    ronangel
    Reply Vote

  • RE: India starts blocking file storage websites in a move against piracy

    dude you're being stupid posting this update....i have been constantly using all those sites mentioned by you, neither of those have been blocked till this second....may be your company or your network has some error...so please stop spreading mass panic...
    chokxxi90210
    Reply Vote
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