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Is Slashdot Blocked In Parts Of India? (slashdot.org)

Posted by EditorDavid on from the jungle-block dept.

Long-time Slashdot reader davesag writes: I'm a regular long-term Slashdot reader and have been living in Delhi for the last 9 months. As of last Friday 25th August the only way I can access Slashdot at all is via a VPN. It appears that Slashdot has joined the growing list of websites the Indian Government finds threatening.

The Indian Government is deeply paranoid over internet access, with many sites being blocked, jail sentences for viewing blocked URLs, and bans on open wifi networks.
In 2015 the Indian government blocked access to over 800 adult web sites, and earlier this month they reportedly blocked access to Archive.org. "A block on Slashdot is over the top," davesag writes, "and makes me wonder what it is about this news site that the government here finds so terrifying."

67 of 172 comments (clear)

  1. jail wifi by TimMD909 · · Score: 4, Funny

    Asking about a site the government has blocked with a post on that site seems like a good way to find out if jail has better WiFi than the local coffee shop.

    1. Re:jail wifi by dgatwood · · Score: 5, Funny

      Not when the answer is obvious.

      What about this news site does the government find so terrifying?

      Goatse.

      --

      Check out my sci-fi/humor trilogy at PatriotsBooks.

    2. Re:jail wifi by ShanghaiBill · · Score: 4, Funny

      I am currently working in Shanghai, and Slashdot is not blocked here.
      So India is finally ahead of China on something.

    3. Re:jail wifi by Joce640k · · Score: 1

      Kinda like where the US is headed...

      Kinda like where the US has gone.

      FTFY.

      The NSA leads the world in spying on citizens. The Stasi would be proud.

      --
      No sig today...
    4. Re: jail wifi by Joce640k · · Score: 1

      Fuck these smelly shitty hindu-chimps invading country with their shitty medieval poison and shittiest shit.

      You seem to have a lot of experience with Indian scat.

      --
      No sig today...
    5. Re: jail wifi by K.+S.+Kyosuke · · Score: 1

      Well, there had to be *some* reason why they're calling themselves "world's biggest democracy". ;)

      --
      Ezekiel 23:20
    6. Re:jail wifi by Applehu+Akbar · · Score: 1

      Most likely the gov't is blocking any site that allows anonymous postings.

      Especially when a certain percentage of those AC posts are randomly racist flames about Indians.

    7. Re:jail wifi by jellomizer · · Score: 4, Insightful

      Being Slashdot is American and sometimes Western European centric in terms of members and stories. There is a lot of animosity towards India with people loosing their decent jobs to India because a bunch of companies decided to outsource everything.
      This was at full force in 2003 where it was the companies trend to fire all those quirky IT guys who get paid a lot of money, and shift the work to India for a fraction of the cost.

      It took a few years but the realization that IT outsourcing was over used and not as cheap as it seems. So it scaled back a bit. But still there are a lot of people who had a good job in Slashdots core demographic area who had lost it and never really was able to get that type of job again. So many of the articles and post are bias against India.

      So chances are some of India local officials may see something and decide to block it. But it may not be on the national blocking list.

      --
      If something is so important that you feel the need to post it on the internet... It probably isn't that important.
    8. Re:jail wifi by drinkypoo · · Score: 1

      Being Slashdot is American and sometimes Western European centric in terms of members and stories. There is a lot of animosity towards India with people loosing their decent jobs to India because a bunch of companies decided to outsource everything.

      It's pretty sad that they would block us over talking about outsourcing and not about how fucking rapey their government is, let alone their culture.

      --
      "You're right," Fisheye says. "I should have set it on 'whip' or 'chop.'"
    9. Re:jail wifi by sabbede · · Score: 1
      NOO! You did it again. They were just about to unblock /.

      Smooth move Ex-Lax.

    10. Re:jail wifi by tbuddy · · Score: 1

      I thought it was funny. A quick lurk through his comments doesn't suggest that, especially for someone who admits to growing up in Appalachia.

    11. Re:jail wifi by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      Correction: They are sharing of factual evidence gathered through first-hand accounts involving observation and interaction with said nationalities.

    12. Re: jail wifi by Hognoxious · · Score: 1

      Probably dealt with Twata or Wipebro or one of the other troops.

      --
      Confucius say, "Find worm in apple - bad. Find half a worm - worse."
  2. We'll describe it to you over the phone by Tablizer · · Score: 5, Funny

    Just outsource your browsing to Americans.

    --
    Table-ized A.I.
    1. Re:We'll describe it to you over the phone by TheGratefulNet · · Score: 1

      we'll, uhm, "do the read-ful" for you!

      --

      --
      "It is now safe to switch off your computer."
    2. Re: We'll describe it to you over the phone by Opportunist · · Score: 1

      Yeah, those expensive international connections.

      --
      We used to have a Bill of Rights. Now, with the rights gone, all we have left is the bill.
    3. Re: We'll describe it to you over the phone by K.+S.+Kyosuke · · Score: 1

      In a strange accent to boot!

      --
      Ezekiel 23:20
  3. vi vs emacs by thesjaakspoiler · · Score: 1

    you don't want to cause a revolt among your population when they visit Slashdot and start discussing such sensitive matters.

  4. terrified ... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

    "and makes me wonder what it is about this news site that the government here finds so terrifying."

    Maybe the grammar ...

    1. Re:terrified ... by Opportunist · · Score: 1

      You think they might lose their individual accent that we all come to like so much?

      --
      We used to have a Bill of Rights. Now, with the rights gone, all we have left is the bill.
    2. Re:terrified ... by infolation · · Score: 1

      I like it because it defeats stylometry.

    3. Re:terrified ... by hemant_ng · · Score: 1

      "and makes me wonder what it is about this news site that the government here finds so terrifying."

      Maybe the grammar ...

      Maybe Indian government is tired of the racists on slashdot. I see many stories on India on slashdot.org have comments like "Now INdians must figure out how to make toilets, provide human rights and create a democracy."

  5. i suppose... by Type44Q · · Score: 1

    I suppose if my code sucked badly, I'd want to hush up my critics, too...

  6. Works fine here in Mumbai by kanwars · · Score: 5, Interesting

    I am accessing slashdot through a major ISP/telco here in Mumbai, and there doesn't seem to be a block at all. Usually blocked sites return an error message that says that the site is barred due to orders etc. Did OP see a message or did the site just fail to load? Could be ISP incompetence.

    1. Re:Works fine here in Mumbai by Tablizer · · Score: 1

      I am accessing slashdot through a major ISP/telco here in Mumbai, and there doesn't seem to be a block at all.

      In that case, we're turning you in.

      --
      Table-ized A.I.
    2. Re: Works fine here in Mumbai by Tablizer · · Score: 1

      Seems the gov't doesn't block trolls.

      --
      Table-ized A.I.
  7. It's working fine here... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

    Nope, working fine in Pune India. No VPN required. ISPs - Tata Communications and You Telecom.

    1. Re:It's working fine here... by palemantle · · Score: 4, Informative

      Staying in southern India now and haven't had any problems getting to Slashdot. Have tried getting to the site using both Airtel and an ISP called Pioneer which leases bandwidth from all kinds of sources from what I understand.

      So either this bit about government censorship is FUD or the government is unbelievably incompetent at the same. I'm thinking the former.

    2. Re:It's working fine here... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      So either this bit about government censorship is FUD or the government is unbelievably incompetent at the same. I'm thinking the former.

      Certainly it's both.

    3. Re:It's working fine here... by MMC+Monster · · Score: 1

      I was in both northern and southern India last month and had absolutely no problem accessing /. (or any U. S. news agency I was looking at).

      Maybe the contributor has a bad gateway near him?

      --
      Help! I'm a slashdot refugee.
    4. Re:It's working fine here... by hemant_ng · · Score: 1

      I am browsing slashdot from Mumbai without VPN (but using https), no issues here.

  8. Modern dictatorship by XSportSeeker · · Score: 3, Insightful

    The sirens are going at full force in several countries of the world.
    A whole lot of countries are tumbling into the cycle of dictatorship and tyranny after enjoying a good time of democracy.
    It's already happened in several middle eastern countries, it's happening in South America and some Asian countries, and it's spreading out.
    Enjoy while you can folks, and leave stories of hope behind. Because our grandkids might need it.

    1. Re:Modern dictatorship by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      And meanwhile in USA the population has "democracy" by name which isn't any better. Only the super elite has a say and none of the elected officials give half a fuck what the average joe care about.

    2. Re:Modern dictatorship by unixisc · · Score: 1

      Israel. Something that Jew haters on Slashdot don't believe!

  9. That's your boss saying by Khyber · · Score: 1

    It's 9AM in Delhi, get to fucking work, quit reading fucking Slashdot.

    --
    Still waiting on Serviscope_minor to wake up to fucking reality and realize that Jessica Price isn't going to fuck him.
    1. Re:That's your boss saying by stealth_finger · · Score: 1

      It's 9AM in Delhi, get to fucking work, then read fucking Slashdot.

      FTFY

      --
      Wanna buy a shirt?
      https://www.redbubble.com/people/stealthfinger/shop?asc=u
  10. init vs systemd, you insensitive clod by Crashmarik · · Score: 1

    nt

  11. Works in Mumbai by frogcode · · Score: 2

    I'm in Mumbai right now and can access Slashdot just fine without the need of a VPN. For fun, I tried going to archive.org with no success. The India government should "do the needful" and unblock it unless they have some problem with nostalgia.

  12. this is what happens when you censor via streams by johnjones · · Score: 2

    As soon as you start censoring anything at the ISP level mistakes and policy will be made...

    this is not a option that can be disabled by users/citizens but by companies....

    why browser manufactures dont simply give the option of pulling a blacklist as a standard and pull from gov mandated site then the user/citizen can decide...

    welcome to the new world order where you dont decide if you can break the law only companies can do that...

     

  13. Easy access to Slashdot by gopla · · Score: 5, Informative

    I am from Mumbai, India. I have been on Slashdot since 1999, and never faced any blocking.

    The internet censorship in India is more about porn than political views.

    1. Re:Easy access to Slashdot by bain_online · · Score: 2

      The internet censorship in India is more about porn than political views.

      You mean about the stuff that Really Matters : )))

      --
      BAIN http://www.devslashzero.com
    2. Re:Easy access to Slashdot by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      Weird, you'd think they'd encourage porn so people choose masturbation over contributing to overpopulation.

  14. I don't see the problem by PopeRatzo · · Score: 1, Funny

    Can't he just use the Slashdot app?

    That's the only way I access /. these days. I don't like the fact that I have to give Slashdot access to my camera, microphone, contacts list, location data and biometric information, but it's convenient as hell.

    --
    You are welcome on my lawn.
    1. Re:I don't see the problem by 93+Escort+Wagon · · Score: 1

      There's a Slashdot app?!

      --
      #DeleteChrome
    2. Re:I don't see the problem by schleimkeim · · Score: 1
      I don't like the fact that I have to give Slashdot access to my camera, microphone, contacts list, location data and biometric information, but it's convenient as hell.

      That's a direct quote form Brave New World, isn't it?

    3. Re:I don't see the problem by unixisc · · Score: 1

      That's b'cos posting on /. using the app is a pain. One is better off doing it from a desktop

  15. Fake news by shivams · · Score: 2

    I just tried 2 ISPs to check this: BSNL (government ISP) and Reliance Jio (private). Slashdot is working smooth on both. Other users also report the same. As of last Friday 25th August, perhaps your Internet usage quota has got exhausted. Get it recharged. And quit spreading fake news.

    1. Re:Fake news by rajanvn · · Score: 1

      I also think that this is a fake news. I have been accessing Slashdot every single day through 3 - 4 ISPs (My Fiber Optic to Home, 4G Reliance JIO, 3G Vodafone, and Office network which is load balanced across 3 ISPs, including Govt. sponsored ISPs). I have never faced any issue what so ever till date.

  16. Re:I don't see the problem: Because you are stupid by Mal-2 · · Score: 1

    YHBT. YHL. HAND.

    --
    How is the Riemann zeta function like Trump rallies? Both have an endless number of trivial zeros.
  17. Re:this is what happens when you censor via stream by scdeimos · · Score: 1

    why browser manufactures dont simply give the option of pulling a blacklist as a standard and pull from gov mandated site then the user/citizen can decide...

    Let the users decide? Can't you see that the users have already made the wrong decision? Obviously the government knows better! /sarcasm:off

  18. Re:Karma: Bad by Zontar+The+Mindless · · Score: 1

    I'm a Buddhist, I actually know what "karma" means, and /.'s use of the term doesn't bother me in the slightest. Zark off.

    --
    Il n'y a pas de Planet B.
  19. Bocked? Probably Not by pksadik · · Score: 1

    It's really funny how the websites are blocked by the Indian government.

    In the past, when a huge list of websites where blocked in a single day (which included Github and others), the block was just at DNS level. So if you were using some public DNS (eg.: Open DNS), you were still allowed to visit those websites.

    Several other websites are blocked only when non https websites are visited. Say for example http://archive.org/ is blocked, while https://archive.org/ is not (try it with lynx or w3m, you might get redirected to https in the popular browsers)

    And not all providers block, only some.

  20. Re: Karma: Bad by KGIII · · Score: 1

    This might just be the dumbest post I've read all day.

    --
    "So long and thanks for all the fish."
  21. Re:this is what happens when you censor via stream by Opportunist · · Score: 1

    In a democracy, your statement is actually quite circular.

    --
    We used to have a Bill of Rights. Now, with the rights gone, all we have left is the bill.
  22. Thank you for calling technical support by boudie2 · · Score: 1

    Have you tried unplugging your router then plugging it back in again?

  23. Re:Lag? by arth1 · · Score: 1

    Are you sure you're not just experiencing high lag? Recently, these days, I'm getting tremendous lag to slashdot and have to reload pages just to connect. Ping times are 66ms or above.

    You must be new to the Internet. Round-trip times less than 100ms used to be good, with bad times measured in seconds and really bad lag in minutes.

  24. Clearly not by Hognoxious · · Score: 1

    Clearly not, or how would the editors do their work?

    --
    Confucius say, "Find worm in apple - bad. Find half a worm - worse."
  25. This is a great new logic puzzle! by gumbright · · Score: 1

    So if we only see "No" answers from users in India we then definitely know that there a places that it is blocked, right?

  26. Take advantage! by computational+super · · Score: 1

    Quick, everybody post how they really feel about Indians!

    --
    Proud neuron in the Slashdot hivemind since 2002.
  27. Re:Turn on the Creimer-signal! by __aaclcg7560 · · Score: 1

    Creimer was more offended that there were HOMMASECSHULS associated with his name, because he's super intolerant.

    That a troll thought it was acceptable to traffic in child pornography offended me.

    And besides that, he's probably worried that if anybody thinks he's had sex with a man OR a woman, he'll lose his street cred as a real baller.

    Seriously?

  28. Tech support scams by tepples · · Score: 1

    Including when a "techneecian" takes "suppoat" calls about phony "wiruses" on your "dextop"? (Source: Each&Everything; Lewis's Tech; Thunder Tech)

  29. Re:Turn on the Creimer-signal! by __aaclcg7560 · · Score: 1

    Are you sure it was child porn?

    Absolutely. Russian mothers have big boys.

    Yes, seriously. I can think of no other reason you'd be so appalled at the idea of two people enjoying giving each other pleasure, than that you have some sort of ass-backwards mentality that you absorbed from your religious teaching, that says "sex is bad, mmkay?"

    I'm not opposed to sexual pleasure. But it has to be under the right set of circumstances. By keeping my pants zipped, I've avoided a lot of the heartache that my family experienced from having unwanted children.

  30. slashdot blocked? by mwfischer · · Score: 1

    the country is developing far faster than we could have ever imagined

  31. Definitely not blocked in India by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

    It seems that some posters run crying about censorship rather than calling their ISP. I am on the partly state owned ISP and /. has never been blocked here.

  32. Slow down, take a breath by SoftwareArtist · · Score: 1

    There's so many reasons you might have trouble accessing a website. It's not always censorship. One person says he can't access slashdot, and with nothing but that, we've got a discussion thread full of people denouncing India. Seriously?

    Lots of other folks in India say it works fine for them. So it's not censorship, just one person having network problems. It happens. It's not a big deal.

    Don't jump to conclusions. Take your time, get the facts. And seriously how did the slashdot editors let this through? They're totally not doing their job when they post rumors and wild speculation as if it were news.

    --
    "I'm too busy to research this and form an educated opinion, but I do have time to tell everyone my uninformed opinion."
  33. Bhopal. No issues. by eCubeH · · Score: 1

    Yet.

  34. Re:In other news... by K.+S.+Kyosuke · · Score: 1

    Next step: Block StackExchange!

    --
    Ezekiel 23:20