Huh.. so it is. I was wondering why I was unable to open a friend's blog.

And FYI – Reliance, being one of them.

That is why I haven't been able to visit any blogs on Blogspot.
strangely, the dashboard on Blogger is available in India.

Not one blogger, even typepad and geocities have been blocked by the following ISPs:

Spectranet
MTNL
Airtel
Sify
Reliance Powersurfer / Infocom
Exatt
7 Star Cable Service

http://withinandwithout.com/?p=854 has a lot of updates regarding this.

Also funny thing is I am in AirTel and am unable to view Amit Agrwal's post. Damn :(

I think feed readers (Bloglines, Google Reader) might be a solution to read that blogs.

bloglines.com
reader.google.com

Or even better Ask Blog Search:
http://www.ask.com/?tool=bls

Search for the blog's name or address, and use the binoculars to view the content.

Any idea whats the root cause for justifying blocking by the ISP's ??

Can anyone post up a .pdf /txt of the directive from "Ministry of Communication" ??

Has this anything to do with the recent terrirost attacks in mumbai or unrelated ?

Google's Blogger Blocked in Pakistan?

If Yes then you can still access your blog anytime using pkblogs free Blog Gateway.

http://www.pkblogs.com/

"they'd got orders to block Blogspot, and a lot of ISPs seem to have blocked Blogspot, Typepad and Geocities sites. "

this is unfolding slowly.. still no reasons

I think the recent Mumbai Blasts are behind this move.

Amit, but blogspot is a powerfull contending recovery2.0 platform. MumbiaHelp and IndiaUncut was delivering some good information. via blogspot

can you confirm that pbwiki is not being banned too ??

PD:
I dont think pbwiki is at stake. Not anytime before wordpress and livejournal gets blocked.

thanks Ganesh.. thats interesting.. 4 of of the 8 top blog platfoms are blocked

PD:
Typepad and Blogger. What are the other two? Livejournal is working fine.

blogware, wordpress, MSFTspaces, livejournal , typepad, blogger,MT

xeni cuts some pointers too

http://www.boingboing.net/2006/07/17/report_indian_govern.html

blogger is block in China too.

I am sure that they have blocked it because they know the fact that Blogger is one of the major blog hosting service and with the help of this people were protesting against govt.s many acts...for e.g. Reservation and people abused the people involved in it...and that is the reason for the blocking of the sites from blogspot...(after all, every govt. Su*k, anyway, this is my personal opinion), I am just wondering why Govt. thought of even blocking it...when they know that people will do anything to access the blogs/sites which they love to visit. I simply used anonymouse and got to read the post by Amit and also visited Google Blog :)

Well, this is in general and not specific to any country....that govt. will have to understand that they can't block the internet in anyway and if they are blocking something then they are removing lots and lots of sources of knowledge, education and other emotinal factors too...but I think they'll not understand this fact.............

It will ironic that the mumbaihelp blog wont be accessiable to the victims families and friends. All that information is there, been collected by volunteers and yet can't be used. Thats a pity...

if the government knew exact info, then they should have targeted the ISP and request a layer for the sniffer for userids and traffic. This would have been the right way to negate risk and target the perps!!

BLogger is blocked in China for very long time........................

Here's a statement from Blogger Buzz:

<< It has been widely reported that Internet users across India are being blocked from accessing a number of blog hosting sites, including Blog*Spot. We are disappointed and a bit puzzled by these reports. We are also working to understand the situation, and are looking into what we can do to help resolve it. >>

http://buzz.blogger.com/2006/07/blogger-in-india.html

Blogger was blocked in China for a long time!

So as wordpress,typepad...

offical blogger buzz on this issue

http://buzz.blogger.com/2006/07/blogger-in-india.html

The funny thing is, if I do a tracert, the trace is completed though a mite slow. But the page does not load on my browser at all.

/pd, Tony, we in India cannot access Blogger Buzz, so any updates you post here will be most helpful, thanks.

I posted the first paragraph of their post above:

http://blogoscoped.com/forum/45416.html#id45577

The rest of their post is as follows:

<< A big thanks to the many bloggers in India and elsewhere who are investigating [1], reporting [2], and working [3] to restore access. >>

[1] http://jace.seacrow.com/archive/2006/07/17/blogspot-blocked-by-indian-isps
[2] http://groups.google.com/group/BloggersCollective
[3] http://www.withinandwithout.com/?p=854

That's all they said.

Thanks, Tony.

Sunil , I have been tracking this story and it appears that there is little that Google or 6Apart can do. .. its an ISP censorship issue.

well, if at all Sunil or others want to access any site with blogger buzz then they can simply use anonymouse.org to access it.

I am unable to log onto google talk as of yesterday. Anyone who can confirm if google tlak has been blocked as well. I am on BSNL. Thanks,

Typical government mindset. Instead of blocking only terrorist blogs and websites, just shut down most every blog. Absolutely idiotic and repressive!

How should people respond? Certainly many are protesting and advocating shutting down only terrorist websites.

How about this: show that bloggers in India (and everywhere) can be a powerful force for peace by discovering and reporting the terrorist blogs. Just as we do and should police our own neighborhoods by reporting crimes and suspicious actions, the more that governments like India know they can count on boggers to take more responsibility for keeping their country free and safe, the less likely the government will be to act repressively and shut down bloggers.

Indian article on the silencing of the blogs, and how many are bypassing the censorship:

http://www.hindu.com/2006/07/19/stories/2006071902421300.htm

It's all over the Indian mainstream media today. No clear reasons for the block.

On the motivations behind the shutdown, Boing Boing quotes a blogger:

<<According to a report on NDTV 24X7, an Indian news channel, the Indian government's clampdown on blogsites (and some websites) is NOT connected to the recent blasts in Mumbai, but is an effort to curb the propagation of religious extremism on the Net.>>
http://www.boingboing.net/2006/07/18/update_on_india_cens.html

I hope the Indian Govt will not introduce reservation in writing the blog as well , , , Imagine what will happen, if you belong to SC/SCT or anyother reserved class then you are allowed to create a blog and have the right for so called "FREE SPEACH"

Phillipp, not sure, if you ahve trolled the links wrt to Xeni's posting..!!

There is still a lot of consufusion here..

1) There is still no "offical list" of site/domians that been taken down. Neither by the ISP's /Bloggers or Governement

2) " have seen the government order. Only two webblogs –
pyjamaeditors.blogspot.com and exposingtheleft.blogspot.com have been
been blocked," Gulshan Rai, head of cyber security agency Computer
Emergency Response Team. – Requested for colloateral – still forthcoming

3) There appears to be a complete text of a 22 page letter, floating around- Yet nobody is publishing it ??

The issue that is being faced is that most of these bloggers using blogspot are facing the ad-revenue crunch.. so this means no pay for them.. this is causing them to create a 'back lash' on the issue...

The root cause, of why the domain is taken down or why its being blocked is still uncertain. Hwoever, its appears that a lot of other groups are jumping into the bandwagon to create a little bit more choas!!

HEres the link for a call for C-DoT to bann Skype/Gtalk/ IM etc..

http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/2006/07/19/stories/2006071904040100.htm

wrt #2 above ..heres the link
http://www.hindustantimes.com/news/181_1747559,0008.htm

fwiw.. I posted the latest cut

http://peterdawson.typepad.com/blog/2006/07/hype_vs_reality.html

After 2 days, India calls blog block an "error"

says IHT at http://www.iht.com/articles/2006/07/20/asia/web.0720blogs.php

> "Because of a technological error, the Internet providers
> went beyond what was expected of them which in turn
> resulted in the unfortunate blocking of all blogs," the
> official explained.

Ridiculous. I don't believe a word. If anything, the internet providers would have asked the officials, "We can only block on a site basis, do you want that?" for which an answer like "no" would have prevented the blocking. Of course, this is all guesswork...

The blockard is lifed!!

http://www.ibnlive.com/news/government-lifts-ban-on-blogsites/16155-11.html

However, I am this whole scenario is pretty wacky.. whowever runs their CERT / NIC needs to be removed for incompetnence. I have personally taken a review of the banned webistes and just for a few have radical statements -but then again, its more like a left wing group , rather then the right wing groups (Read as gov).

Secondly some of the banned sites on the list, had nothing to day with anything other then "links" pointing to these left wing Groups

I reached out to some of the site owners.. heres a couple of snips..

"When I found out about this it was pretty shocking, how can a government focus their time and efforts on a personal website with only links to its political opponents? ""

"Thanks for bringing this to my attention. I'll bet it's because I've made a few posts lately regarding the current situation in the Middle East"

the last respondant is American – to boot – and equally surpraised as he has never posted anythign about Indian politicals!!

My lastest posting on this is here

http://peterdawson.typepad.com/blog/2006/07/hype_vs_reality.html

/pd, as of 1905 IST, I am still not able to access blogspot directly. Maybe it will take a while more...

Sunil: IndiaUnCut has some info on this on the mailin list

http://groups.google.com/group/BloggersCollective/browse_thread/thread/f919670dab4dcc76/a6523b82d10d17d8#a6523b82d10d17d8

So what if they blocked it . Use this url to access blocked blogs.

http://e-booksforcoders.com/view_blocked_blogs_geocities_in_india.asp

Mike, its not just about "blocking" – tis more then that.. The bloggers there have work arounds to accessing the site.. however, its just not about blogs

Its the freeedome of thought and speech and all that fun stuff

this website e-booksforcoders.com has raised voice and they ask you to place link on your website to raise voice , we should all help this website to raise voice against government.

"The blog ban is NOT over."
http://www.boingboing.net/2006/07/20/india_blog_ban_not_o.html

True, NOT over as yet. I still cannot access blogspot as of 1700 hrs IST,unless the ISPs' are screwing up doing the "rewiring".

yes, those 17 sites are still inclusive.. to the best of knowledge, I still can't figure it why ,

yeah why would imagesearch.yahoo.com be banned ? and that not even a valid URL.. ..how did it come on the offical blockard list ??

Sunil : check if your ISP listed here;

http://groups.google.com/group/BloggersCollective/browse_thread/thread/cd35a0785eccae50/cdf7692a04c3baf9#cdf7692a04c3baf9

FYI.. the person who heads the CERT was also at one time ...
"worked with the the inter-services Joint Cipher Bureau which has primary responsibility for cryptology and SIGINT, providing coordination and direction to the other military service organisations with similar mission. Most current equipment providing tactical intelligence is of Russian origin, including specialized direction finding and monitoring equipment."

YIPPEE!!! Through now 1755 hrs IST. /pd, I'm on Airtel Broadband, BTW.

Sorry, that ought to read 1955 hrs.

I posted more thoughts on "Operation CGM-!"

http://peterdawson.typepad.com/blog/2006/07/opertion_cgm1.html

[moved, edited link]

Well, I noticed the change and posted it in reviewsaurus about the working of the blogspot addresses.

www.reviewsaurus.com/2006/07/blogspot-
domains-are-working-again.html