The Internet Service Providers Association of India (ISPAI) has explained to the Supreme Court that they can’t block child pornography websites they don’t have logistical capacity to do that.
They said that they are mere authorized service providers who provide customers access to internet.
ISPs are mere conduits and they cannot be made liable for the contents they do not own. It would be akin to making liable telecom companies for conversations people have on their network,” they said.
The association also questioned the notions associated with the pornography. It said that there is no unanimously accepted definition of pornography and the boundaries of the same are amorphous.
It said that one man’s pornography is another man’s high art.
In April 2013 Supreme Court had sent a notice to Information and Technology, Information ministry along with the Broadcasting and Home Affairs ministries seeking their views on the ban on porn sites.
The petition said that over 20 crore porn videos or clippings are freely available in the market, which are directly been downloaded through internet or other video CDs.
Though pornography in India is illegal, due to ineffective law pornographic materials are easily available in public places. Softcore and hardcore pornography movies/photos are easily accessible through magazines, films, or Internet. The law states that possessing and watching pornographic materials is legal, but production and distribution are prohibited.
Source: Telecom Tiger
