Tag: ban

Brazil Shuts Down WhatsApp for 48 Hours

Update: Within 12 hours of issuing it, the ban has been revoked. WhatsApp is working again in Brazil, for now.

Looks like it’s time to shove that smartphone aside for two days and look up from the phone screen if you’re in Brazil. The country has closed WhatsApp for 48 hours. Reasons for this have not been disclosed.

In the past, there has been much ado by Brazil’s telecommunication companies to curb interaction on WhatsApp. They claim that the free calling feature of the app is illegal and requires stricter regulations.In an attempt to distinguish itself from countries like the US, especially post the entire NSA spying scandal, Brazil had passed net neutrality laws in 2014, the internet ‘Bill of Rights’ being an example. Two years down the line, things seem to be taking a turn for the worse in Brazil. Soon, individuals would have to enter their address and phone numbers, among other details, to be able to use websites and apps.

With the government having given no explicit reason for this 48-hour long ban, the current picture is just as hazy as the future of WhatsApp in Brazil. The ban has already let to a huge uproar with grievances being expressed on social media. At the same time, WhatsApp competitors like Telegram are doing exceptionally well. Let’s see where it goes from here for the Brazilian cyber space and internet laws.

December 17, 2015
Xiaomi Under Investigation For Allegedly Misleading Potential Buyers

New reports have suggested, that Chinese smartphone manufacturer, Xiaomi Corp is under investigation for allegedly violating China’s new advertisement law. This new law, that became effective from the 1st of September, 2015, states that the use of superlative adjectives in promoting products would be banned.

Investigation of the matter is being made on suspicion of the usage of phrases such as “the best” to describe their product. Zhu Dalin, an analyst at the Beijing based Internet Consultancy Analyses told the Economic Times :

“The new law will have a certain impact on Internet companies, but not too much-after all, consumers are so accustomed to cliches such as ‘the super phone’ and ‘the omnipotent TV’ that these phrases make no real sense to them now.”

Allegedly, Xiaomi has also been in a similar situation earlier, when it had launched the Red Mi Note 2, where it showed the device to be equipped with panels from Japanese electronics giant Sharp Corp and the Taiwan manufacturer AU Optronics Corp. Soon, after buying the product, consumers found that the screens were actually produced from a Microelectronics Co Ltd based in Guangdong province.

This kind of an allegation is probably going to cost the manufacturer its reputation. However, no official reports have been made by the company so far.

September 30, 2015
Watch John Oliver’s Hilarious Take on the Porn Ban in India

So, we have covered the whole ‘Indian government bans porn’ story and we’ve also covered the ‘Indian govt removes ban on porn’ story; but guess who else has a take on it? John Oliver!

He begins the headlines with a British-India joke and goes on to comment about how ironic it is that India – the land that created the Kama Sutra (because that’s all we’ve ever done), can actually ban porn and then revoke it.

Even though, his comments might be predictable and made from a generic knowledge of the idea of Incredible India; the video overall is quite hilarious, even as he goes on to throw in a little suggestion at the end too.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2bSdp8VHgCY

August 10, 2015
Indian Government Blocks Over 800 Porn Websites

A directive had been passed, late Friday evening, blocking around 800 porn websites. Although, the effect of this legislation may not have taken place all over the country, it is said to become active in a couple of days.

So now when one tries to access a particular porn website, an error message will show, suggesting that the Indian government had asked the Internet Service Provider (ISP) to block the site. This is the result of a PIL that is being held in the Supreme Court asking the government to block citizens from accessing pornography on the internet. In November, the government asked the Internet And Mobile Association of India to curate a list of pornography websites that could be passed on to ISPs.

The list is reported to contain over 800 websites and has been handed over to ISPs by the government under Section 79 of Information Technology Act. The act is in relation to intermediaries and cases where they are involved in its transmission. Chief Justice HL Dattu, had said “Such interim orders cannot be passed by this court. Somebody may come to the court and say look I am above 18 and how can you stop me from watching it within the four walls of my room. It is a violation of Article 21 [right to personal liberty],” while asking the government to come up with a reply within four weeks.

While this move might seem slightly controversial, and dare we say, bordering on interference from the government in personal matters, it is said that one could still access the websites using VPN or proxies. Moreover, the blockade is on the URLs, so the websites could themselves resurface under a different URL.

Let us know what you think about this legislation.

Source: [tw-button size=”medium” background=”#07ABE2″ color=”” target=”_blank” link=”http://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/ban-on-porn-govt-blocks-800-adult-websites-more-under-review/article1-1375794.aspx”]Hindustan Times[/tw-button]

August 3, 2015
Ban Imposed on Mobiles with Duplicate IMEI Numbers

The Indian Government has enforced a ban on the import of mobile handsets in India which don’t carry a unique identity number. This measure is taken citing security concerns as such handsets can be untraceable.

GSM phones carry an IMEI (International Mobile Equipment Identity) number while CDMA handsets carry a ESN (Electronic Serial Number)/MEID (Mobile Equipment Identifier) which gives them a unique identity. This unique identity helps to keep a track of the device and can be used to retrieve the device following a theft.

Mobile handsets with duplicate or fake IMEI numbers can be used for nefarious activities. There are already instructions to ban import of handsets with fake numbers or have no numbers or with ’00…00’ IMEIs. With this new order the government intends to add handsets with duplicate IMEI on that list too.

Duplicate handsets are a menace for the security agencies who find it hard to keep track of the devices. It also creates issues for the consumers who use them as well as the service providers. This ban would help the government to crack down on the importers.

January 20, 2015
Xiaomi to Resume Sales (But There’s a Catch)

Chinese smartphone maker Xiaomi has been reportedly granted some reprieve after announcing the ban on the sale of their handsets in India last week. As per a tweet by Press Trust of India (PTI) the Delhi High Court today permitted the sale of their smartphones powered by Qualcomm chipsets till January 8 in India.

Prior to the ban, the company was selling two smartphones in the country: Redmi 1S and Redmi Note. Redmi 1s runs on a Qualcomm chipset, while Redmi Note is powered by a MediaTek processor. This release would imply that Xiaomi can sell the Redmi 1s for nearly a month. Additionally, Xiaomi had earlier planned to launch Redmi Note 4G in December, which is also powered by a Qualcomm processor implying that this too could be sold till January 8th.

Delhi HC permits Xiaomi to sell and import Qualcomm chipset based handsets till January 8.

— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) December 16, 2014

However no official word is out on the much awaited Xiaomi Mi4. Although Xiaomi planned to launch this device with a Qualcomm Snapdragon 801, however it still remains to be seen whether they will go ahead with the launch or wait patiently till the dust settles.

Last week the Delhi High Court had passed an injunction suspending any import or sale of smartphones in India due to patent infringement complaints by Swedish telecom giant Ericsson. The court is scheduled to hear the case on February 5, so it is likely that Xiaomi phones will again be banned in the country from 9th January unless the court passes another similar order.

However, in the mean time, Xiaomi has three more ‘Happy Tuesdays’ in which they can resume their flash sales and reach out to maximum number of aggrieved customers.

December 16, 2014
RBI Cautions Users of Virtual Currencies(Bitcoin) against Risks
Bitcoin is a decentralized digital currency, they are digital coins that can be sent through the internet. The company claims that Bitcoins has number of advantages over the other alternatives. Using Bitcoins money is directly transferred from a person to another, which means no bank is involved in between. This further means lower cost of transfer and Bitcoins can be used in any country, user’s account cannot be frozen, there are no prerequisites or arbitrary limits.

However, authorities of India does not like this concept at all. Several Indian Bitcoin exchanges have suspended operations following a warning from the Reserve Bank of India, which is concerned on digital currencies. The Reserve Bank of India has today cautioned the users, holders and traders of Virtual currencies, including Bitcoins, about the potential financial, operational, legal, customer protection and security related risks that they are exposing themselves to.

RBI says, the creation, trading or usage of VCs including Bitcoins, as a medium for payment are not authorized by any central bank or monetary authority. No regulatory approvals, registration or authorization is stated to have been obtained by the entities concerned for carrying on such activities. As such, they may pose several risks to their users, including the following:
- VCs being in digital form are stored in digital/electronic media that are called electronic wallets. Therefore, they are prone to losses arising out of hacking, loss of password, compromise of access credentials, malware attack etc. Since they are not created by or traded through any authorised central registry or agency, the loss of the e-wallet could result in the permanent loss of the VCs held in them.
- Payments by VCs, such as Bitcoins, take place on a peer-to-peer basis without an authorised central agency which regulates such payments. As such, there is no established framework for recourse to customer problems / disputes / charge backs etc.
- There is no underlying or backing of any asset for VCs. As such, their value seems to be a matter of speculation. Huge volatility in the value of VCs has been noticed in the recent past. Thus, the users are exposed to potential losses on account of such volatility in value.
- It is reported that VCs, such as Bitcoins, are being traded on exchange platforms set up in various jurisdictions whose legal status is also unclear. Hence, the traders of VCs on such platforms are exposed to legal as well as financial risks.
- There have been several media reports of the usage of VCs, including Bitcoins, for illicit and illegal activities in several jurisdictions. The absence of information of counter-parties in such peer-to-peer anonymous/ pseudonymous systems could subject the users to unintentional breaches of anti-money laundering and combating the financing of terrorism (AML/CFT) laws.
Bitcoin came into existence in 2009, and the current number of Bitcoin units generated so far is about 12 million. However, India is not the only country to suspend the use of Bitcoins, as Thailand and China did the same. RBI is examining the issues on the usage of the virtual currency under the extant legal and regulatory framework of the country.

[Source]
December 28, 2013
MI6, NSA And Other Spy Agencies Ban Lenovo Laptops Over Hacking Vulnerability

Chinese companies such as Huawei have always been accused of helping the Chinese government in its spying operations. Countries such as the U.S. and U.K. take special measures to ensure that any Huawei equipment being installed is free from all vulnerabilities that can let China spy on them. A new report from the Australian Financial Review claims that top spy agencies like the MI6 and CIA have banned Lenovo machines from their networks over fears that they might contain “back-door” hardware that would aid China’s spying attempts.

Machines produced by the state-backed technology company, which is the largest PC producer in the world, are claimed to have been found in tests by MI5 and GCHQ to have modifications in their circuitry which could allow remote access to the devices without the owners’ knowledge.

If the reports are true, the timing of the ban coincided roughly with Lenovo’s purchase of IBM’s PC business in 2005.

The UK Government Communications Headquarters (GCHQ), MI5 and MI6 are all named as participating in the Lenovo ban, as well as the Security Intelligence Organisation and the Secret Intelligence Service in Australia, and the US National Security Agency (NSA).

Lenovo, today voiced its “surprise” at the alleged move and completely denied any fault in its machines.

[Via, Via]

July 30, 2013
Saints Row IV Banned In Australia

Saints Row IV has been refused classification by the Australian Classification Board.

This makes Saints Row IV the first game to be refused classification under new guidelines that introduced an R18+ classification for videogames in Australia.

In a statement released this morning, the ACB said it classified the game “RC (Refused Classification)” in accordance with the new guidelines. Publisher Deep Silver told Joystiq developer Volition is reworking the game’s content for the territory.

“In the Board’s opinion, Saints Row IV, includes interactive, visual depictions of implied sexual violence which are not justified by context,” reads the ACB’s statement. “In addition, the game includes elements of illicit or proscribed drug use related to incentives or rewards. Such depictions are prohibited by the computer games guidelines.”

Games that are rated Refused Classification are banned for sale, hire or public exhibition in Australia, and are illegal to possess in Western Australia and some parts of the Northern Territory.

Publisher Deep Silver has released the following statement:

“Deep Silver can confirm that Saints Row IV was denied an age classification in Australia. Volition, the developer, are reworking some of the code to create a version of the game for this territory by removing the content which could cause offence without reducing the outlandish gameplay that Saints Row fans know and love. Saints Row IV has been awarded PEGI 18 and ESRB M ratings where fans can enjoy their time in Steelport as originally intended.”

The new guidelines began on January 1 this year, and introduced a new adult level for video games, R18+, which restricts sale to anyone under the age of 18.

In the six months since the new rating was introduced, the ACB has applied it to 17 video games, including God of War: Ascension and Army of Two: The Devil’s Cartel.

Earlier this month, the publisher announced a Saints Row 4 Collector’s Edition ahead of the Saints Row 4 release date of August 20 in North America and August 23 in Europe.

Saints Row 4 is slated to hit the Xbox 360, PS3 and PC.

[Via, Via]

June 25, 2013
Google Bans Google Glass Porn App, Changes Policy

The first pornography app for Google Glass has launched, though not for long.

Porn company Mikandi, which calls itself the world’s top app store for porn, released “Tits and Glass” this morning. A very classy title of course, as befits the porn industry. The app was designed to make “authentic” porn, allowing users to create, upload, and share photos taken with Glass.

It would also allow users to comment and vote on their favorite content, according to a statement from MiKandi.

“Google Glass is still in its infancy. The technology is really awesome, but it’s still brand new,” said Jesse Adams, CEO of MiKandi. “It’s important for us to stay on the cutting edge, though. It’s going to be connected to everything, so it’s important for us to push limit and see whats possible.”

Google officially banned sexually explicit material on the futuristic eyewear.

The company changed its Google Glass Platform Developer Policies today:

Sexually Explicit Material: We don’t allow Glassware content that contains nudity, graphic sex acts, or sexually explicit material. Google has a zero-tolerance policy against child pornography. If we become aware of content with child pornography, we will report it to the appropriate authorities and delete the Google Accounts of those involved with the distribution.

More than 10,000 people have visited the landing page for the app, and a dozen Google Glass owners had signed up with the app, MiKandi CEO Jesse Adams said in a blog post.

He said the company made sure it was following the Google Glass developer terms when it started creating the app two weeks ago, but those rules were quickly changed by Google. MiKandi will comply with the new rules, and plans on rolling out a new app that somehow doesn’t include any of the forbidden content.

MiKandi, also wants to explore direct Glass-to-Glass interactions.

[CNN]

June 4, 2013
Airtel Ordered To Stop 3G Services In 7 Regions, Fined

DoT on Friday issued a fresh order to Bharti Airtel to stop intra-circle 3G roaming in seven circles where it did not have the spectrum and also levied a penalty of Rs 350 crore (Rs 50 crore per circle) on the company for violating the licence terms and conditions. Airtel has been asked to stop the services within three days.

DoT is expected to send a similar notice to Vodafone India Ltd next week. Bharti Airtel is likely to approach the Delhi high court for a stay on the notices. Friday’s notice is the second to be sent to Bharti.

Last week, DoT made a case for sending the notices on the grounds that the operators were selling new 3G connections in circles where they did not get spectrum in the 2010 auction. This was not allowed as their telecom licences in those circles were not modified to allow them to offer the high-speed wireless data services. The licences were specifically amended for circles where they won 3G spectrum in 2010.

Bharti Airtel, Vodafone and Idea won 3G airwaves in 13, nine and 11 circles, respectively, in the 2010 auctions, and between them have a national footprint. They subsequently entered into intra-circle roaming pacts with each other and rode on the airwaves of their partners in circles where they did not hold spectrum themselves. This enabled them to offer high-speed data services on a pan-India basis.

[Via LiveMint]

March 16, 2013
Google Removes Ad-Blocking Apps From Google Play for Violation Of Terms

Usually when Google removes apps from the Play Store it’s because they’re malicious, stealing your data, or otherwise messing with your phone in a way you don’t actually want. Today we’ve learned of Google’s most recent wave of culling apps from the Play Store, only this time the apps themselves weren’t doing anything naughty, and instead Google decided to interpret its Android Developer Distribution Agreement to prohibit all ad-blockers.

Google has decided that all these apps are in violation of Section 4.4 of the Android Developer Distribution Agreement, and has removed all of them from the official storefront.

Even open source software such as AdAway has been removed from the app portal, and is expected to never appear there again.

4.4 Prohibited Actions. You agree that you will not engage in any activity with the Market, including the development or distribution of Products, that interferes with, disrupts, damages, or accesses in an unauthorized manner the devices, servers, networks, or other properties or services of any third party including, but not limited to, Android users, Google or any mobile network operator. You may not use customer information obtained from the Market to sell or distribute Products outside of the Market.

Basically, Google seems to be saying don’t mess with advertising — which is the Web giant’s central source of revenue.

Jared Rummler, the developer for the Ad Blocker Root app, announced on Twitter that his app was yanked from Google Play today.

Some of these apps are still available as cache on the Play Store, but all have been removed the affected developers’ app listings. We’ll update this story as we learn more.

March 14, 2013
France Bans the Word ‘Hashtag’

#RIP the hashtag. It had a good run, August 2007 – January 2013. At least it’s still alive and respected in every other country apart from France.

It’s a dark day for the Gallic Internet, as the French Government drive to preserve their language by altering the settled will of the online community. The hashtag will no longer be used in official communications or papers.The replacement term will be mot-dièse.

The decision was made by a government office, the Commission Générale de Terminologie et de Néologie, which is tasked with inventing French-language equivalents to foreign-language terms found popping up in France.

While Twitter users in France won’t be penalized for referring to hashtags, all official French government legislation and correspondence will be required to refer to mot-dièses instead of hashtags. Back in 2003, the same commission mandated French citizens refer to email as courriel with some success. Compared to other Western governments, France actively takes an interventionist approach to Internet use within the country: Various protectionist Internet laws have been proposed, including taxing Internet companies for data mining. All this is in addition to paternalist policies surrounding the French language to stop cross-cultural fusion like le hamburger. Maybe they’re just nostalgic for the days of the Minitel?

[Forbes]

January 26, 2013
Ban on bulk SMS, MMS lifted

The restrictions imposed on sending bulk SMSes and MMSes, imposed in the wake of nationwide rumours of attacks on persons of northeastern states, was has been lifted by the government.

“The restrictions on SMSes and MMSes has been removed,” home ministry spokesperson K.S. Dhatwalia said here. The government issued a notification in this regard.

The telecom ministry had, on direction of home ministry, imposed the ban for 15 days on August 17. Later, the restriction was reviewed on August 24 when the telecom ministry increased the limit from five SMSes to 20 SMSes.

August 30, 2012
Google, Facebook Working on India Request to Remove Content

According to the Wall Street Journal, Facebook and Google are working on requests from India to remove from their web sites “inflammatory and hateful content” that New Delhi blames for sparking a mass exodus of people from several cities.

Tens of thousands of panic-stricken students and workers from northeast left for home last week, spurred by rumors they would be attacked in retaliation for communal violence in Assam that left at least 78 people dead.

India on Monday blocked as many as 245 Web pages for hosting video clips and other content that the authorities said were distorted and were used for spreading the rumors.

The government is wary of social networks being misused for inciting violence and has asked companies including Google, Facebook, Twiter Inc. and Microsoft Corp. to remove such content from their websites.

Facebook, which has about 50 million users in India, acknowledged receiving the requests and said it is working through those requests and responding to the agencies.

[quote]”Facebook will remove content which breaches our terms,” as defined in its agreement with its users, it said in a statement.[/quote]

The U.S.-based company said it is encouraging its users to flag such content through its website “so that we can investigate and take action fast.”

[quote]Search-engine giant Google, which provides services such as YouTube and Orkut said: “We understand the gravity of the situation… and continue to work closely with relevant authorities.”[/quote]

Content intended to incite violence is prohibited on all Google products, the company said in a statement.

August 21, 2012