ISP appeal unblocks 'banned' torrent websites

BANGALORE, INDIA: The 'iron curtain' on certain torrent and file-sharing sites has been lifted. At least, partially so.

The video-streaming sites that were blocked by some Internet Service Providers (ISPs) like Reliance and Airtel, include Megavideo, Mediafire, Hotfile, Rapidfire, The Pirate Bay, Torrentz.eu and Vimeo. They were restricted based on an order by the Madras High Court.

Soon to happily oblige, the realization that users' ire might go against them dawned upon them a tad late. So, the ISPs moved the HC, with an appeal that a blanket ban kind of a block would stop users from accessing even some legitimate sites. Hence, they requested restricting access to content on specific URLs based on the requests made, instead of blocking whole websites.

CIOL carried a story on ways people use to unblock file-sharing sites, which fueled a debate among the online community on such restrictions by the government.

Read our previous story: How users unblock Torrent sites

Protests by many users fighting against Internet censorship also must have fallen in the ears of the HC. Hacktivist group, Anonymous, also played a huge part in sensitizing people and putting the fear of god among ISPs. 

Ultimately, the Madras High Court declared last week that the copyright holder can't demand broad takedowns. So, instead of closing down the entire website, the copyright holder has to list the infringing URL and inform its particulars within 48 hours.

It has also reportedly remarked in its order that entire websites cannot be blocked on the basis of 'John Doe' orders.

"The order of interim injunction dated April 25, 2012 is hereby clarified that the interim injunction is granted only in respect of a particular URL, where the infringing movie is kept and not in respect of the entire website. Further, the applicant is directed to inform about the particulars of URL, where the interim movie is kept within 48 hours," said the HC in its order.

(With inputs from NDTV Gadgets)