Did India just ban porn? Twitter reactions

857 pornographic websites have been banned in India, post a Supreme Court observation over the failure of the government in blocking child pornography. The order, reportedly, was issued under the provisions of the Information Technology Act and the article 19(2) of the constitution, which empowers the government to impose restrictions in the name of decency and morality. Section 79(3)(B) of the IT act on the other hand, requires all stakeholders to takedown or block access to content when demanded by the government.In addition section 69(A) of the IT act also allows the government to block websites. Only recently, the Supreme Court had upheld the act as constitutional, while the Section 66(A) was struck down. "We have written to the ISPs (internet service providers) to restrict free and open access to 857 websites. This direction is based on the observations made by the honourable Supreme Court on 10 July and using section 79 (3b) of the IT Act read with Article 19 (2) of the Indian constitution," said telecom ministry spokesperson NN Kaul to HuffPost India. Read more here.

Twitter reactions

Bolo? Now will they also ban tourists, especially local desis from visiting Konark and Khajuraho? #PornBan https://t.co/umvYmQf7u6

— Aseem Chhabra (@chhabs) August 1, 2015

This, from a Girl handle. #PornBan pic.twitter.com/RlXrPXK1cu

— SonaliRanade (@sonaliranade) August 1, 2015

The VPN services would see a surge in subscriptions from today in India with the most browsed content banned. #pornban ????

— Amit (@amitbhawani) August 1, 2015

Naah. You are getting it wrong. #PornBan is a brilliant idea to attract more tourist for #Khajuraho. Why Internet? Go; see the real stuff!

— Yashwant Deshmukh (@YRDeshmukh) August 3, 2015

Use VPN, watch porn, defy censorship, laugh at the moral police of the Hindu rashtra.

— Shivam Vij (@DilliDurAst) August 2, 2015

All Indians today are 'asking for a friend'. #PornBan

— Rituparna Chatterjee (@MasalaBai) August 2, 2015

Dismayed bhakt on #pornban 'Had not expected this!". "Dude, what do you normally expect while following a cult that worships celibacy?"

— Wildcard Vidyut (@Vidyut) August 3, 2015

But seriously, it's complicated...how can we be sure that porn sites don't use trafficked women/children/slaves? #PornBan

— Namita Bhandare (@namitabhandare) August 3, 2015

Screw the #pornban when the fuck is Maggi coming back?

— Raghav Chopra (@AarSee) August 3, 2015

In the wake of #PornBan, am expecting circular from GoI banning non-veg jokes and declaring only shuddh shakahari jokes legal. #twobirds

— Nilanjana Roy (@nilanjanaroy) August 3, 2015

Still allowed to visit or have they locked the gates? Asking for a friend. #PornBan pic.twitter.com/1a5Bdk6cIq

— Papa CJ (@PapaCJ) August 2, 2015

To ban porn saying it will be seen by who shouldn't see it is like saying to stop traffic because there will be accidents

— Ram Gopal Varma (@RGVzoomin) August 1, 2015

In a country where the Prime Minister and apparent Leader of Opposition are bachelors, Porn is banned. Unfair.. I say unfair. #PornBan

— Tinu Cherian Abraham (@tinucherian) August 2, 2015

In a country where a full-blown porn star has got effortlessly mainstreamed, any attempt at #PornBan is laughable

— Abhijit Majumder (@abhijitmajumder) August 1, 2015

Pornhub, Tube 8, Video-one are all working. There's no #PornBan. Stop spreading panic

— Abhijit Majumder (@abhijitmajumder) August 1, 2015

.@i_sidh No saar, this is "culturally appropriate". #MakeInIndia! #PornBan http://t.co/AVzBiLgbIz pic.twitter.com/K4hJD4IUjV

— Reddit India (@redditindia) August 1, 2015

The #PornBan is just a hoax. You can still Google anything you want to. #Hnnngggg. pic.twitter.com/x8Si5B8xlK

— Akshar (@AksharPathak) August 1, 2015

Maggi was banned Ramdev said he will launch Patanjali noodles. Dont want him to launch anything to replace porn. #PornBan

— Bakwas deGrass Tyson (@BakwasRadio) August 1, 2015

Indian guys after they heard about #PornBan pic.twitter.com/yfkdIQh0U4

— Champ from Westeros (@BolshoyBooze) August 1, 2015

Stop crying over the #PornBan. The government will make sure that you get fucked.

— Priya Sometimes (@PriyaSometimes) August 1, 2015