The Delhi High Court has taken action against several domain name registrars that failed to comply with the IT rules. These registrars were found to be non-compliant despite repeated notices and warnings from the government.
Two popular domain name registrars, Namecheap and Dynadot, have been banned in India. The ban is reportedly related to concerns over the registration of domain names that are linked to illegal activities such as phishing scams and malware distribution.
The IT rules, which came into effect on May 26, 2021, require social media companies, online intermediaries, and other internet-based service providers to appoint grievance officers to address user complaints and compliance officers to ensure adherence to local laws.
The Delhi High Court has directed the MeitY (Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology) to take action against domain name registrars that fail to comply with the IT rules. The court has also directed the MeitY to issue a notification to all internet service providers, including domain name registrars, to comply with the rules.
The ban was reportedly implemented by the Indian Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-In), which is responsible for coordinating the response to cyber security incidents in the country. CERT-In is said to have ordered Indian internet service providers to block access to the Namecheap and Dynadot websites.
The ban on Namecheap and Dynadot is significant, as both registrars are popular among Indian internet users, particularly those looking to register domain names for personal or business use. However, there are concerns that the ban may have unintended consequences, particularly for legitimate users of these services who may be unfairly impacted by the ban. This action has been taken due to concerns related to security, privacy, and other issues.
In 2018, for example, the Indian government ordered internet service providers (ISPs) to block access to certain websites that were providing access to pirated content. This included several domain name providers who were found to be facilitating access to these websites.
More recently, in 2021, there were reports that the Indian government was planning to take action against several domain name providers that were allegedly providing services to websites that were involved in spreading fake news and propaganda. The government had reportedly asked these providers to take down these websites, but they had not complied, leading to the ban.
It’s worth noting that the Indian government has the power to block access to websites and domain name providers under the Information Technology Act, 2000. This act gives the government the power to block access to websites that are deemed to be against the public interest or national security.
The court’s action is aimed at ensuring that domain name registrars and other internet service providers comply with local laws and address user grievances promptly. The move is also expected to help curb the spread of fake news and misinformation on the internet, which has become a growing concern in India.
So, the recent action by the Delhi High Court against non-compliant domain name registrars is in line with the Indian government’s efforts to ensure the compliance with local laws and address user grievances. The IT rules require internet-based service providers to appoint grievance officers and compliance officers to ensure adherence to local laws and address user complaints promptly. The move is expected to help curb the spread of fake news and misinformation on the internet in India.
