Three months after upsetting thousands of Internet users with its overzealous implementation of the Madras High Court’s privacy prevention order, Internet Service Provider (ISP) Airtel has now been penalised by a Karnataka consumer forum.
Airtel, along with a host of other ISPs, blocked a number of torrent and video-sharing websites, in May, following a Madras High Court issued ‘John Doe’ order taken by Chennai-based Copyright Labs. Copyright Labs were hired by the producers of movies ‘3’ and ‘Dammu’ to prevent online piracy.
However, following a petition by Vinay B, a resident of Shimoga, the District Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum at Shimoga has directed Airtel to pay Rs. 20,000 for ‘deficiency in Internet service’ thereby causing mental agony to the complainant.
According to the forum, Airtel had provided deficient service by blocking the websites illegally while justifying their actions through misinterpretation of the court order.
“By misinterpreting the Madras High Court order, Airtel blocked entire websites. It is needless to say that the company’s actions amount to deficiency in service as well as unfair trade practice,” said the forum.
The illegality of the ISP-block came into question when Harish Ram, CEO of Copyright Labs claimed that the ISPs had misinterpreted the court order and said that the court had only allowed blocking of specific URL’s that infringed on the movies’ copyrights.
The Hindu : Sci-Tech / Internet : Airtel penalised for
Airtel, along with a host of other ISPs, blocked a number of torrent and video-sharing websites, in May, following a Madras High Court issued ‘John Doe’ order taken by Chennai-based Copyright Labs. Copyright Labs were hired by the producers of movies ‘3’ and ‘Dammu’ to prevent online piracy.
However, following a petition by Vinay B, a resident of Shimoga, the District Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum at Shimoga has directed Airtel to pay Rs. 20,000 for ‘deficiency in Internet service’ thereby causing mental agony to the complainant.
According to the forum, Airtel had provided deficient service by blocking the websites illegally while justifying their actions through misinterpretation of the court order.
“By misinterpreting the Madras High Court order, Airtel blocked entire websites. It is needless to say that the company’s actions amount to deficiency in service as well as unfair trade practice,” said the forum.
The illegality of the ISP-block came into question when Harish Ram, CEO of Copyright Labs claimed that the ISPs had misinterpreted the court order and said that the court had only allowed blocking of specific URL’s that infringed on the movies’ copyrights.
The Hindu : Sci-Tech / Internet : Airtel penalised for
