Indian Government to block ProtonMail after bomb threats were sent using a ProtonMail account (timesofindia.indiatimes.com)
from Stewbs@lemmy.world to technology@lemmy.world on 15 Feb 2024 22:18
https://lemmy.world/post/12004620

cross-posted from: lemmy.world/post/11998237

The IT ministry has reportedly decided to issue an order blocking end-to-end encrypted email service ProtonMail. According to a report in Hindustan Times, the government is planning to block the email service at the request of the Tamil Nadu police over a hoax bomb threat sent to at least thirteen private schools in Chennai on February 8. The report says that the decision to block ProtonMail was taken at a meeting of the 69A blocking committee on Wednesday (February 14).

A Proton spokesperson told the publication that the company has received the request from MeitY “a few days ago”. “We are currently working to resolve this situation and are investigating how we can best work together with the Indian authorities to do so. We understand the urgency of the situation and are completely clear that our services are not to be used for illegal purposes. We routinely remove users who are found to be doing so and are willing to cooperate wherever possible within international cooperation agreements,” the spokesperson said.

#technology

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philo@discuss.online on 15 Feb 2024 22:25 next collapse

Isn’t that a bit overkill.

Stewbs@lemmy.world on 15 Feb 2024 22:27 next collapse

It really is but who knows what goes on the minds of out government’s officials lol

demesisx@infosec.pub on 15 Feb 2024 23:10 collapse

What goes on the minds of government officials: “Oooh! I can use this as an excuse to take away the rights of our people under the guise of security!”

agent_flounder@lemmy.world on 16 Feb 2024 03:16 next collapse

This person gets it. ☝🏻

Stewbs@lemmy.world on 16 Feb 2024 12:52 collapse

Yep, that’s sadly true

kakes@sh.itjust.works on 16 Feb 2024 00:08 next collapse

I imagine this is something they wanted to do beforehand, and this event gave them “just” cause to pull the trigger.

LordBelphegor@lemm.ee on 16 Feb 2024 03:43 next collapse

The current political party in power wants to turn India into a fascist surveillance state.

EpicVision@monero.town on 16 Feb 2024 16:19 collapse

a bit? It’s not just a bit overkill, this is absolutely brain dead.

scytale@lemm.ee on 15 Feb 2024 22:33 next collapse

When the people who know nothing about technology make the decisions about technology.

cmnybo@discuss.tchncs.de on 15 Feb 2024 22:39 next collapse

Maybe they should shut down phone service when someone calls in a bomb threat and shut down the postal service when someone mails one in too.

far_university1990@feddit.de on 16 Feb 2024 05:42 collapse

Shut down truck company because someone drove a truck into a mass of people.

Stewbs@lemmy.world on 16 Feb 2024 12:50 collapse

Wish our government officials had a basic understanding of tech so they could see this and go “the fuck are we doing?”

Halosheep@lemm.ee on 15 Feb 2024 23:23 next collapse

Strange they’re willing to block a service for ‘allowing’ this but somehow can’t be bothered to figure out their giant scam industry.

Darkassassin07@lemmy.ca on 16 Feb 2024 01:22 next collapse

Scams in India primarily target foreign nations while bringing cash into the country that then gets spent in the local economy.

As long as they’re not targeting others within india, the authorities have little incentive to stop them.

That’s before you get to the corruption poisoning the investigations/prosecutions that do happen.

[deleted] on 16 Feb 2024 06:15 next collapse

.

ApathyTree@lemmy.dbzer0.com on 16 Feb 2024 18:00 collapse

I like to tell them “your mother must be so ashamed to have you in the family; so worthless as a breadwinner that you have to resort to theft”.

That always riles them right up.

Stewbs@lemmy.world on 16 Feb 2024 12:49 collapse

They will target anyone they can get sadly, Indians are not exempted from this and are often times, the primary targets

Stewbs@lemmy.world on 16 Feb 2024 12:49 collapse

Actions have been taken against the scam industry, the offices have been raided by police officers several times but once again the collective action is too little and too late

nfsu2@feddit.cl on 15 Feb 2024 23:24 next collapse

Wait till they ban talking for threatening verbally

Stewbs@lemmy.world on 16 Feb 2024 12:52 collapse

Wait till they ban staring cause it’s intimidating!

UraniumBlazer@lemm.ee on 16 Feb 2024 02:37 next collapse

Pathetic authoritarian fucks ugggh… Please remember… India is NOT a democratic counterbalance to China. They’re just like China. The only difference is that they both hate each other.

Stewbs@lemmy.world on 16 Feb 2024 12:48 collapse

Mother of Democracy they said…

UraniumBlazer@lemm.ee on 16 Feb 2024 13:47 collapse

Never heard “Mother of Democracy”, but I’ve heard a lot of “the world’s largest democracy”. Yea, bs either ways.

Stewbs@lemmy.world on 16 Feb 2024 13:51 collapse

bs for sure

clot27@lemm.ee on 16 Feb 2024 03:03 next collapse

I swear these dumb bureaucrats and politicians would’ve banned torrent, tor, etc. too if it was possible.

THE_MASTERMIND@feddit.ch on 16 Feb 2024 05:19 next collapse

India has aldready banned vpn’s on many carriers

Stewbs@lemmy.world on 16 Feb 2024 12:47 collapse

Torrenting sites are banned/blocked on many ISPs and on Jio VPNs are blocked too so you’re not that far off

sag@lemm.ee on 16 Feb 2024 03:47 next collapse

So I can’t use Proton Mail anymore?

THE_MASTERMIND@feddit.ch on 16 Feb 2024 05:20 next collapse

If this go through no . But yiu can use by using it in tor

Stewbs@lemmy.world on 16 Feb 2024 12:51 collapse

If it gets blocked then no but you can continue using it either through a VPN, a proxy server or through Tor. You could also use a different DNS to unblock the website for yourself (Incase it gets blocked)

EpicVision@monero.town on 16 Feb 2024 16:18 next collapse

You can easily circumvent this block with a VPN. Proton actually offers a free tier of their VPN service that is specifically designed for users that experience censorship: protonvpn.com/vpn/censorship

Proton Mail also has a Tor website: protonmailrmez3lotccipshtkleegetolb73fuirgj7r4o4v…

sag@lemm.ee on 16 Feb 2024 18:04 collapse

Thanks

Stewbs@lemmy.world on 16 Feb 2024 18:10 collapse

You’re welcome

fne8w2ah@lemmy.world on 16 Feb 2024 03:56 next collapse

After WhatsApp and Telegram duh.

model_tar_gz@lemmy.world on 16 Feb 2024 04:08 next collapse

Wonder if they’d block Gmail, too.

THE_MASTERMIND@feddit.ch on 16 Feb 2024 05:19 next collapse

Lol for what they are open as they get

Stewbs@lemmy.world on 16 Feb 2024 12:47 collapse

Seeing how google will hand all user data when asked to, yeah that’s not gonna happen unfortunately

Gazumi@lemmy.world on 16 Feb 2024 06:55 next collapse

So… If someone did it the old fashioned way by telephone from a public phone, or sent out a letter, or shared leaflets, would we be looking at disconnecting public phones, stopping the postal service and banning home printers?

GreatAlbatross@feddit.uk on 16 Feb 2024 09:56 next collapse

Don’t give them ideas!

Stewbs@lemmy.world on 16 Feb 2024 12:46 collapse

By applying Indian government logic, yes! this just in, Microwaves have been banned after a bomb was sent inside a microwave…

Stewbs@lemmy.world on 16 Feb 2024 12:56 next collapse

Btw Internet Freedom Foundation (or the IFF) filed several RTI requests (RTI = Request to information) regarding this situation. If anyone wants to follow their progress then here’s their Mastodon account: mastodon.world/@internetfreedom@mas.to

The IFF is a highly trustworthy and well respected organization that fights for Indians digital rights and democratic freedoms. They’ve done a lot of good work over the years, they even helped VLC to get unblocked when it was banned in India.

Stewbs@lemmy.world on 16 Feb 2024 13:02 next collapse

Here’s their toot mentioning the situation with Proton Mail: mastodon.world/…/111935324571240375

UraniumBlazer@lemm.ee on 16 Feb 2024 13:46 collapse

Oh didn’t know about IFF. Thanks for dropping the link! :)

Stewbs@lemmy.world on 16 Feb 2024 13:49 next collapse

You’re welcome!

internetfreedom@mas.to on 16 Feb 2024 14:09 collapse

@UraniumBlazer @Stewbs

hello :)

Stewbs@lemmy.world on 16 Feb 2024 17:32 next collapse

Hey there! Thank you so much for all the work you guys do, it’s great to have an organization you can actually rely on to bring some amount of change <3

UraniumBlazer@lemm.ee on 17 Feb 2024 08:23 collapse

WOAH HI!!! YOU’RE AMAZING!!! <3

EpicVision@monero.town on 16 Feb 2024 16:14 next collapse

Guys! I know how to get Gmail blocked in India!

CrayonRosary@lemmy.world on 16 Feb 2024 17:57 collapse

If you don’t receive the email containing the bomb threat because you banned the email domain, does the bomb really exist?

No! The bomb just goes away. Checkmate, terrorists.

june@lemmy.world on 16 Feb 2024 18:48 collapse

Has real ‘stop testing for covid to reduce case count’ energy.