Over 43,000 websites are blocked in India: Study
A new study has uncovered that over 43,000 websites are blocked in India across six major ISPs—a number way higher than previously thought.
Researcher Karan Saini used billions of DNS queries to scan nearly every registered domain, revealing just how widespread online censorship is.
Methodology of the study
Instead of checking a small sample, the study looked at almost the whole internet—testing connections on Jio, Airtel, ACT Fibernet, MTNL, Connect Broadband, and You Broadband.
Each ISP had its own way of blocking sites, confirmed by cross-checking with outside DNS providers.
Findings of the study
Some ISPs blocked unexpected things: MTNL took down Telegram and Let's Encrypt; Airtel accidentally blocked all .yokohama domains; You Broadband targeted Scribd and some news outlets.
Most blocked sites aren't even popular—78% wouldn't show up in typical studies.
And ISPs rarely agreed on which types of sites to block—even for big topics like terrorism or adult content.