Former Central Information Commissioner Uday Mahurkar has proposed an "immediate ban" on online pornography via AI-powered ISP blocking. This plan is technically impossible without breaking internet encryption or blocking entire legitimate platforms. For Indian ISPs and tech platforms, this means navigating a legal minefield for an unworkable mandate.
How We Got Here
India already blocks certain pornographic websites, but current intermediary liability under Section 79 of the IT Act requires "actual knowledge" for ISPs to act. Mahurkar's proposal also includes strengthening the Indecent Representation of Women (Prohibition) Act, 1986, to a 10-year jail term.
The Numbers
- Uday Mahurkar, a former CIC, released his letter to the PM on September 30, 2026.
- He proposed an "immediate ban on Pornography for minors as in 16 countries."
- The second law suggests ISPs use AI to disallow "obscene content" from their connections, risking punishment.
- Network researcher Karan Saini confirmed ISPs cannot moderate content they do not "know/see" due to encryption.
- Mahurkar's AI-powered ISP regulation would require either blocking entire legitimate domains or breaking internet encryption.
What Happens Next
🇮🇳 Why This Matters for India
For product managers and engineers building secure services in Bangalore and Hyderabad, such a law creates an immediate dilemma between compliance and foundational internet architecture.
The Take
The real story here is a senior government official proposing a technically illiterate mandate that risks internet infrastructure. Policymakers who don't grasp encryption's role will continue pushing unworkable laws, forcing tech companies to choose between compliance and foundational internet principles.
Source:
MediaNama ↗