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Consumer Complaints Site RipoffReport Blocked In India

Ripoff Report, a consumer complaints website, has been blocked in India, members at the India GII mailing list pointed out recently. We checked, and on trying to access RipoffReport.com via Airtel mobile and MTNL Broadband, we get a page that has the words "Access Denied". This block is particularly relevant because it comes at a time when MouthShut.com, which is provides a similar consumer feedback servicein India, has begun legal proceedings in India's Supreme Court against the IT Rules, which are being used to inhibit freedom of speech in India; Farooqui had said then that MouthShut “been threatened with hundreds of legal notices, cybercrime complaints and defamation cases. At other times, officers from various police stations call our office, demanding deletion of various reviews or face dire consequences under the IT rules”, and the problem is that IT Rules”would require MouthShut.com to remove any negative review about a company or brand simply because they don’t like it, irrespective of the facts stated in the review.” This development only emphasizes the need for MouthShut to go to court. However, to be fair, RipOffReport isn't particularly popular - see this report where it is called 'electronic terrorism', because businesses have to pay for 'positive reviews', and according to Forbes, for the ability to respond to consumer complaints. Even if that is the case, blocking a site in its entirety is not a legitimate solution. A few things to note about this particular website block: 1. According to members reports on India GII mailing list,…

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Written By

Founder @ MediaNama. TED Fellow. Asia21 Fellow @ Asia Society. Co-founder SaveTheInternet.in and Internet Freedom Foundation. Advisory board @ CyberBRICS

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