We are turning into a nation of prudes. The Economic Times reports that the Telangana Government is seeking to block Flipkart and three other sites including Imbesharam.com, Thatspersonal.com and Ohmysecrets.com for “objectionable content”. The websites sell sex toys and intimacy products while Flipkart introduced a sexual wellness section in July last year.
The Telangana government is looking at directing various Internet service providers (ISPs) to set up appropriate software tools which will block the websites for violating the provisions of the IT Act 2000, as amended by amendment Act 2008. The list of ISPs include Airtel, Hathway, Idea Cellular, Reliance Communications, Tata DoCoMo, Tata Indicom and Vodafone.
A Telangana government official told the publication that it is seeking to block these websites as they want to avert crimes against women as there is a strong link that viewing porn sites cause crimes against women, which is frankly quite a bizarre comparison. Will the Telangana government also ban mobile phones and computers going forward, since UP officials feel they have led to a spurt in rape cases or even worse …
BAN MEN!
— Sachin Kalbag (@SachinKalbag) December 8, 2014
About the websites
Imbesharam.com is perhaps the most well known adult lifestyle store in India, which is endorsed by actress Sunny Leone. The website was started by two Indian Americans Salim Rajan and Raj Armani in Florida in July 2013.
Ohmysecrets.com is a Chennai-based company which was started in 2013 by Vinodh Reddy. Reddy claims that the website gets about 15,000 customers every day.
Thatspersonal.com is the most recent adult lifestyle website. The website was started in January 2014 by Samir Saraiya. Investors and advisors for the website include Jaspreet Bindra (ex microsoft), DDW CEO Vikram Varma. Amrut Group of Companies chairman Abhay Bhalerao, former IAMAI Chairman Neville Taraporewalla and others.
