Tech-savvy Kashmiri netizens dodge ban

Ishfaq Tantry

Tribune News Service

Srinagar, April 29

Even as the mobile Internet services were restored in Kashmir today, days after social media gag was enforced, there is virtually an online proxy war going on between netizens and the government.

Many netizens were able to dodge the ban through proxy servers. They updated their Facebook or Twitter status by using technology.

The cellular companies, including BSNL, are struggling to impose the gag. Though Aircel and Airtel, which have a substantial customer base in the Valley, have been able to block a majority of the messaging services and social media sites listed in the gag order, many of these are still accessible on the BSNL 2G service.

Besides, the people who are addicted to social media or wanted to defy the ban, continued to update their Facebook and Twitter accounts using open-source technology tools and apps. Of these, a majority use Virtual Private Network (VPN) apps.

“Successfully logged in via some network, courtesy Kenya,” wrote a Facebook user, while updating his status using VPN.

“I had said it before and I would like to repeat it ‘Haenzan wahroav zaal, gaddav hechchi wot’a,” wrote another Facebook user, which roughly translates that “when the fishermen spread their net, fish learn how to jump it.”

ITexperts had warned that with the availability of technology, the ban won’t be much effective.