Lok Sabha Question No. 590 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2023-12-06
Subject: regulation of Dark Net
Ministry: ELECTRONICS AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
Asked by: Manish Tewari

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF ELECTRONICS AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION No. 590

TO BE ANSWERED ON 06.12.2023

## REGULATION OF DARK NET

## 590.  SHRI MANISH TEWARI:

Will the Minister of Electronics and Information Technology be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government is cognizant of the existence of the Dark Net and if so, the details thereof;
- (b) whether the Government has formulated any policies, plans or laws to regulate or control access to the Dark Net and if so, the details thereof;
- (c) whether the Government is aware of the kind of content that is pervasive on the Dark Net and if so, the details thereof;
- (d) whether the Government has acknowledged that it is legally feasible, through browsers like Onion, to easily access the Dark Net and if so, the details thereof;
- (e) whether the Government is aware of the prevalence of illicit activities such as global racketeering in child pornography, child trafficking, organized prostitution, narcotic sales and trade of banned products on the Dark Net and if so, the details thereof; and
- (f) whether the Government is actively considering to participate in the establishment of an international legal  framework to regulate, proscribe or subject the Dark  Net to some form of legal and  regulatory oversight, if so, the details in this regard?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE FOR ELECTRONICS AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY (SHRI RAJEEV CHANDRASEKHAR)

(a) to (f): The policies of the Government are aimed at ensuring that the Internet in India is Open, Safe & Trusted and Accountable to all Digital Nagriks.

The Government is cognizant of the risks associated with new and evolving technologies on the Internet including Dark Net.The term 'Dark Net' is used to denote a class of content on the Internet that is not visible through general browsing and not indexed by search engines. This has been intentionally hidden and is  inaccessible  through  standard  web  browsers.  Dark  web  sites  serve  as  a  platform  for  users  for anonymity. The hidden eco system of the Dark web has potential of being used for malicious activities due  to  its  inherent  anonymous  nature.  Traditional  search  engines  are  prevented  from  indexing  those web-pages by using techniques such as dynamic content, pages without back links (unlinked pages), sites requiring login, pages with limited access content etc. Dark web technologies such as The Onion Routing (TOR) provide restricted access as well as prevent monitoring through use of encryption.

The Government is also aware of potential illegal activities and crimes associated with the Dark Net.

Government  is  also  cognizant  of  the  issues  in  cyberspace  and  takes  suitable  steps  on  an  ongoing basis.Ministry  of  Electronics  and  Information  Technology  issues  blocking  directions  to  block  the information available on the Internet for public access under section 69A of the Information Technology Act  2000under  specific  conditions  i.e.,  in  the  interest  of  :  (i)  sovereignty  and  integrity  of  India,  (ii) defense of India, (iii) security of the State, (iv) friendly relations with foreign States or (v) public order or  (vi)  for  preventing  incitement  to  the  commission  of  any  cognizable  offense  relating  to  above, following due process as envisaged in the Information Technology (Procedure Safeguards for Blocking for Access of Information by Public) Rules, 2009.

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