In Pakistan, discussions on access to the web, restrictions on its content and privacy considerations square measure commonplace, except for the past few days, the term 'DNS' has been reverberant here.
This is because of the publication of variety of reports things claiming that the {pakistan|Pakistan|Islamic Republic of Pakistan|West Pakistan|Asian country|Asian nation} Telecommunications Authority (PTA) is considering implementing a centralized DNS management policy in Pakistan, that is being pursued by digital rights activists. it's been represented by activists as AN "attack on the structure of the Internet".
However, AN instructive statement from the PTA on weekday declared that "the PTA has enforced an automatic system to dam illegal content below Section thirty seven of the PECA."
"We haven't enforced a centralized DNS management wherever the resolution are centralized however all resolutions are at the extent of web Service suppliers (ISPs)," the statement aforesaid. ۔ '
The speech communication began with a report within the Dawn newspaper, that claimed variations between the PTA and therefore the ISPs over centralized DNS management.
consistent with the report, ISPs had reservations concerning the policy moving web services and increasing the prices concerned.
The PTA statement conjointly claimed that the move was taken when consultation and in depth deliberations with Pakistan's ISPs.
"This latest development won't have an effect on the costs of web services, won't impede the web nor can it have an effect on the privacy of voters."
However, when AN analysis printed within the Dawn newspaper, an in depth rebuttal was issued by the PTA, that rejected all the claims created during this column.
Despite PTA's denials during this regard, the general public on social media square measure asking questions about it and need to grasp if such a policy is enforced, what would be the impact on the typical shopper.
What is DNS?
Kamran Khan, IT's Senior Manager at Algazar Technology, has given details concerning DNS, the which means of that is being explained.
Whenever an internet site is registered, it's given AN scientific discipline address in numeric kind like 202.164.154.129.
There square measure presently billions of such addresses. In such cases, for the convenience of the overall user, it's given a reputation that is termed Mapping name System (DNS).
consider it as a phone directory that contains the names and numbers of many individuals. for instance, Google.com's scientific discipline address is (165 181 250 142). currently clearly basic cognitive process this variety is less complicated than basic cognitive process 'google.com'.
this suggests that you simply won't understand the scientific discipline address of the web site whose address you've got entered within the search bar, but you'll decision it the language spoken between the networks or the PO box variety of the websites. ۔
What is meant by DNS centralized control?
currently if you perceive this terribly advanced term then you recognize from Kamran Khan what's meant by its centralized management.
perceive that if PTA needs to block any web site, it's to require its request and move to ISPs which can forestall it from finding its scientific discipline address from DNS server. Are
Would any such potential move cause issues in mistreatment the internet?
Users also are disturbed that they're going to not need to leave an internet site for good due to this new initiative.
this is often not the case with Shehzad Ahmed, he says, "People have the choice to try to to no matter they require, individuals can still use it and bypass it."
"They blocked things before, therefore individuals used VPNs."
"If the PTA bases its policies on national security, insulting material or non secular material, then what will we have a tendency to expect from them?"
"The role of the PTA is to enhance the present services, to confirm the supply of web to the individuals. this is often not their focus."
"I do not assume it makes any distinction. We've been telling them since 2010 that you simply cannot management the web," aforesaid Shehzad Ahmed.
"You ought to specialise in the accountable use of the web and not begin forbidding everything," he said.
Kamran Khan conjointly agrees with Shehzad that it's uphill to impose an entire ban on content despite centralized DNS management.
"A giant a part of the web wherever such illegal activities surface is hidden from our read, and therefore the web ahead of our eyes is already monitored, if it's to be illegal," he says. therefore individuals can use VPNs.
"The extent to that web access are restricted in Pakistan conjointly depends on the intentions of the PTA."