A month after VideoLAN, a non-profit that runs the popular VLC Media Player, shot off a legal notice to the Indian government regarding the blocking of an URL, the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) unblocked the website, Internet Freedom Foundation informed on November 14.
Jean-Baptiste Kempf, the president of VideoLAN and lead developer of VLC Media Player, also confirmed the development to Moneycontrol. No explanation was reportedly provided by the Government of India with regard to why the URL was blocked.
In the legal notice that was sent to the department of telecommunications (DoT) and MeitY, VideoLAN had demanded a copy of the blocking order issued to ban the videolan.org URL and an opportunity to defend its case through a virtual hearing.
The notice had stated that if MeitY or DoT did not comply, VideoLAN would initiate legal proceedings against the government for "failing to protect our rights as guaranteed by the Constitution of India, for violation of our obligations under international law...".
Notably, Kempf had earlier told Moneycontrol that the blocking of the website had directly translated into fewer downloads of VLC Media Player from the country as well as a drop in overall visits to its website.
Discover the latest Business News, Sensex, and Nifty updates. Obtain Personal Finance insights, tax queries, and expert opinions on Moneycontrol or download the Moneycontrol App to stay updated!
