Web host Hostinger suspends journalist's site over legal dispute

Web hosting firm Hostinger suspended the personal website and associated domains of Indian journalist and documentary filmmaker Paranjoy Guha Thakurta on October 28. The suspension, which affected over a decade of archived journalistic work, remained in effect until November 2.

According to the journalist, Hostinger cited an abuse report labeled "Fraud/Scam" as the justification for the suspension, rather than explicitly referencing a specific court order. The action followed an ex parte order issued by a Delhi court on October 24 concerning a single article hosted on the site. The journalist noted that security tools, including VirusTotal and Google Safe Browsing, did not flag his domain as malicious.

Legal experts and media advocates have criticized the move, noting that shutting down an entire domain based on a dispute over a single piece of content sets a problematic precedent for digital press freedom. Critics argue that hosting providers should offer notice or a path to appeal before taking down years of archival material.

The incident has sparked debate regarding the role of hosting providers in executing takedown requests without due process. While the website has been restored, the journalist indicated that his legal team is preparing to challenge the underlying court order.