X Blocks Accounts, Says It Disagrees With Indian Govt Demand
NEW DELHI (ANI) – The popular social media platform ‘X’ owned by Elon Musk, has issued a statement saying that it has blocked some accounts and posts on its platform after the executive orders issued by the Indian government.
“The Indian government has issued executive orders requiring X to act on specific accounts and posts, subject to potential penalties including significant fines and imprisonment. In compliance with the orders, we will withhold these accounts and posts in India alone; however, we disagree with these actions and maintain that freedom of expression should extend to these posts,” the Global Government Affairs of ‘X’ posted.
Media reports say the accounts are linked to the ongoing farmer protests. At least one farmer has died and Haryana has been openly using strong-arm tactics to prevent the farmers from reaching Delhi, reports said.
X also stated that the writ appeal challenging the Narendra Modi government’s orders remains pending and they have provided impacted users with notices of these actions in accordance with its policies.
“Due to legal restrictions, we are unable to publish the executive orders, but we believe that making them public is essential for transparency. This lack of disclosure can lead to a lack of accountability and arbitrary decision-making,” it added.
This is a fresh confrontation in the escalating tensions between the social media platform and the Indian government. X had sued over content-blocking orders in 2022 too.
Pradeep Srivastava
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An article published in reuters.com of February 22, 2024, “ X takes down accounts that media say are linked to India farmers protests” provides additional details on this issue. The following are relevant excerpts.
“The action puts the spotlight again on the struggles faced by foreign technology giants operating in India under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government, which has often criticized Google, Facebook and Twitter for not doing enough to tackle what it calls fake or “anti-India” content.
X said its position on the matter was consistent with its ongoing legal challenge against the Indian government’s content blocking orders.”
“We will withhold these accounts and posts in India alone; however, we disagree with these actions and maintain that freedom of expression should extend to these posts,” X’s Global Government Affairs said in a post, without naming the accounts.
The statement comes following a week of protests by thousands of Indian farmers who have camped 200 km (125 miles) north of Delhi after police blocked their march to the capital and fired tear gas at crowds trying to press forward.
National daily Hindustan Times reported that the “emergency” blocking orders issued last week by the government covers accounts of some farmers’ groups and supporters.
The interior affairs and information technology ministries did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Jairam Ramesh, a lawmaker from India’s main opposition Congress party, said in a post on X that the move represented the “murder of democracy in India”.
X’s Global Government Affairs said legal restrictions do not allow it to publish the government orders but the platform wants to maintain transparency.
February 22, 2024“This lack of disclosure can lead to a lack of accountability and arbitrary decision-making,” it said.”
Anil
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Good Move by the Indian Govt.
Violent protestors disrupting public life should have no forum. The protestors can protest in their home state and vote their representatives to speak for them.
of course, they don’t have majority, which says; NO DEAL!
February 22, 2024Neeru
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OMG you’re unbelievable 😡
February 22, 2024Daljit (Dean)Singh
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It is a sad state of affairs in a democratic society when a media organization capitulates to the urgencies of the government founded on principles that all persons have the basic right to express their opinions and protest to grieve their demands against the implementation of unjust public policies. I am angrier at the response of “X”, formally “Twitter” than at the unprincipled Government of India. Most authoritarian regimes, like in China, Russia, Iran, etc. etc. do have practices to muzzle freely expressed opinions of their citizens. No wonder India has been falling from the global freedom ranking of nations precipitously and joining the rank of authoritarian regimes under the Modi government.
February 22, 2024