INDIAN GOVERNMENT ORDERS X TO BLOCK ‘SPECIFIC’ ACCOUNTS AMID FARMER PROTEST

Thu 22 February 2024:

Social media platform X has removed a number of accounts and posts in response to an order from the Indian government. These posts and accounts are allegedly connected to recent farmer protests demanding higher prices for their crops.

The site, which was once known as Twitter, stated on Thursday that it disagrees with the decision and that it amounted to restricting freedom of expression but did not disclose the specifics of the removals.

“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,” the Global Government Affairs account representing X on the platform said.

“We have also provided the impacted users with notice of these actions in accordance with our policies,” it said, without revealing the identity of the accounts.

X, formerly Twitter, has millions of users in India.

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 criticised Google, Facebook and X for not doing enough to tackle what it calls fake or “anti-India” content.

Many users have complained their social media accounts are either blocked or face restrictions in India.

X said its position on the matter was consistent with its ongoing legal challenge against the Indian government’s orders to block content.

“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 team said in a post, without naming the accounts.

The Hindustan Times newspaper reported that the “emergency” blocking orders issued last week by the government cover accounts of some farmers’ groups and supporters.

Jairam Ramesh, a legislator from the main opposition Congress party, said in a post on X the move represented the “murder of democracy in India”.

The Indian government is yet to issue a statement on the matter.

The X’s Global Government Affairs said legal restrictions do not allow it to publish government orders but the platform wants to maintain transparency.

“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 said, adding that a writ appeal challenging the government’s “remains pending”.

With Al Jazeera

______________________________________________________________

FOLLOW INDEPENDENT PRESS:

WhatsApp CHANNEL
https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VaAtNxX8fewmiFmN7N22