Social media giant X (previously Twitter), owned by Elon Musk, has expressed deep concerns over what it terms as continued press censorship in India. The remark was made following the routine blocking of the official X account of the international news organisation Reuters in the country, which received a heavy amount of criticism.
Using its Global Government Affairs handle, X announced that on July 3, the Indian government issued the platform an instruction to block 2,355 accounts under Section 69A of the Information Technology Act. Some of the accounts contained in the order of takedown were the Reuters and the Reuters World accounts. As X claimed, the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology allowed the corporation only one hour to act according to the directive without providing any justification or explanation to the demand.
X had stated that the Ministry had called an immediate action within an hour, not explaining the reasons and stated that accounts should have been blocked till further notice. Another issue that the platform brought up is the legal juncture it is in, and since it will not be able to process the same under such orders, the company will end up facing criminal liabilities under the laws of India.
After an outcry of popular resentment and the denunciation of the media and civil society, X told the Indian government to lift the block on the accounts of Reuters. Nonetheless, X held that there should be utmost concern about whether the freedom of the press and openness in a democratic society are not called into question by the said order.
In its message, Elon Musk’s X made it clear that it values freedom of expression and that it is looking at all possible legal means of reacting to such directives. “These blocking orders remain a great cause of concern to us, where there is constant press censorship in India.” X is considering legal action in every possible way. X is not able to institute legal challenges to these executive orders as compared to users residing in India, according to the company.
Presently, the Indian government remains silent about its official reaction to the claims of X.
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