On Thursday, the social media platform X announced that it has begun blocking 8,000 accounts in India, following executive orders from the government. In a statement shared on X's Global Government Affairs account, the platform revealed that it was compelled by the Indian government to take this action, which comes with potential penalties, including hefty fines and imprisonment for the company's local staff. The orders require the blocking of accounts belonging to international news organisations and high-profile X users. In many instances, the Indian government has not clarified which specific posts have breached local laws. For a considerable number of accounts, X has indicated that it has not received any evidence or justification for the blocking.
To comply with the demands, X has begun the process of restricting access to these accounts exclusively in India. The platform expressed its disagreement with the government's instructions, emphasising that blocking entire accounts is not only unwarranted but also constitutes censorship of both current and future content.
X acknowledged that this decision is a tough one but stressed the importance of keeping the platform accessible for users in India to access information freely. The company believes that making the executive orders public is crucial for transparency, as lack of disclosure can hinder accountability and lead to arbitrary decision-making. However, due to legal constraints, they are currently unable to publish the orders.
The platform noted that it is exploring all possible legal options. Unlike users in India, X faces restrictions under Indian law regarding its ability to challenge these executive orders legally. Nevertheless, it encourages all affected users to seek appropriate legal recourse.
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