X complies with Indian gov’t order to take down accounts, posts

[KARAH RUCKER]

INDIA’S GOVERNMENT HAS ORDERED X TO TAKE DOWN CERTAIN ACCOUNTS AND POSTS SO SOCIAL MEDIA USERS IN THE COUNTRY CANNOT SEE THEM.

X SAYS IT WILL COMPLY –

BUT DISAGREES WITH INDIA’S DEMANDING REQUEST.

IT WAS EITHER CENSOR WHAT WE TELL YOU TO.

OR FACE FINES AND POTENTIAL IMPRISONMENT –

ACCORDING TO THE PLATFORM’S GLOBAL AFFAIRS ACCOUNT.

THEIR POST SAYS IN PART “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 POST ALSO EXPLAINED THAT DETAILS OF THE EXECUTIVE ORDER CANNOT BE MADE PUBLIC – SOMETHING THEY ALSO DISAGREE WITH AND WANT CHANGED FOR THE SAKE OF TRANSPARENCY.

BUT IT HASN’T STOPPED LOCAL MEDIA REPORTS FROM DIRECTLY ASSOCIATING INDIA’S DEMANDS WITH THE HIGH-PROFILE FARMER PROTESTS CURRENTLY TAKING PLACE IN THE COUNTRY.

THE LARGEST NEWS AGENCY IN THE COUNTRY – PRESS TRUST OF INDIA – REPORTED GOVERNMENT AGENCIES DEMANDED THE REMOVAL OF NEARLY 200 X ACCOUNTS LINKED TO FARMERS’ PROTESTS.

THEIR SOURCES ALSO SAY THOSE ACCOUNTS CAN BE RESTORED AFTER THE FARMER’S UPHEAVAL AGAINST GOVERNMENT POLICIES ENDS.

THIS IS FAR FROM X’S FIRST RUN IN WITH FOREIGN GOVERNMENT’S CALLING ON THE PLATFORM TO CENSOR CERTAIN CONTENT THAT GOES AGAINST A REGIME.

AND IT’S NOT THE PLATFORM’S FIRST TIME TO RECEIVE ORDERS FROM INDIA TO CENSOR ITS PEOPLE

LAST YEAR ELON MUSK RECEIVED CRITICISM AFTER TOUTING X AS A PLACE OF FREE SPEECH BUT THEN CENSORING MORE THAN 100 PROMINENT ACCOUNTS BELONGING TO POLITICIANS, JOURNALISTS, AND ACTIVISTS ON INDIA’S COMMAND.

X WAS UNDER FIRE LAST YEAR FOR RESTRICTING POSTS AHEAD OF A PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION IN TURKEY AFTER THE TURKISH GOVERNMENT THREATENED TO SHUT THE PLATFORM DOWN IF IT DIDN’T ABIDE.

INDIA IS THE THIRD-LARGEST MARKET FOR TWITTER AFTER THE U.S. AND JAPAN.

BUT OPERATING THERE IS COMING AT A COST.

MUSK IS CHALLENGING THE INDIAN GOVERNMENT’S BLOCKING ORDERS IN A PENDING CASE.

WHILE IT’S X OPENLY EXPRESSING DISSENT OVER INDIA’S ORDERS –

IN THE GOVERNMENT’S PAST REQUESTS –

META, YOUTUBE AND OTHER BIG TECH PLATFORMS HAVE ALSO BEEN GIVEN THE SAME CENSORSHIP DEMANDS.