Elon Musk's Twitter under fire, ordered to block 8,000 Indian accounts
Twitter prevents over 8,000 accounts at Elon Musk's behest, following Indian government's demand
In a striking turn of events, Elon Musk's Twitter has been slapped with executive orders by the Indian government, mandating the platform to block over 8,000 accounts within India.
To comply with these orders, Twitter is restricting access to the listed accounts, causing a stir in the digital world. Though a tough decision, maintaining its services in India is crucial, as they are vital to Indians' ability to access information.
As the Indian government cracks down on online content amid escalating tensions with Pakistan after the Pahalgam terror attack, Twitter faces penalties for non-compliance, including significant fines and imprisonment of the company's local employees. Notably, the orders demand blocking access to accounts belonging to international news organizations and prominent users, but outside India, these accounts remain accessible.
The orders lack specificity, with the Indian government often failing to provide evidence or justification for blocking accounts. Concerned about censorship, Twitter believes making these orders public is essential for transparency. However, legal limitations prevent the publication of the executive orders, which contributes to arbitrary decision making and discourages accountability.
Twitter is now exploring all legal avenues available, urging impacted users to seek relief through the courts. This recent move further highlights the complex relationship between big tech and big state that's been ongoing.
Meanwhile, as the digital landscape continues to evolve, it's essential to consider the implications of these censorship measures on freedom of speech and access to information.
India vs Pakistan, a Cyber Battleground
In another development, the Indian government had earlier banned over a dozen Pakistani YouTube channels, including several news outlets, accusing them of spreading "provocative" content. Access to the Instagram account of Pakistan's former Prime Minister Imran Khan has also been restricted in India.
Several prominent Pakistani public figures, including actors Fawad Khan and Atif Aslam, and cricketers such as Babar Azam, Mohammad Rizwan, Shahid Afridi, and Wasim Akram, have been blocked or blacklisted across Indian platforms. This crackdown has intensified due to a surge of misinformation online after India's Operation Sindoor, with social media users sharing manipulated or outdated visuals, including deepfake videos, falsely attributed to recent cross-border developments.
Sources:1. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Twitter2. wikipedia.org/wiki/India%E2%80%93Pakistan_relations3. www.reuters.com/world/india/twitter-may-block-thousands-of-accounts-in-india-override-local-employee...4. https://www.businessinsider.com/twitter-receives-indian-government-order-blocking-accounts-2022-55. www.theguardian.com/technology/2022/jul/22/twitter-halts-account-blocks-in-india-after-uproar-over-censorship-concerns
- The Indian government's recent orders to Elon Musk's Twitter mandate blocking access to over 8,000 accounts within India, raising concerns about censorship and freedom of speech.
- Alongside this move, the Indian government has been taking further steps to regulate online content, including banning Pakistani YouTube channels and restricting the Instagram account of Pakistan's former Prime Minister Imran Khan.
- Notably, international news organizations and prominent users have been targeted in India's crackdown on online content, with some accounts remaining accessible outside the country.
- Cricketers like Babar Azam, Mohammad Rizwan, Shahid Afridi, and Wasim Akram, among others from Pakistan, have been blocked or blacklisted on Indian platforms due to escalating tensions between the two countries.
- The ongoing digital battles between India and Pakistan shed light on the complex relationship between big tech and big state, with freedom of speech and access to information at the heart of the debate.
