X has stated that it is abiding by executive orders from the Indian government, which require blocking over 8,000 accounts in India. The orders carry serious penalties, including heavy fines and potential imprisonment of local employees on the platform, should they not be complied with.
Among the accounts targeted are those of international media organizations and popular users on the platform. X said that the majority of the government’s takedown notices fail to specify which particular posts supposedly contravene Indian law. In most cases, the company reports, “we did not receive any evidence or justification to block the accounts.”
In compliance, X has begun the process of limiting the visibility of the flagged accounts in India, while they will still be available elsewhere. But the company has also expressed its vehement objection to the directive. “Blocking entire accounts is not only unnecessary, it amounts to censorship of existing and future content, and is contrary to the fundamental right of free speech,” the company underscored.
X further added that this was not an easy decision. The platform emphasized the significance of remaining available in India in order to help the public access information. “Keeping the platform available in India is crucial to Indians’ capacity to access information,” it said.
The firm also demanded greater openness of government directives, contending that “making these executive orders public is vital for transparency – failure to disclose deters accountability and can lead to arbitrary decision making.” Regretfully, because of legal limitations, X cannot at the moment publish the executive orders it received.
Though X is not allowed under Indian law to directly appeal the orders in court, it is actively exploring all options legally available. The platform also encouraged affected users to pursue judicial relief on their own. “We urge all users who are affected by these blocking orders to seek proper relief from the courts,” the company has said.
To help affected users, X provided contact information for a variety of legal assistance organizations, including iProbono India, the National Legal Services Authority, the Karnataka Legal Services Authority, and the Supreme Court Legal Services Committee. X also encouraged affected users to write directly to the Indian government via cyberlaw@meity.gov.in. Following its policies, X assured users whose accounts were being withheld were notified.
