Indian Authorities Order Social Media Blocks on Critical Content
Social media platforms X and Meta have complied with legal requests from Indian authorities to withhold accounts and posts containing content critical of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the government. Several affected users have challenged the actions in court.
Account and Content Actions
Following legal requests from Indian authorities, social media platforms X and Meta have withheld accounts and posts in India. The platforms have cited compliance with Indian law as the reason for the actions.
The blocked accounts include those of:
- Cartoonist Satish Acharya.
- Comedian Pulkit Mani.
- Satirist Prateek Sharma, who operates as Dr Nimo Yadav.
- Independent journalists.
- A legislator from the opposition Trinamool Congress party.
Legal Framework and Compliance
The requests were made under Indian information technology rules. In 2023, India amended these rules, reducing the time social media companies have to comply with government takedown orders from 36 hours to 3 hours.
- Lawyer Akash Karmakar described this three-hour compliance window as "the most aggressive timeline for any jurisdiction in the world."
- The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology has proposed new rules that would increase platform accountability for user content.
- Users can challenge takedown orders in Indian high courts.
Legal Challenges and Court Rulings
Several users have legally challenged the blocking of their accounts.
- In April 2024, the Delhi High Court directed platform X to reinstate the account of satirist Prateek Sharma while allowing specific posts to remain blocked.
- Government counsel, defending the request to block Sharma's account, stated the posts portrayed the Prime Minister in what they described as "bad taste."
- Legal experts have noted the short compliance window makes obtaining immediate court reprieves difficult.
Statements from Affected Parties and Analysts
- Prateek Sharma stated he would "continue to do everything I can within my rights" to create content.
- Internet policy researcher Prateek Waghre stated that the blocked content is often critical of the government and that users are typically not informed why their content is blocked.
- Satirist Sunil Sharma (known as Rofl Gandhi) reported having more than a dozen posts withheld.
- Author Kapil Komireddi noted that public figures who claim credit for successes may also receive criticism.
Background and Context
The content removal requests followed online criticism in late February 2024. This period saw market volatility and concerns over fuel supplies after international conflicts involving Israel, the U.S., and Iran. Satirical content addressed these economic effects and the government's response.
Some analysts suggest the recent criticism is a reaction to the portrayal of the Prime Minister's public image over his 12 years in power. Satirical content has also targeted media outlets perceived as supportive of the government.
Critics and satirists in India have previously reported facing legal actions, online harassment, and threats.
Government ministries and the social media platforms involved did not respond to requests for comment from the sources.