Social media platform X (formerly known as Twitter) has blocked access to over 8,000 accounts in India following executive orders from the Indian government. However, the company says it’s doing so under protest, calling the move excessive and a serious threat to freedom of speech.
In a statement released Thursday, X revealed that some of the accounts being blocked include well-known individuals and even international media outlets. The platform stated that it strongly disagrees with the government’s reasoning, especially since no evidence or explanation was provided in many cases.
“For a significant number of accounts, we did not receive any evidence or justification to block them,” said X. The company added that in most instances, the government didn’t even clarify which posts broke Indian law.
X also expressed concerns about the legal pressure it’s facing, including the possibility of heavy fines or even jail time for its local employees if it disobeys the directive.
Calling the blanket blocking of entire accounts “unnecessary censorship,” X warned that such actions not only silence current content but also prevent people from accessing future information.
Still, the company said keeping the platform live in India is a priority. “It’s not an easy decision, but we believe keeping X accessible is important for the free flow of information in India,” the company said.
X is looking into legal options, but its power to fight the orders is limited under Indian law. The company is encouraging affected users to explore legal help and has shared links to organizations such as iProbono India, the National Legal Services Authority, and the Supreme Court Legal Services Committee.
