Twitter blocks over 500 accounts in India but refuses to ban journalists
The Indian government is at war with protesters against the country's new agricultural reforms. Recently virtual spies were called upon to find anti-nationalist behavior in the local population. Just before that, the Twitter suspends accounts of protesters in India at the request of the state. However, the social network did not comply with the most recent request from the current administration: to block journalists and political activists.
To prevent the protests, the government blocked the internet in Delhi, the epicenter of the demonstrations. In yet another attempt to censor the population, the government requested that Twitter restricts hashtags and bans some accounts. After an initial refusal, the platform eventually gave in.
Twitter has blocked more than 500 accounts of influential left-wing figures in India who support the farmers' movement. Although the reason was not made clear, a spokesperson said that the social network complies with the laws of each country and, if the authorities legally require the suspension of user accounts, it will do so.
However, Twitter has refused to block accounts of journalists, activists and politicians. The platform has already was warned by the authorities that she will be held legally responsible. Some of the initially banned profiles have been released.
“We will continue to defend the right to free speech on behalf of the people we serve and are actively exploring options under Indian law – both for Twitter and for the accounts that were impacted. We remain committed to protecting the health of the conversation that occurs on Twitter and believe strongly that Tweets should flow,” the social network said.
How it all began
Several small farmers have organized through unions and social movements, including a local communist party, to protest against new government regulations. The farmworkers claim that the laws passed last year favor markets and put the livelihoods of small producers at risk. As a demonstration, they mobilized and occupied roads on the outskirts of the capital New Delhi.
On Twitter in India, the topic Modi Planning Farmer Genocide is circulating with several comments about the protests and the response of the police force in the Indian capital. This is one of the reasons that the country's government is concerned and, along with other factors, led MeitY to order the bird's social network to silence the tag and suspend accounts.
Farmers are using social media to mobilize, with major repercussions around the world. As a way of spreading the word about the protests, the Indian government has acted in an authoritarian manner, as shown by this threat to Twitter. In addition, the government has also cut off internet access in the outskirts of the capital.
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Image: Alok Uniyal (Pixels)
