Indian Government Orders Ban on 2,355 Accounts, Including Reuters, on Elon Musk's Social Media Platform X

Elon Musk-owned social media platform X (formerly Twitter) said on July 8 that the Indian government ordered it to block 2,355 accounts in India on July 3, including the accounts belonging to the news outlet Reuters, disputing MeitY's earlier statement on the matter.

The order was issued under Section 69A of the IT Act, with non-compliance risking criminal liability, it said.

This development marks the latest escalation in the ongoing standoff between X and the Indian government over alleged censorship and content takedown orders.

\"The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) demanded immediate action- within one hour- without providing justification, and required the accounts to remain blocked until further notice. After public outcry, the government requested X to unblock @Reuters and @ReutersWorld,\" the company said in a post through its Global Government Affairs account.

X further stated that it is 'deeply concerned about ongoing press censorship in India due to these blocking orders' and is exploring all available legal options.

\"Unlike users located in India, X is restricted by Indian law in its ability to bring legal challenges against these executive orders. We urge affected users to pursue legal remedies through the courts,\" the post read.

Earlier this week, MeitY stated that it had not asked the social media platform X to withhold the account of Reuters.

\"There is no requirement from the Government of India to withhold Reuters handle. We are continuously working with X to resolve the problem,\" the ministry had said in a statement.

The account was restored in India on July 6 after a day-long suspension. During the suspension, a notice informed X users that '@Reuters has been withheld in IN (India) in response to a legal demand.'

Over the years, the social media firm has clashed with the Indian government multiple times over its content removal requests.

In March, X sued the government, arguing that its use of Section 79(3)(b) of the IT Act and the Sahyog Portal amounts to an unlawful and unregulated censorship mechanism that bypasses statutory safeguards. The hearing for the case is currently ongoing in Karnataka High Court.

The company had also challenged takedown orders issued under Section 69A in 2022, arguing that the government’s directives lacked transparency and violated free speech protections.

According to the source: Moneycontrol.