Twitter Doc: Centre Requests To Block Journalists And Politicians

The Lumen database receives information regarding websites or accounts that top internet companies like Google, Facebook, and Twitter have been ordered to block anybody in accordance with existing laws.

New Delhi: According to a document submitted by the platform on June 26, the government requested that the social media platform Twitter block a number of accounts and some tweets from the advocacy group Freedom House, journalists, politicians, and those who supported the farmers’ protest last year.

As reported by the Press Trust of India (PTI), according to the document submitted to the Lumen database, the requests were sent by the government between January 5 and December 29, 2021, according to Press Trust of India.

The Lumen database receives information regarding websites or accounts that top internet companies like Google, Facebook, and Twitter have been ordered to block anybody in accordance with existing laws. The database does not, however, contain information regarding whether the request to block a link or account was carried out.

The Twitter document stated that the social media platform received a request from the government to block tweets from the international advocacy group Freedom House, which carries out research and advocacy on democracy, political freedom, and human rights, including freedom of speech and expression online around the world. The tweets discussed the situation of internet freedom in 2020 and pointed out India as having experienced a dramatic drop in such freedom, as reported by PTI.

The Ministry of Electronics and IT did not respond to a question received by Press Trust of India via email.

Furthermore, according to the paper, the administration asked to have the tweets of Jarnail Singh, an assemblyman from the Indian National Congress, and other members of the Aam Aadmi Party blocked.

According to PTI, the government has also asked Twitter to remove the Kisan Ekta Morcha account.

The majority of the tweets and Twitter accounts that were requested to be blocked were visible to users, according to a random examination.

The umbrella organisation of farmers’ unions, Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM), expressed strong opposition to the government’s requests for the blocking of tweets from those who supported it in a statement posted on Monday.

“The Union Government’s order to block Twitter accounts associated with the farm movement is strongly opposed and condemned by Samyukta Kisan Morcha. About a dozen Indian Twitter accounts, including the Farm Movement-affiliated account @kisanektamorcha, have been blocked by Twitter without prior notice,” claimed SKM.

The government’s decision to restrict the tweets of journalists Rana Ayyub and CJ Werleman was denounced by the international organisation Committee to Protect Journalists.

“Twitter complying with the Indian government’s directive to withhold journalist @RanaAyyub’s tweet and block columnist @cjwerleman’s account in India are part of an unacceptable new trend of censorship on social media. This must stop! Journalists’ voices are essential for a democracy,” CPJ Asia tweeted.

Twitter complying with Indian government's directive to withhold journalist 's tweet and block columnist @cjwerleman's account in India are part of an unacceptable new trend of censorship on social media. This must stop! Journalists voices are essential for a democracy https://t.co/jtXvHP6Nq3

— CPJ Asia (@CPJAsia) June 27, 2022

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