In a significant move highlighting the ongoing tension between tech companies and Indian regulatory bodies, X Corp (formerly Twitter) has blocked over 8,000 accounts in India following directives from the Indian government. The action, initiated on Thursday, May 8, 2025, comes after the government warned of substantial fines and potential imprisonment for the company's local employees if it failed to comply with the orders.
X Corp's Global Government Affairs team confirmed the restrictions in a post, expressing reservations while stating that compliance was necessary to keep the platform accessible in India. The company stated, "To comply with the orders, we will withhold the specified accounts in India alone". These directives reportedly include demands to block access within India to accounts belonging to international news organizations and prominent users of X.
The government's order and X's compliance have ignited discussions around censorship, freedom of speech, and the power of the Indian government to regulate digital content. X Corp has voiced its disagreement with the Indian government's demands, asserting that blocking entire accounts is unnecessary and equates to censorship, contradicting the fundamental right to free speech. The company also claimed that the government had not specified which particular posts from the flagged accounts violated local laws.
The blocked accounts reportedly include those of several Pakistani government officials and some Indian users, including journalists and news organizations. News portal The Wire has stated they will challenge the blocking order. X's own Global Government Affairs account was temporarily withheld in India shortly after the announcement.
This recent action is not an isolated incident. There have been increasing clashes between X and Indian authorities over content regulation. In 2023, the Karnataka High Court dismissed X's petition against multiple blocking orders under Section 69A of the IT Act and fined the company ₹50 lakh for non-compliance. During the 2021 farmer protests, X initially resisted government requests to remove critical content but later complied after legal pressure.
The Indian government's actions are rooted in the Information Technology Act, 2000, and the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021. These regulations empower the government to direct social media platforms to remove or block access to content deemed unlawful or harmful. The IT Rules 2021 require significant social media intermediaries to publish monthly compliance reports on content moderation. Social media companies are required to appoint a chief compliance officer and remove content within 36 hours when requested by authorities.
The government defends these measures as necessary to combat misinformation, maintain public order, and ensure compliance with Indian laws. Amidst ongoing border tensions with Pakistan, the government has warned against accounts spreading fake news and has urged citizens to verify information with official sources.
X is exploring all legal avenues available to the company and encourages affected users to seek appropriate relief. However, X also acknowledges that Indian law restricts its ability to directly challenge these executive orders. This situation highlights the challenges faced by global tech firms navigating India's increasingly stringent digital regulations and the complexities of balancing free speech with national laws.
Looking ahead, the Indian government aims to implement the Digital Personal Data Protection Rules, 2025, by mid-2025. These rules seek to operationalize the Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023, providing further guidance on data protection, data retention, and cross-border data transfers.
