In a recent development, the Indian government has issued orders to microblogging site X to take action against specific accounts and posts. This directive has been met with opposition from the organization led by Elon Musk, emphasizing their disagreement with the government’s actions and advocating for freedom of expression.
Government Orders and Response
The global government affairs team of X, formerly known as Twitter, has highlighted the issuance of executive orders by the Indian government, mandating actions against certain accounts and posts on the platform. Despite the requirement to withhold these accounts and posts in India, X maintains its stance supporting freedom of expression and disagrees with the government’s directives.
Transparency Concerns
Expressing concerns about transparency, X has stated its inability to publish the executive orders due to legal restrictions. However, the organization believes that making these orders public is crucial for transparency, as it ensures accountability and prevents arbitrary decision-making.
Historical Context
This recent clash between X and the Indian government echoes past tensions between the social media platform and authorities. In 2021, Twitter, under different leadership, had raised objections to government guidelines, citing potential threats to freedom of expression. The government had responded by urging Twitter to comply with local laws rather than asserting its own terms.
Elon Musk’s Involvement
Notably, this development comes shortly after a Norwegian MP nominated Elon Musk for the Nobel Peace Prize, lauding him as a staunch advocate of free speech. However, Musk’s record regarding free speech on X has been subject to scrutiny, with concerns raised about a surge in hate speech following his organization’s takeover of the platform. Musk has emphasized his stance on free speech, aligning it with legal boundaries and cautioning against censorship beyond what is mandated by law.