Indian govt engaging in ‘dangerous overreach inconsistent with open, democratic principles’: Twitter | India News
NEW DELHI: Twitter on Thursday accused the Indian government of тАЬdangerous overreach that is inconsistent with open, democratic principlesтАЭ, and said that it has been forced to тАШwithholdтАЩ (block in India) portions of тАЬlegitimate free speechтАЭ on its platform over fears around the safety of its employees and threats of financial penalties.
Many of these tweets are understood to be those in support of the farmers protests (which had seen the IT Ministry order the company to block over 1,400 users), or the handling of the second wave of corona crisis that marked heightened online chatter around the governmentтАЩs perceived inability to handle medical infrastructure and patient fatalities.
These were flagged off (ordered blocked) by the government since February 2021 under Section 69A of the IT Act.
тАЬWe maintain that the content reported in the original order constitutes protected, legitimate free speech, under Indian and international law, and we have formally communicated this to the GovernmentтАж Yet, due to the lawтАЩs limited scope under Section 69A which gives limited room to an intermediary to defend the content, we have been compelled to withhold (block in India) in response to a non-compliance notice. Not doing so poses penal consequences with many risks for Twitter employees.тАЭ
However, the spokesperson added that Twitter did not take any action on verified accounts that consist of news media entities, journalists, activists, and politicians тАЬin keeping with our principles of defending protected speech and freedom of expressionтАЭ.
On the controversial new IT rules, the company said it is particularly concerned about the requirement to make an individual (the compliance officer) criminally liable for content on the platform, the mandate for proactive monitoring, and the тАЬblanket authority to seek informationтАЭ about customers. тАЬThis represents dangerous overreach that is inconsistent with open, democratic principles.тАЭ
Days after Delhi Police personnel visited TwitterтАЩs India offices over the controversy related to тАШmanipulated mediaтАЩ tag on tweets sent out by some BJP leaders, the company has now come out with a hard-hitting statement where it raises concerns over the тАЬrecent events regarding our employees in India and the potential threat to freedom of expression for the people we serve.тАЭ
The company is equally concerned over the new rules for social-media companies that, among other measures, takes away the immunity of platforms such as Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and Instagram over third-party content, and makes them liable for criminal and civil action.
WhatsApp has already challenged the new IT rules in the Delhi High Court, specifically the provision which asks chat messengers to identify the original source of тАЬunlawfulтАЭ messages within a span of 72 hours.
The Twitter spokesperson said, тАЬWe, alongside many in civil society in India and around the world, have concerns with regards to the use of intimidation tactics by the police in response to enforcement of our global Terms of Service, as well as with core elements of the new IT Rules.тАЭ
While emphasizing that it is тАЬdeeply committedтАЭ to India and that it will тАЬstrive to comply with the applicable lawтАЭ, the spokesperson said that the company plans to тАЬadvocate for changes to elements of these regulations that inhibit free, open public conversation.тАЭ
It said that the IT Ministry should publish Standard Operating Protocols on procedural aspects of compliance to the new IT rules and seek public consultation. Also, it sought an extension of three months in the implementation of the rules that came into force from May 26.
Twitter said it will continue to be тАЬstrictly guided by principles of transparency, a commitment to empowering every voice on the service, and protecting freedom of expression and privacyтАЭ under the rule of law.
Many of these tweets are understood to be those in support of the farmers protests (which had seen the IT Ministry order the company to block over 1,400 users), or the handling of the second wave of corona crisis that marked heightened online chatter around the governmentтАЩs perceived inability to handle medical infrastructure and patient fatalities.
These were flagged off (ordered blocked) by the government since February 2021 under Section 69A of the IT Act.
тАЬWe maintain that the content reported in the original order constitutes protected, legitimate free speech, under Indian and international law, and we have formally communicated this to the GovernmentтАж Yet, due to the lawтАЩs limited scope under Section 69A which gives limited room to an intermediary to defend the content, we have been compelled to withhold (block in India) in response to a non-compliance notice. Not doing so poses penal consequences with many risks for Twitter employees.тАЭ
However, the spokesperson added that Twitter did not take any action on verified accounts that consist of news media entities, journalists, activists, and politicians тАЬin keeping with our principles of defending protected speech and freedom of expressionтАЭ.
On the controversial new IT rules, the company said it is particularly concerned about the requirement to make an individual (the compliance officer) criminally liable for content on the platform, the mandate for proactive monitoring, and the тАЬblanket authority to seek informationтАЭ about customers. тАЬThis represents dangerous overreach that is inconsistent with open, democratic principles.тАЭ
Days after Delhi Police personnel visited TwitterтАЩs India offices over the controversy related to тАШmanipulated mediaтАЩ tag on tweets sent out by some BJP leaders, the company has now come out with a hard-hitting statement where it raises concerns over the тАЬrecent events regarding our employees in India and the potential threat to freedom of expression for the people we serve.тАЭ
The company is equally concerned over the new rules for social-media companies that, among other measures, takes away the immunity of platforms such as Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and Instagram over third-party content, and makes them liable for criminal and civil action.
WhatsApp has already challenged the new IT rules in the Delhi High Court, specifically the provision which asks chat messengers to identify the original source of тАЬunlawfulтАЭ messages within a span of 72 hours.
The Twitter spokesperson said, тАЬWe, alongside many in civil society in India and around the world, have concerns with regards to the use of intimidation tactics by the police in response to enforcement of our global Terms of Service, as well as with core elements of the new IT Rules.тАЭ
While emphasizing that it is тАЬdeeply committedтАЭ to India and that it will тАЬstrive to comply with the applicable lawтАЭ, the spokesperson said that the company plans to тАЬadvocate for changes to elements of these regulations that inhibit free, open public conversation.тАЭ
It said that the IT Ministry should publish Standard Operating Protocols on procedural aspects of compliance to the new IT rules and seek public consultation. Also, it sought an extension of three months in the implementation of the rules that came into force from May 26.
Twitter said it will continue to be тАЬstrictly guided by principles of transparency, a commitment to empowering every voice on the service, and protecting freedom of expression and privacyтАЭ under the rule of law.
