India’s top court is requesting the authorities and Twitter’s answer to a request seeking higher regulation of articles on Social Networking platforms amid a debate over free speech
NEW DELHI — India’s top court on Friday searched the authorities and Twitter’s answer to a request seeking higher regulation of articles on social networking platforms amid a debate over free speech.
The case comes amid an increasing standoff involving Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Hindu nationalist government and Twitter, after the firm refused to comply with orders to get rid of certain accounts which were critical of their government’s management of monthslong farmer protests.
Twitter said on Wednesday it will not suspend accounts of information organizations, journalists, activists and politicians, mentioning its”fundamentals of protecting protected speech and freedom of expression”
However, Twitter did suspend countless reports only in India following the authorities identified those it states have been spreading misinformation and provocative articles connected to farmers that are protesting agricultural legislation since November about the outskirts of New Delhi.
His lawyer told the court that there had been countless bogus Twitter addresses and Facebook accounts in the name of distinguished individuals and dignitaries which were used to tarnish the image of the Indian authorities.
Critics have accused that the Modi government of working with the huge demonstrations to innovate a crackdown on free speech and silence opponents.
The Supreme Court is expected to rule after obtaining responses from the authorities and Twitter.
The request comes from the background of the government’s drive to regulate online content. The New Delhi Television news station said the government has drawn up draft rules to govern social websites, streaming and electronic news articles, which will incorporate a code of ethics and a mechanism to report improper content and request its removal. The rules have not been made public.
Twitter’s choice to never eliminate particular accounts unnerved the authorities on Thursday, which warned the firm that it”should respect” Indian legislation”no matter Twitter’s rules and guidelines” The government also has served the firm with a non-compliance note and jeopardized its officials using a fine and imprisonment up to seven years for violating the order.
He cautioned that the social networking sites of”strict action” when they were”misused to distribute bogus news and gas violence”
“We’re researching alternatives under Indian law — both for Twitter and for the accounts which were impacted. We remain dedicated to safeguarding the health of the conversation happening on Twitter, and strongly feel that the tweets should stream “
