Musk-owned X platform slams Indian govt over censorship orders

The legal battle between X (formerly Twitter) CEO Elon Musk and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government has intensified, as Musk-owned platform accuses the Indian authorities of enforcing unconstitutional internet censorship in the world’s largest democracy.

The dispute started after a lawsuit was filed by X in March against the Indian government in the Karnataka High Court, contesting hundreds of takedown orders issued by various officials across the country. 

X argued that these orders violate free speech rights and reflect a growing crackdown on online dissent and criticism of public officials.

The legal clash gained momentum after an old post from 2023 resurfaced as a point of contention. The post, made by a small account on X with only a few hundred followers, described a senior politician from the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) as "useless".

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Inspector Jitendra Shahane from the city of Satara, Maharashtra, issued a “confidential” takedown notice warning that the content was "likely to create serious communal tension." The post, however, remains online, becoming one of many cited in X’s court case.

According to the report, since 2023, the government has expanded the number of officials authorised to submit content takedown requests. Thousands of police officers and civil servants issue demands directly through a government-run portal launched in October that year.

Previously, only the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology and the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting had the authority to enforce removals, and only under specific conditions, including threats to national security, sovereignty, and public order.

The expanded powers have raised alarms among free speech advocates, with critics warning that they open the door to political abuse and stifling of dissent.

Read: India blocks Chinese, Turkish news outlets on X over ‘Pakistani propaganda’

Elon Musk, a self-proclaimed free speech absolutist, has frequently clashed with governments worldwide over censorship demands. His platform X has faced legal battles in the United States, Brazil, and Australia. Now, India, one of X's largest markets, is emerging as a key battleground.

Musk’s lawsuit claims that India’s content regulation efforts are unconstitutional and undermine democratic freedoms. It accuses the Modi administration of silencing legitimate criticism under the guise of maintaining public order.

In response, the Indian government has defended its actions, arguing that the measures are necessary to combat harmful content and maintain digital accountability. It also claims that major tech companies, including Meta and Google, are broadly supportive of the framework.