Social media company X has started blocking access to over 8,000 accounts in India after receiving executive orders from the Indian government, reported the company’s Global Government Affairs team.
According to the report, the orders mention that if X does not block these accounts, the company could face heavy fines, and its local staff could even be sent to prison.
The accounts include those of international news outlets and well-known public figures. X said that in many cases, the government did not explain what posts from these accounts broke Indian laws. For many of the blocked accounts, no proof or reason was shared.
“To follow the orders, we are blocking these accounts in India only. We have started doing this now. But we do not agree with the government’s demands,” X said.
X explained that it had to make a difficult choice but decided to follow the orders to keep its platform running in India. “It’s important for people in India to keep having access to information,” the company said.
The Elon Musk-owned platform also pointed out that it wants to be open about these government orders, but legal rules stop it from sharing the full details with the public. “Not sharing this information makes it harder to hold the government accountable and could lead to unfair decisions,” the company said.
Notably, the news has come amidst the escalating tensions between India and Pakistan, as several regions across India experienced complete blackouts on Thursday night. These measures come after Pakistan attempted to target the Jammu airport.
According to ANI, a full blackout has been enforced in Bhuj, located in the Kachchh district of Gujarat. In the northern state of Punjab, Jalandhar, Gurdaspur, Pathankot and Amritsar have also been plunged into darkness as part of the security protocol.
Moreover, Jammu and Kashmir has witnessed extensive measures, with blackouts reported in Udhampur, Uri, Poonch, Rajouri, Kishtwar, Akhnoor, and Samba districts of the Jammu Division. Sirens were heard blaring across these regions, signalling heightened alertness.