| 13 July 2023
Former Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey has made startling allegations against the Indian government, claiming that it threatened to shut down the platform and conduct raids on employees' houses in the country. In an interview with a US-based YouTube channel, Dorsey disclosed that India had requested the removal of numerous tweets and accounts associated with the farmers' protest in 2020. He further alleged that Twitter was pressured to censor journalists critical of the government.
However, India has vehemently denied these allegations and accused Twitter of violating the country's laws. Federal minister Rajeev Chandrashekar took to Twitter to call Dorsey's claims an "outright lie" and suggested that they were an attempt to deflect from Twitter's own questionable behavior during that period. Chandrashekar emphasized that no one was imprisoned or faced a Twitter shutdown, but rather, the platform disregarded Indian law and acted with a sense of impunity.
This revelation by Dorsey adds to the already troubled relationship between India's ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government and Twitter. The social media platform has faced increasing scrutiny worldwide regarding its role in upholding principles of free speech, leading to demands in various countries for tighter regulation of Twitter's influence.
Dorsey, who stepped down as Twitter CEO in 2021, stated in the interview that countries like India and Turkey had made numerous requests for content removal and account suspension during his tenure. He expressed surprise at the extent of government engagement and requests to censor content on the platform. Specifically, he cited India's demands regarding the farmers' protests and critical journalists, disclosing threats such as shutting down Twitter in India, raiding employees' homes, and closing Twitter offices if the company did not comply. Dorsey highlighted the irony of these actions taking place in a democratic country like India.
During the farmers' protests, which centered around agriculture reform laws, the Indian government had asked Twitter to remove tweets containing an incendiary hashtag and accounts allegedly associated with Pakistan-backed Sikh separatist groups. Initially, Twitter blocked around 250 accounts, including those of a news magazine, activists, and organizations supporting the protests. However, the company later reinstated the accounts, stating that there was insufficient justification for their suspension.
The Indian government responded by ordering Twitter to block the accounts again and warning the company's employees in India of potential legal action, including imprisonment for up to seven years, if they failed to comply. Twitter stood its ground, refusing to block accounts belonging to media companies, journalists, activists, and politicians, citing the fundamental right to free expression under Indian law.
Since then, relations between Twitter and Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government have deteriorated further. Critics argue that the root cause of this strained relationship is a new internet law that places social media platforms like Twitter and Facebook directly under government supervision. While the government claims the rules aim to combat misinformation and hate speech, experts express concerns over potential censorship.
Elon Musk, who took over as Twitter CEO in 2022, commented in April that the content regulations in India were quite stringent. Dorsey echoed these sentiments during his interview, drawing parallels between India's actions and those of governments in Turkey and Nigeria, which have previously imposed temporary restrictions on the platform. He revealed that Twitter faced numerous threats from Turkey, even engaging in court battles, and Nigeria's environment was so hostile that the company couldn't risk sending employees to the country.
Dorsey's allegations have stirred fresh debate surrounding the power dynamics between social media platforms and governments, raising questions about the delicate balance between free speech and government oversight. The claims against the Indian government and the denial from Indian officials highlight the ongoing struggle between Twitter and authorities in different countries, as both sides navigate complex issues of content moderation, political dissent, and national sovereignty.
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