NEW DELHI: The government on Friday denied having “shut down the services of Twitter” or authorised raids at the homes of Twitter executives for their coverage of the farmers’ agitation in 2021. However, it said sections of the Information Technology Act were invoked to direct the microblogging site to block 3750 Twitter URLs between August 2020 and December 2021, the period during which the farmers’ agitation was at its peak.
Government, however, added that Twitter was served an additional notice on June 27, 2022, warning it of “significant consequences” under the IT Act after it failed to comply with blocking instruction for 167 of the 3750 URLs it was asked to take down.
“Therefore, government issued notice to Twitter on 27th June 2022, giving them opportunity to comply fully, failing which they have to face significant consequences as mentioned in the IT Act, 2000. Subsequent to this notice, Twitter complied with all the blocking directions issued under section 69A of IT Act, 2000,” IT minister Rajeev Chandrashekhar told Parliament.
In June, Twitter co-founder Jack Dorsey had stirred a controversy by claiming in an interview that India ordered Twitter to remove posts and accounts, often accompanying these with threats of legal repercussions. Dorsey had also claimed that orders from the Indian government “manifested in ways such as ‘we will shut Twitter down in India’… ‘we would raid the homes of your employees’, and ‘we will shut down your offices if you don’t follow suit’.” Delhi Police Special Cell had conducted raids at the Delhi and Gurugram offices of Twitter in May 2021.
Chandrashekhar was responding to a parliament question by RLD MP Jayant Chaudhary on the number of requests government made to Twitter either to remove content or to seek user account data. Chandrashekhar also denied making any request for user account data from any platform or maintaining such data.
He said government policies are aimed at ensuring an “open, safe and trusted and accountable internet for its users across the country” and that it is empowered deploy Section 69A of the IT Act, 2000 to issue directions to block any information if it is necessary or expedient to do so in the interest of sovereignty and integrity, defence of India, security of the State, friendly relations with foreign States or public order or for inciting cognisable offence.
Government, however, added that Twitter was served an additional notice on June 27, 2022, warning it of “significant consequences” under the IT Act after it failed to comply with blocking instruction for 167 of the 3750 URLs it was asked to take down.
“Therefore, government issued notice to Twitter on 27th June 2022, giving them opportunity to comply fully, failing which they have to face significant consequences as mentioned in the IT Act, 2000. Subsequent to this notice, Twitter complied with all the blocking directions issued under section 69A of IT Act, 2000,” IT minister Rajeev Chandrashekhar told Parliament.
In June, Twitter co-founder Jack Dorsey had stirred a controversy by claiming in an interview that India ordered Twitter to remove posts and accounts, often accompanying these with threats of legal repercussions. Dorsey had also claimed that orders from the Indian government “manifested in ways such as ‘we will shut Twitter down in India’… ‘we would raid the homes of your employees’, and ‘we will shut down your offices if you don’t follow suit’.” Delhi Police Special Cell had conducted raids at the Delhi and Gurugram offices of Twitter in May 2021.
Chandrashekhar was responding to a parliament question by RLD MP Jayant Chaudhary on the number of requests government made to Twitter either to remove content or to seek user account data. Chandrashekhar also denied making any request for user account data from any platform or maintaining such data.
He said government policies are aimed at ensuring an “open, safe and trusted and accountable internet for its users across the country” and that it is empowered deploy Section 69A of the IT Act, 2000 to issue directions to block any information if it is necessary or expedient to do so in the interest of sovereignty and integrity, defence of India, security of the State, friendly relations with foreign States or public order or for inciting cognisable offence.