Twitter Loses ‘Legal Shield’ in India for ‘Fuelling’ Hindu-Muslim Feud in Uttar Pradesh

Twitter has lost its “legal shield” in India for not complying with the country’s newly implemented social media rules, federal Minister of Information Technology (IT) Ravi Shankar Prasad revealed on Wednesday. 

In recent days, Twitter has been locking horns with the Indian government over an array of issues. After expressing concerns over India’s “threatened freedom of expression,” Twitter revealed its reservations against India’s new digital laws.

In a series of tweets, Prasad questioned why Twitter has not complied with Indian legislation, especially as  Indian companies doing business in the US or other countries “voluntarily follow the local laws.”

There are numerous queries arising as to whether Twitter is entitled to safe harbour provision. However, the simple fact of the matter is that Twitter has failed to comply with the Intermediary Guidelines that came into effect from the 26th of May.

— Ravi Shankar Prasad (@rsprasad) June 16, 2021

Indian companies be it pharma, IT or others that go to do business in USA or in other foreign countries, voluntarily follow the local laws. Then why are platforms like Twitter showing reluctance in following Indian laws designed to give voice to the victims of abuse and misuse?

— Ravi Shankar Prasad (@rsprasad) June 16, 2021

Further, the minister said that it’s “astounding that Twitter, which portrays itself as the flag bearer of free speech, chooses the path of deliberate defiance when it comes to the intermediary guidelines.”

Now that Twitter has lost its legal shield in India, it will be treated as a content “publisher” and will be punished for posting anything “unlawful.”

Forsided, 16.06.2021

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