Elon Musk’s social media platform, X, is contesting a verdict by an Indian court that found the platform in violation of government directives to remove certain content, according to a Reuters report. X allegedly argues that this decision could potentially enable New Delhi to further block content and expand censorship possibilities.
Formerly known as Twitter, X had previously sought to overturn official mandates in July 2022, which demanded the removal of specific content from its platform. However, in June 2023, the court upheld the original decision and imposed a penalty of ₹50 lakhs.
X is now appealing against this ruling, presenting a 96-page filing by local law firm Poovayya & Co. to the Karnataka High Court. The filing, dated August 1 but not yet publicly available, contends that the government’s actions might lead to the increased issuance of blocking orders that contravene the law.
The legal dispute predates Elon Musk’s ownership of X and his broader involvement in various business ventures in India. As CEO of Tesla, Musk is currently in discussions about investing in an electric vehicle factory in the country and expanding market access for his satellite broadband company, SpaceX.
The court determined that X had been issued notices, but the platform did not adhere to them, as stated in a tweet by Union Minister of State for Electronics and Technology, Rajeev Chandrasekhar. He characterized Jack Dorsey’s assertions as “outright lies,” suggesting that they aimed to divert focus from X’s questionable conduct during that specific timeframe.
X’s filing emphasises the necessity for well-defined guidelines outlining circumstances under which an entire account is blocked, as opposed to specific posts. Without such parameters, the potential for the government to censor future content remains unchecked. Court hearings are typically scheduled within a few days of filing.
In previous instances, Indian authorities had urged X to address content linked to accounts advocating for an independent Sikh state, posts accused of spreading misinformation about farmer protests, and tweets criticising the government’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
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