India Orders X to Block 8,000 Accounts

X (formerly Twitter) confirmed on May 8, 2025, that the Indian government has issued executive orders demanding the platform block over 8,000 accounts across the country. The affected accounts reportedly include international news outlets and influential voices on the platform.

In a public statement, X’s Global Government Affairs team criticized the move as excessive and tantamount to censorship. “Blocking entire accounts is not only unnecessary – it silences both current and future content,” the platform wrote.

Although X disagrees with the government's directive, it acknowledged it must comply under Indian law and has already begun restricting access to the accounts within India.

Because X itself is limited in its ability to challenge these executive orders within India, the company urged affected users to pursue legal action. It also provided a list of legal aid groups that could assist in filing court petitions.

The company clarified that restrictions are limited to Indian territory, meaning users may still access their accounts by using virtual private networks (VPNs) to bypass geolocation blocks.

X said it has notified the impacted accounts and is “exploring all legal avenues” available under international law.

In a bizarre twist, X’s Global Government Affairs account was itself temporarily blocked in India, according to technology journalist Aditi Agrawal. She noted that no formal order had been issued before the takedown.

Shortly after, India’s Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) reportedly reversed the action and instructed X not to block its own government affairs account.

This move comes as internet censorship intensifies on both sides of the India–Pakistan border. Meta also took action this week, reportedly blocking a major Muslim news outlet on Instagram at India’s request.

India’s Ministry of Information and Broadcasting followed up by advising all digital platforms to block any content originating from Pakistan.

Meanwhile, Pakistan lifted its 15-month ban on X on Wednesday but simultaneously blocked 16 Indian YouTube channels and 32 Indian websites, accusing them of spreading false narratives.

The clampdowns come as military tensions flare between the two nations, with both sides. 

Source: yahoo.com