ISLAMABAD: Social media platform X (formerly Twitter) has begun blocking access to more than 8,000 accounts, including those of international media outlets, in India after receiving executive orders from the company confirmed in a public statement.
The move, while made to comply with legal directives, has drawn sharp criticism from X, which has called the orders “unnecessary” and a violation of free speech.
According to the company, the government’s orders include demands to block not only individual accounts but also those belonging to international news organisations and high-profile users on the platform.
X warned that failure to comply could lead to “significant fines and imprisonment” of its employees based in India.
“In most cases, the Indian government has not specified which posts from an account have violated India’s local laws,” the company stated.
“For a significant number of accounts, we did not receive any evidence or justification to block the accounts.”
While X is complying by withholding the specified accounts within India, it made clear its strong disagreement with the government’s sweeping directives.
“Blocking entire accounts is not only unnecessary, it amounts to censorship of existing and future content,” the statement read. “This is contrary to the fundamental right of free speech.”
The company said it had begun the process of geo-blocking the listed accounts within India alone to preserve the platform’s broader accessibility.
“This is not an easy decision,” the platform noted, “but keeping the platform accessible in India is vital to Indians’ ability to access information.”
X also expressed concern over the lack of transparency surrounding the legal directives.
X has received executive orders from the Indian government requiring X to block over 8,000 accounts in India, subject to potential penalties including significant fines and imprisonment of the company’s local employees. The orders include demands to block access in India to…
— Global Government Affairs (@GlobalAffairs) May 8, 2025
While the platform supports public disclosure of such orders to ensure accountability, it noted that “legal restrictions” prevent it from releasing the details of the executive orders at this time.
Despite its own legal limitations under Indian law, the company said it is exploring “all possible legal avenues” to challenge the orders.
It also urged affected users to seek legal recourse individually and provided a list of legal aid organisations, including iProbono India and the National Legal Services Authority.
Affected users have been notified in accordance with X’s policies, and the platform has encouraged them to contact the Indian government directly at [email protected].
The development has intensified ongoing debates over free expression, digital rights, and state surveillance in India, where social media companies are increasingly finding themselves caught between compliance and principles of open communication.
