X Sues India: Claims of Unrestrained Censorship

X Corp. Sues Indian Government Over Content Removal Powers

X, the social media platform owned by Elon Musk, is currently engaged in legal action against the Indian government. The lawsuit, as reported by Reuters on Thursday, centers around allegations of unlawful expansion of the government’s authority to mandate the removal of online content.

Previous Content Disputes

X has consistently expressed disagreement with governmental directives to remove or block content within India. This resistance was particularly evident during the farmers’ protests of the previous year.

While the company ultimately adhered to these executive orders to avoid significant financial penalties, a prior legal challenge was also initiated. This current lawsuit represents a further escalation of X’s opposition to governmental censorship initiatives.

Allegations of an Unlawful Mechanism

A court document filed by X earlier this month details the company’s accusations. It alleges that the Indian government has established an unauthorized system.

This system reportedly allows a large number of government officials to issue content removal or blocking orders through a dedicated website. Social media companies are expected to routinely monitor this website for such directives.

Concerns Regarding Legal Safeguards

X’s lawsuit contends that this mechanism does not align with established Indian legal standards for content removal.

These standards typically require that such orders be issued only in situations involving threats to national sovereignty or public order, and necessitate stringent oversight from senior officials.

Claims of Unrestrained Censorship

According to the Reuters report, X asserts that the website creates “an impermissible parallel mechanism.”

This, the company argues, leads to “unrestrained censorship of information in India.” X is seeking a legal ruling to invalidate the directive.

Current Status of the Legal Challenge

An initial hearing regarding the case was conducted earlier this month, however, no decision was reached.

A subsequent hearing is scheduled to occur next week in the High Court of Karnataka state, located in southern India. The outcome of this hearing will be closely watched.