- Amit Malviya, head of the IT department of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), has accused Twitter of violating Indian laws between 2020-2022, during former CEO Jack Dorsey’s tenure.
- Malviya claims that Twitter was muzzling freedom of speech, shadow-banning ideologically differing voices, and promoting secessionist voices.
- The Indian government has been cracking down on social media platforms, including Twitter, over their handling of content critical of the government, leading to a standoff between the company and the Indian government.
New Delhi – Amit Malviya, the national spokesperson of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), has claimed that Twitter has breached Indian laws during the years 2020-2022. Malviya made the assertion during a press conference held on Tuesday, where he accused the social media platform of not complying with Indian laws and regulations.
Malviya stated that Twitter has failed to comply with new IT rules that were introduced by the Indian government in 2021. He also claimed that the platform has not adhered to Indian laws by promoting fake news, hate speech and inciting violence.
Furthermore, Malviya revealed that Twitter has not removed posts which are deemed to be against Indian sovereignty and integrity. The spokesperson also questioned the neutrality of Twitter and accused the platform of acting in a biased manner.
In response, Twitter issued a statement dismissing these allegations made by Malviya. The platform stated that they have always complied with Indian laws and regulations and have stringent policies to remove harmful content from the platform.
Twitter’s statement read, “We have always been committed to complying with Indian law and regulations, and ensuring freedom of expression for all our users. We have strict policies in place to tackle harmful content on the platform, and we are constantly reviewing and updating our policies to meet new challenges.”
It remains to be seen how this latest development will impact Twitter’s operations in India. The social media giant has faced scrutiny from the Indian government in the past over its policies and practices. Malviya’s accusations could put further pressure on Twitter, as the Indian government continues to clamp down on social media companies operating in the country.