X says Indian govt ordered blocking of over 8,000 accounts, calls move censorship

Social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter, has announced that it has received executive orders from the Indian government demanding the blocking of more than 8,000 accounts within India.

The company revealed the orders in a public post, stating that it is compelled to comply to avoid severe penalties, including hefty fines and imprisonment of its employees based in the country.

The affected accounts reportedly include international news organisations and high-profile users on the platform. According to X, the government has not consistently provided justification or evidence for the content violations, and in many cases has not indicated which posts led to the blocking orders.

While the platform has begun withholding these accounts within India, it expressed strong disagreement with the government's directive. X called the action “censorship” and argued that blocking entire accounts, rather than specific posts, infringes upon the fundamental right to free expression.

X stated, “This is not an easy decision, however keeping the platform accessible in India is vital to Indians’ ability to access information.” It further added that although it would prefer to publish the executive orders in the interest of transparency, Indian law currently prohibits such disclosure.

The company is exploring legal avenues to challenge the move but noted that its capacity to do so is limited by jurisdiction. X urged affected users to seek judicial recourse and provided a list of legal aid organisations such as iProbono India, the National Legal Services Authority, and the Supreme Court Legal Services.

X has notified affected users per its internal policies and has advised them to contact India’s Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology at cyberlaw@meity.gov.in for further clarity.