Elon Musk-led Twitter has announced that it banned a staggering 11,32,228 accounts in India between April 26 and May 25, 2023, for violating its guidelines. The platform’s monthly compliance report revealed that the primary reason for these suspensions was the promotion of child sexual exploitation and non-consensual nudity. Additionally, 1,843 accounts were taken down for promoting terrorism, bringing the total number of banned accounts in India to 11,34,071.
In accordance with India’s IT Rules, 2021, social media platforms with over 5 million users are required to publish monthly compliance reports. Since the law came into effect, Twitter, along with other platforms like Meta and Google, has been regularly sharing its compliance reports.
During the specified reporting period, Twitter received 518 complaints from Indian users through its grievance redressal mechanisms. The platform addressed 90 grievances related to account suspensions, overturning 25 of the suspensions after reviewing the specifics of the situations. The remaining reported accounts remain suspended.
The report also highlighted that Twitter received 29 requests regarding general questions about Twitter accounts during the reporting period. Among the complaints from Indian users, the majority were related to abuse or harassment, accounting for 264 cases. Reports of hateful conduct, sensitive adult content, and defamation followed closely behind.
Twitter’s relationship with the Indian government has often been contentious. However, under Elon Musk’s leadership, the dynamics seem to be changing. Musk, who took over as CEO earlier this year, expressed a willingness to comply with India’s social media laws to avoid Twitter employees facing potential imprisonment. This shift in approach marks a notable change for the platform.
In recent news, the Karnataka High Court dismissed Twitter’s plea challenging takedown orders issued by the Indian government, and the social media giant was fined INR 50 lakh. Minister of State (MoS) for Electronics and IT, Rajeev Chandrasekhar, criticized Twitter, claiming that the platform was reluctant to remove misinformation during the tenure of former CEO Jack Dorsey.
