Elon Musk’s social media platform X is taking legal action against the Indian government, accusing Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s administration of abusing its authority in regulating online content and pressuring platforms to remove posts without proper judicial oversight.
❌ Censorship via Government Portal Sahyog
At the heart of the dispute is the Sahyog portal, launched by India’s Ministry of Home Affairs in 2024. Musk’s company describes it as a “censorship tool” that gives bureaucrats overly broad powers to demand content removal from platforms like X.
The Indian government, however, insists the portal simply helps inform companies about their legal responsibilities. Still, X’s legal representative in India, KG Raghavan, warned that the system enables “every Tom, Dick, and Harry” to act as censors. This phrase drew a sharp rebuke in court from India’s Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, who declared that officials are not “Toms, Dicks, or Harrys” but statutory functionaries.
🛡️ X Fights for Legal Clarity and Against Arbitrary Censorship
The case unfolds as Musk looks to expand other ventures – Starlink and Tesla – in the Indian market. X argues that India is circumventing the legal framework established by the 2015 Supreme Court ruling in Shreya Singhal, which mandates that content may only be blocked via court orders or under Section 69A of the IT Act.
Instead, the government has been using Section 79(3)(b), allowing it to demand content takedowns through administrative notifications – often without judicial approval. If X fails to comply within 36 hours, it could lose its “safe harbor” legal protection and be held criminally liable under India’s Penal Code.
🧨 Another Tech Showdown with Government Brewing?
X claims the Indian authorities are abusing the law to impose arbitrary censorship without due process. Meanwhile, the government maintains that its measures are essential for ensuring platform accountability.
While major tech firms like Google and YouTube have adjusted to the Sahyog system, Musk’s X is standing its ground. Both sides remain firm, and recent court proceedings have led to no resolution.
Should the court rule in favor of Musk’s platform, it could significantly limit the government’s ability to order content takedowns without judicial oversight, potentially encouraging other platforms to follow suit.
For now, however, the fight for digital freedom in the world’s largest democracy is far from over.
#ElonMusk , #X , #India , #Regulation , #techinnovation
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