IT ministry said protecting free speech in India is not the prerogative of a private, for-profit and foreign entity like Twitter, but it is the commitment of the world’s largest democracy, reports Asian Lite News
The Government of India on Thursday hit back hard at Twitter’s latest statement raising concerns over the ‘potential threat’ to freedom of speech, saying that the US-based microblogging platform is trying to dictate its terms in India, and also wants to undermine the country’s legal system.
Maintaining that India has a glorious tradition of free speech and democratic practices dating back centuries, the Ministry of Electronics and IT said in a statement that protecting free speech in India is not the prerogative of a private, for-profit and foreign entity like Twitter, but it is the commitment of the world’s largest democracy.
“Twitter’s statement is an attempt to dictate its terms to the world’s largest democracy. Through its actions and deliberate defiance, Twitter seeks to undermine India’s legal system,” the ministry statement said.
The ministry also said that Twitter refuses to comply with those very regulations in the intermediary guidelines on the basis of which it is claiming a safe harbour protection from any criminal liability in India.
Referring to the statement, wherein Twitter stressed on the need of a collaborative approach and a collective responsibility of elected officials, industry and civil society to safeguard the interests of the public, the IT Ministry said: “It is time Twitter disabuses itself of this grandiosity and comply with the laws of India.”
It further assured that representatives of social media companies, including Twitter, “are and will always remain safe in India and there is no threat to their personal safety and security”.
Twitter, which witnessed a police raid on its offices in Delhi and Gurugram early this week related to the alleged Congress toolkit controversy, said that it reaffirms that Twitter continues to accept grievances from users and law enforcement via its existing grievance redressal channel available under the new IT Rules.
Stressing that it will strive to comply with applicable law in India, a Twitter spokesperson said in a statement that right now, “we are concerned by recent events regarding our employees in India and the potential threat to freedom of expression for the people we serve”.
“We, alongside many in civil society in India and around the world, have concerns with regards to the use of intimidation tactics by the police in response to enforcement of our global Terms of Service, as well as with core elements of the new IT Rules,” Twitter said in its first reaction after the police raids on its offices.
Delhi police rubbish Twitter claims
Hours after Twitter said that it is concerned by the recent events regarding its employees in India, Delhi Police on Thursday rubbished its claims and termed the statements of the microblogging giant as not only “mendacious”, but also designed to impede a lawful inquiry by a private enterprise.
The Delhi Police also said that Twitter has taken upon itself, in the garb of terms of service, to adjudicate the truth or otherwise of documents in the public space.
“We have come across press reports that quote Twitter making statements pertaining to the ongoing inquiry by Delhi Police. Prima facie, these statements are not only mendacious, but also designed to impede a lawful inquiry by a private enterprise. Twitter Inc. has taken upon itself, in the garb of terms of service, to adjudicate the truth or otherwise of documents in public space,” Delhi Police said in a statement.
The Delhi Police further said that Twitter is purporting to be both an investigating authority as well as an adjudicating judicial authority.
“It has no legal sanction to be either. The only legal entity, so empowered by the duly laid down law, to investigate is the police and to adjudicate is the courts,” the statement said.
“However, since Twitter claims to have material information the basis of which it not only ‘investigated’ but arrived at a ‘conclusion’, it must share that information with the police. There should not be any confusion about this logical course,” it added.
Netizens react
As Twitter requested the IT Ministry to consider a minimum of three-month extension to implement the new guidelines, several netizens rallied against the micro-blogging site.
After the platform issued a statement, many users called out Twitter for behaving like a decision-maker.
“It’s not about Free Speech’. It’s about Twitter acting as decision maker about the political issues in India,”a user wrote on the platform, replying to another user who mentioned that Twitter plans to advocate for changes to elements of IT rules that inhibit Free Speech.
“Twitter can’t label a document as ‘Manipulated Media’ as per its convenience,” it added.
The Twitter statement said that it is concerned about recent events regarding its employees in India and the potential threat to the freedom of expression of its users.
On this, a user wrote: “Stop your business in India, we don’t need your version of freedom of expression…”
“You are not bigger than the laws of Bharat. Everyone knows what you did with Trump. This is not going to happen in Bharat. You want to stay in Bharat then obey the rules, otherwise just pack your bags,” another user wrote.
Several users also extended their support to the platform by saying that the platform is fighting for the freedom of speech of its users.
“While everyone else has started prostrating, Twitter stands fighting the cause of Transparency and Empowering the Freedom of Expression which is so very vital for the furtherance of Information as a Public Good,” a user wrote.
