Indian 'X' Accounts Unblocked After Operation Sindoor: A Preemptive Move Ahead of Court Hearing

Indian government unblocks access to many accounts on X, formerly Twitter, pre-empting a court hearing. The accounts were withheld under Section 69A of the Information Technology Act, 2000. Several Indian and non-Pakistani handles were restricted from view, including content creators, journalists, and news outlets. The government did not respond to queries regarding the blocking of accounts, and some users received no communication from the government.

The Indian government has unblocked access to numerous accounts on X (formerly Twitter) ahead of an upcoming court hearing. The accounts were initially withheld under Section 69A of the Information Technology Act, 2000. This action affected several Indian and non-Pakistani handles, including content creators, journalists, and news outlets.

The unblocking comes after a series of accounts were restricted from view, with many users receiving no communication from the government regarding the withholding of their accounts. Among those whose access was restored are Arpit Sharma, a content creator with 3.4 lakh followers on Instagram, and Anuradha Bhasin, a senior journalist in Kashmir. Additionally, outlets like 4PM News, BBC Urdu, Global Times, and Türkiye’s TRT World were also unblocked within a short time frame.

The move by the government to unblock these accounts pre-empts a court hearing, which was set to consider the legality of the blocking orders. The Software Freedom Law Centre, India (SFLC), has filed a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) in the Supreme Court challenging the constitutionality of certain rules under the Information Technology Act, arguing that the widespread blocking of social media accounts without prior notice or an opportunity to contest takedowns is neither just nor effective.

The restoration of these accounts signals a shift in the government's approach to social media censorship, as it prepares to defend its actions in court. However, the lack of communication to some users regarding the withholding of their accounts remains a point of contention.

References:
[1] https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/indian-x-accounts-withheld-after-operation-sindoor-restored/article69625797.ece
[2] https://www.fibre2fashion.com/news/textile-news/india-to-restore-rodtep-benefits-for-aa-eou-sez-exports-from-june-1-302887-newsdetails.htm
[3] https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/markets/stocks/news/adani-vs-pakistan-one-indian-company-bigger-than-entire-pakistan-harsh-goenka-gives-some-stats/articleshow/121338152.cms