Access to Reuters Restored in India Following Compliance with Legal Demand
In an unexpected turn of events, the accounts of Reuters and Reuters World were inaccessible to users in India over the weekend. The block, which started late Saturday, displayed a notice indicating that the accounts were "withheld in India in response to a legal demand." However, the Indian government has denied initiating or requesting such action.
The incident appears to be linked to an earlier request during Operation Sindoor, a operation involving the blocking of several social media accounts. However, both Reuters and Indian government sources have denied issuing any new or direct legal demand for this specific blocking.
Reuters confirmed it has received a notice in mid-May indicating that the platform had withheld content in India in response to a legal request. The news agency is now working with X, the platform on which the accounts are hosted, to resolve this matter and ensure account access remains uninterrupted.
A spokesperson for the Press Information Bureau stated that no Indian government agency had directed the platform to block the Reuters handle. The government also rejected the label, stating that the site only serves as a notification system for harmful online content.
Officials reportedly contacted X, requesting an explanation and immediate restoration of the accounts. However, the notice failed to mention which government entity made the request or what content triggered it.
The restriction appears to be limited to the agency's main global accounts, which have over 25 million followers combined. Other affiliated Reuters handles, such as Reuters Tech News, Reuters Asia, and Reuters Fact Check, remained accessible during the block.
The Indian government's stance on the matter is clear: they have not initiated or requested the action to withhold the Reuters accounts. In March, X sued the Indian government over a newly launched platform they described as a "censorship portal." Efforts are underway to resolve the situation with X, and it remains to be seen how this latest development will impact the ongoing legal battle.
In summary, X blocked Reuters accounts citing a legal demand. The Indian government denies making a new ban order or legal demand. The block is said to be related to an earlier request during Operation Sindoor. Reuters is engaging with X to resolve the situation, and the exact issuer of the legal demand remains unclear, with no official confirmation from the Indian government.
Technology and politics intersect as the blockage of Reuters and Reuters World accounts in India over the weekend has been linked to an earlier request during Operation Sindoor, a measure involving the blocking of multiple social media accounts. However, both Reuters and Indian government sources have denied issuing any new or direct legal demand for this specific block, leaving the exact issuer of the legal demand uncertain.
