India's attempt to police WhatsApp and Twitter sparks pushback

Protests against controversial agricultural reforms in India have sparked a wave of Twitter posts criticizing the government.   © Reuters AKIRA HAYAKAWA, Nikkei staff writerMarch 30, 2021 04:00 JST | IndiaMUMBAI — India’s new restrictions designed to control public discourse on social platforms, including WhatsApp and Twitter, have sparked a backlash as concerns grow about the government scrutiny of online speech.The sweeping rules, announced on Feb. 25, require “intermediaries” to delete or amend content deemed problematic. Critics are alarmed by the broad discretion given to the government to determine what content is troublesome.Local media have stepped up efforts to fight the new restrictions. News website Live Law Media filed a petition with the High Court of Kerala this month challenging the rules as “arbitrary, vague [and] unreasonable.” The Foundation for Independent Journalism, publisher of digital outlet The Wire, submitted a similar petition to the Delhi high court.Besides Facebook and other social media, video streaming services such as YouTube and Netflix and online news outlets are subject to the new rules. They appear to give the government great discretion. Social media platforms can be ordered to remove information that “threatens the unity, integrity, defense, security or sovereignty of India, friendly relations with foreign states, or public order,” for…
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