Confusion or Censorship? Government Clarifies Reuters’ X Account Block in India

Image Source : The Economic Tmes

In a surprising turn of events, the official X (formerly Twitter) account of international news agency Reuters was found to be inaccessible in India on July 6, 2025. The platform displayed a message stating the account had been withheld in response to a legal demand. However, the Indian government has now clarified that it did not issue any such directive and is actively working with X to resolve the issue.

Key Points from the Government’s Clarification

- A spokesperson from the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology stated there is no legal requirement from the Indian government to block Reuters’ X account
- The government is in communication with X to understand why the account was withheld and to ensure its restoration
- Officials suggested the action may have stemmed from a misapplied or outdated order related to Operation Sindoor, a digital crackdown conducted in May

Background: Operation Sindoor and the May 7 Order

- During Operation Sindoor, the government had issued a directive on May 7 to block several hundred accounts deemed to be spreading misinformation or posing national security concerns
- Reuters’ account was reportedly included in the list but was not blocked at the time
- It appears that X may have recently acted on that old directive, possibly due to a technical oversight or internal miscommunication

Current Status of Reuters’ Presence on X

- While the main Reuters and Reuters World accounts are currently inaccessible in India, other affiliated handles such as Reuters Tech News, Reuters Asia, and Reuters Fact Check remain available
- The Reuters website and news services continue to operate normally within the country
- Reuters has not yet issued an official statement on the matter

Political and Public Reactions

- The move has sparked criticism from opposition leaders and press freedom advocates, who view the block as a potential overreach or a sign of algorithmic censorship
- Government sources have emphasized that India supports press freedom and that the block does not reflect official policy
- The incident has reignited discussions around transparency in content moderation and the role of social media platforms in enforcing government orders

What Happens Next

- The government has formally asked X to explain the rationale behind the block and to lift the restriction on Reuters’ account
- If confirmed as a technical error, the account is expected to be restored shortly
- The episode may prompt a review of how legacy content moderation orders are stored and executed by platforms like X

Sources: Livemint, ThePrint, Firstpost, Moneycontrol, Times Now, PTI