"Issued Without Legitimacy or Clear Evidence"
"Disclosing Administrative Orders for Transparency"
Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla, has received an administrative order from the Indian government to block accounts on his social networking service, X (formerly Twitter).
On May 8 (local time), X announced in a post that it had received an administrative order from the Indian government to block more than 8,000 accounts, stating that a significant portion of these orders were issued without legitimacy or clear evidence.
The company added, "Although we do not agree with these demands, we are complying in order to avoid fines and to maintain access for users in India."
X stated that it believes disclosing such administrative orders is essential for transparency. The company explained that when information is not made public transparently, accountability becomes unclear, which increases the likelihood of arbitrary and unpredictable decisions being made.
X further noted, "However, due to legal restrictions, we are currently unable to post the administrative orders on X." While the company did not disclose the list of the 8,000 individuals subject to the Indian government's blocking order, it revealed that the order included demands to block access within India to accounts belonging to international media organizations and prominent users.
However, X emphasized that a complete account ban is not only unnecessary but also violates the fundamental right to freedom of expression by censoring both existing and future content. Therefore, the company stated that the blocking would be applied only within India.
X reiterated its opposition to comprehensive account bans and reported that it is reviewing "all possible legal avenues" to challenge the government's actions. The company also encouraged all users affected by such blocking orders to seek appropriate remedies in court.
CNN reported that the Indian government has not publicly commented on the nature or reasons for these account blocks, further fueling debates over digital rights and the excessive exercise of government authority.
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