Twitter Sues India's Government Over Content Takedown Orders (techcrunch.com) 31
Twitter has sued the Indian government to challenge some of its takedown orders, TechCrunch reported Tuesday, further escalating the tension between the American social giant and New Delhi. From a report: In its lawsuit, filed Tuesday, Twitter alleges that New Delhi has abused its power by ordering it to remove several tweets from its platform. The lawsuit follows a rough year and a half for Twitter in India, a key overseas market for the firm, where it has been asked to take down hundreds of accounts and tweets, many of which critics argue were objected because they denounced the Indian government's policies and Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The Modi Patrol (Score:3)
Write something negative about Modi on Slashdot, even something well-researched, and you will be modded down and comments will be left about how you are ignorant. Just try it, why should I have all the fun?
These tactics only have to be used to hide malfeasance. Leaders who walk their talk don't need toadies to sanitize the internets for them.
Re: (Score:1)
why bother, dictator gonna dictate. Trump 2.0 would be the same in US, democracy an all
Re: (Score:1, Troll)
To say absolutely nothing about the Biden administration's demand that social media companies take down posts they deem "misinformation". If "Trump 2.0" would be a dictator for doing so, what does that make Biden?
Re: The Modi Patrol (Score:2)
You put misinformation in quotes⦠but it shouldnâ(TM)t be. The dissemination of verifiably false information that can hurt people needs to be curtailed. Weâ(TM)re not talking about political speech⦠weâ(TM)re talking about people saying that you should drink bleach to get rid of Covid.
Donâ(TM)t try to equate these two things as the same: they are not.
Re: The Modi Patrol (Score:1)
You were doing well until you came to the point that there is a subculture of people pushing bleach drinking. That is exactly why none of these things should be limited or banned, people like you are misrepresenting or outright lying about what is actually being said.
Re: The Modi Patrol (Score:2)
? Thatâ(TM)s a real example. You havenâ(TM)t heard of the Genesis II church? https://www.bloomberg.com/news... [bloomberg.com]
And itâ(TM)s not only them - and it hasnâ(TM)t stopped. Another article: https://www.bbc.com/future/art... [bbc.com]
THIS is the type of dangerous misinformation that needs to be combatted on social networks. There are people spreading BS that can literally kill people.
Re: The Modi Patrol (Score:1)
Re: (Score:3)
It's far, FAR better to have a fungible service like a social media site do the censoring than to have the Government do it. The former can cancel your account if you don't comply, and is easily replaceable if you so choose, but the latter can ruin your life if you don't comply (or even if you do comply), and you will have no say in the matter unless you're wealthy and/or politically well connected.
Re: Twitter is a false god (Score:1)
Re: Twitter is a false god (Score:2)
This is such BS. Twitter is far from a monopoly - nor is it critical to everyday life. I think Iâ(TM)ve tweeted about 20 times in 20 years of Twitter existing⦠and I connect with my friends and family just fine.
If you donâ(TM)t like the service: donâ(TM)t use it!
Re: (Score:2)
Twitter is not a fungible service because you can't just switch it out for some other service and get the same value.
I totally disagree. I can switch it out for a blank wall, or the sight of grass growing, or even a powered off computer to get the exact same value. I can switch it out for the sight of my cats sleeping, and get *higher* value than Twitter provides. I can go on about Twitter's worth relative to drying paint, but I won't.
Twitter is like Bitcoin: some people give it way more value than it's actually worth.
Re: (Score:3)
No government at this point in time has any moral authority. If you think they do, you haven't been paying attention.
No, India is not an exception.
Re: Twitter is a false god (Score:1)
This is where the right proves itself to be fascist. You donâ(TM)t actually believe in America, the Constitution, or freedom at all. You just want a fascist theocracy that forces everyone to either be white, heterosexual Christians - or to be subjugated to them. When you say stuff like this you show your true colors.
Re: (Score:3)
Why do they have to believe in America or the Constitution?
Not everyone on this website, or on the internet, is American - worship of your country is not mandatory.
I can very much not give a rats ass about America or its Constitution, but still very much support freedom and lean to the political left. Its actually not all that difficult.
Re: Lol - hilarious (Score:2)
Why canâ(TM)t you see the difference between a private company doing what they want with their service and a government not allowing free speech? These two things are NOT the same.
Anyone can see the problem here? (Score:2)
So you file a lawsuit against a country which is run more and more like a dictatorship, and you decide to file this lawsuit in a court located in the very same country. What could possibly go wrong, apart from the authorities laughing out loud in your face?
Re: Anyone can see the problem here? (Score:2)
Tiktok. Theyâ(TM)re going to get tiktok-ed out of India.
Tiktok for Twitter (Score:2)
Twitter needs to go see what they did to Tiktok in India.
No wonder Twitter is always in financial straits, no business sense whatsoever.
Bring out the popcorn! (Score:3)
I'm just having the time of my life watching Twitter's pains here. It's okay when Twitter decides to take accounts and tweets down, but not when the government of a country wants them do. The hypocrisy is staggering here.
For the record, I'm against India's government asking for accounts to be disabled and tweets to be taken down, just as much as I'm for Twitter refraining from deleting tweets and disabling accounts.
Re: Bring out the popcorn! (Score:2)
Twitter is a private business. It should have the right to do business as it sees fit without government interference as long as it is not discriminating against a protected class (and, no, whiny right-wing fascists and NOT a protected class). The government has no right to police (most) speech.
Why you people claim to be for the constitution when it comes to the second amendment and then be directly against the _first_ amendment will never fail to confuse me. Be consistent! Either the constitution is a
Re: (Score:2)
lol. Second amendment? You need to take your prejudice glasses off and stop assuming things about posters. You have no idea where I stand on the second amendment, let alone the first amendment which is even more complicated.
Twitter is a private business. It should have the right to do business as it sees fit without government interference as long as it is not discriminating against a protected class (and, no, whiny right-wing fascists and NOT a protected class). The government has no right to police (most) speech.
So you think the Indian government needs to abide by the constitution of the United States? Because, as you may know, Twitter is operating in India.
Re: Bring out the popcorn! (Score:2)
If you are truly not part of the conservative movement in the United States then I apologize. Lately, the group that has been complaining about censorship on Twitter has been that group - and they (as a group, if not every individual) have been very vocal about the second amendment as well. Even an individual that doesnâ(TM)t outwardly support the second amendment but still supports politicians that do is part of that as well. I find it hypocritical anytime Someone affiliated with that group argues
Re: (Score:2)
Re: Bring out the popcorn! (Score:2)
Sorry - didnâ(TM)t mean âoeprivateâ in the sense of a public ally traded / private. I meant in the sense of not being a public entity that is part of the government (like a public library, etc.). Same words - different usage.
Re: Bring out the popcorn! (Score:1)
The first amendment and no US statute has any notion of a protected class. You just invented that standard whole cloth. When youâ(TM)re using words like protected class in order to suppress speech about a class of people that should be critiqued, you are no different than the Indian government.
Re: Bring out the popcorn! (Score:2)
No - I didnâ(TM)t invent anything. Iâ(TM)m going by the current US law - which does recognize protected classes. See the civil rights act of 1964: https://www.findlaw.com/civilr... [findlaw.com]
My statement was that Twitter can delete whatever it wants off of its private business servers - unless it is due to discriminatory practices based on race, religion, creed, etc. Note that âoepolitical affiliationâ is not listed as a protected class.
Govt. criticism not OK... Rape threats OK (Score:2)
Recent case of a journalist. She was critical of the government. Posts were removed. People posted rape threats against her. These were not removed.
Re: (Score:3)
People posted rape threats against her. These were not removed.
How does Twitter justify their actions? Isn't this against their policy?