London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Thursday, Jun 11, 2026

India issues ultimatum to Twitter: The platform has one last chance to comply, or face "unintended consequences"

India issues ultimatum to Twitter: The platform has one last chance to comply, or face "unintended consequences"

India’s government on Saturday warned Twitter to immediately comply with the country’s new social media regulations, which critics say give the government more power to police online content, while Twitter wants to keep their monopoly on policing the content in the country.

Twitter is involved in a tense battle with the Indian government, which has often asked it to restrict content alleging Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government is trying to silence criticism, including of its handling of the coronavirus pandemic.

In a letter to Twitter, the Electronics and Information Technology Ministry said the new rules came into force on May 26, but the social media site so far hasn’t complied. It asked Twitter to treat Saturday’s letter as a final notice, otherwise the company “shall be liable to consequences,” the Press Trust of India news agency reported.

The letter did not elaborate on what consequences Twitter might face. There was no immediate comment from Twitter.

Last month, the company said it was worried about the safety of its staff in India, days after Indian police visited its office in New Delhi over its labeling of a tweet by a governing party spokesman as “manipulated media.”

Twitter said in a statement that “to keep our service available, we will strive to comply with applicable law in India.”

“But, just as we do around the world, we will continue to be strictly guided by principles of transparency, a commitment to empowering every voice on the service, and protecting freedom of expression and privacy under the rule of law,” it said, despite the well known fact that it’s a lie. Twitter does not “empowering every voice on the service” and frequently banging voices that oppose Twitters political agenda (such as Donal Trump, for example).

The new rules require internet platforms such as Facebook and Twitter to erase content that authorities deem unlawful and to help with police investigations, including identifying the originators of “mischievous information.”

The ministry’s letter Saturday warned Twitter that non-compliance with the new social media regulations could see the company lose its liability protections as an intermediary, meaning Twitter could face lawsuits over content.

Critics accuse Modi’s government of silencing criticism on social media, particularly Twitter, a charge senior leaders have denied.

Last month, the messaging app WhatsApp filed a lawsuit in Delhi High Court arguing that new government rules that require it to make messages “traceable” to external parties are unconstitutional and undermine the fundamental right to privacy.

Comments

TwitterSucks 5 year ago
Why is this a battle? If the government of India wants to ban a service they should just do so. Every country follows the model, US banning TikTok, China banning pretty much anything from US, etc. Grow a pair and do what you see best for your country.

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
University College London Study Links Physical Punishment to Higher Risk of Bullying
East Midlands Railway Unveils First Refurbished Train in £60 Million Modernization Programme
RNLI Issues National Water Safety Appeal Ahead of Expected Heatwave
Climate Change Raises Subsidence Risks for Millions of Homes Across Southeast England
Manchester Advances Plans for Underground Piccadilly Station With £1 Million Funding Commitment
Anti-Immigration Violence Continues in Belfast Amid Heightened Security Concerns
UK Law Locks Great British Railways Into Public Ownership
Office for National Statistics Adopts Supermarket Checkout Data for Inflation Measurement
Applied Atomics Launches With $500 Million Space Infrastructure Order Book
BYD Plans Nationwide Rollout of Ultra-Fast EV Charging Network
UK House Prices Unexpectedly Fall in May
CBI Warns UK Growth Is Becoming Increasingly Dependent on Public Spending
Makerfield By-Election Fuels Speculation Over Labour’s Future Leadership
Britain Declines to Join EU SAFE Defence Fund
UK Unveils 2040 Emissions Target Despite Strong Political Opposition
Government Orders Full Review of Palantir’s NHS Data Contract
UK Borrowing Costs Climb as Markets Price in Further Bank of England Rate Rises
Resident Doctors Confirm Five-Day NHS Strike Across England
Violent Anti-Immigrant Riots in Belfast Spark Political and Diplomatic Tensions
United Kingdom Sees Recovery in Horizon Europe Research Funding Share to 9.3 Percent
UK Inflation Holds at 2.8 Percent as Office for Budget Responsibility Flags Persistent Price Pressures
United Kingdom Launches National Anti-Fraud Framework to Combat Rising Pension Scam Losses
United Kingdom Expands Sanctions on Israeli Groups While Funding Palestinian Authority Salaries and Gaza Mine Clearance
United Kingdom Issues Three-Month Ultimatum to Major Technology Firms Over Child Online Safety Controls
United Kingdom Government Moves Toward Blanket Social Media Ban for Children Under Sixteen
Widespread Anti-Immigration Rioting Erupts Across Belfast After Knife Attack Linked to Asylum Seeker
Farmers Warn of Crop Losses Following Months of Unseasonal Rainfall
Civil Aviation Authority Launches Review of Regional Airport Operations
Met Office Issues Heat-Health Alert Across Parts of England
National Grid Introduces New Measures to Protect Winter Energy Supply
Northern England Rail Upgrades Receive Additional Government Funding
Wales Advances Green Hydrogen Strategy to Decarbonize Heavy Industry
UK Expands Recruitment Incentives to Address Shortage of STEM Teachers
High Court Opens Door to Climate Liability Claims Against Major Industrial Emitters
Police Service of Northern Ireland Investigates Major Personnel Data Breach
Defense Ministry Overhauls Procurement System to Accelerate AUKUS Submarine Program
Net Migration Remains Above Government Expectations, New Data Shows
UK and Scottish Governments Agree Framework for Expanded North Sea Wind Development
UK Treasury Launches New Tax Incentives to Boost AI and Semiconductor Investment
Bank of England Signals Continued Caution on Interest Rate Cuts
UK Unveils £10 Billion NHS Digital Modernization Plan Centered on AI Integration
Nebius Opens Major Robotics and Physical AI Laboratory in London
Bank of England Data Shows Strong Rise in New Mortgage Approvals
Network Rail Completes Landmark Upgrade of Severn Tunnel Rail Infrastructure
East West Rail Passenger Services Between Oxford and Milton Keynes Set for December Launch
GlaxoSmithKline Reportedly Pursues £7 Billion Acquisition of US Cancer Drug Developer Nuvalent
Bank of England Signals Interest Rates Likely to Remain Unchanged Despite Energy Market Risks
NHS Trusts Launch Job-Cutting Programmes as Financial Pressures Intensify Across England
More Than 130 Labour MPs Urge Ban on Trade With Israeli Settlements
Keir Starmer Orders Technology Firms to Introduce Smartphone Nudity Controls for Under-18s
×