Latest news with #ReutersX
Hindustan Times
06-07-2025
- Business
- Hindustan Times
Reuters X account restored in India after suspension over legal demand
NEW DELHI -The Reuters News account on X was restored in India on Sunday, a day after the social media platform suspended it, citing a legal demand. Reuters X account restored in India after suspension over legal demand "At this time, we are no longer withholding access in INDIA to your account," X said in an email to the Reuters social media team, without elaborating. Representatives for X, Reuters and the Indian government did not immediately respond to requests for comment on the restoration of the account. Earlier on Sunday, a spokesperson for the Indian government's Press Information Bureau told Reuters that no Indian government agency had required withholding the Reuters handle, adding that officials were working with X to resolve the problem. A Reuters spokesperson had said the agency was working with X to resolve this matter and get the Reuters account reinstated in India as soon as possible. Reuters World, another X account operated by the news agency which was blocked in India, was also restored late Sunday night. The main Reuters account, which has more than 25 million followers globally, had been blocked in India since Saturday night. A notice told X users that "@Reuters has been withheld in IN in response to a legal demand". In an email to the Reuters social media team on May 16, X said: "It is our policy to notify account holders if we receive a legal request from an authorized entity to remove content from their account." "In order to comply with X obligations under India's local laws, we have withheld your X account in India under the country's Information Technology Act, 2000; the content remains available elsewhere". Reuters could not ascertain if the May 16 email was linked to Saturday's account suspension nor could it determine what specific content the demand referred to, why its removal was sought or the entity that had lodged the complaint. While the email did not specify which entity had made the request or what content they sought to remove, it said X had been advised that in such cases, a user could contact the secretary of India's Information and Broadcasting Ministry. The secretary, Sanjay Jaju, did not respond to requests seeking comment. The 2000 law allows designated government officials to demand the takedown of content from social media platforms they deem to violate local laws, including on the grounds of national security or if a post threatens public order. X has long been at odds with India's government over content-removal requests. In March, the company sued the federal government over a new government website the company says expands takedown powers to "countless" government officials. The case is continuing. India has said X wrongly labelled an official website a "censorship portal", as the website only allows tech companies to be notified about harmful online content. This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text.
Hindustan Times
06-07-2025
- Business
- Hindustan Times
'No requirement': Centre after news agency Reuters' X account witheld in India
The Centre has responded to social media platform X blocking the account of news agency Reuters in India, saying that it is a mistake on the part of the Elon Musk-owned company. The government had legally demanded the withholding of the Reuters X account and several others during Operation Sindoor in May(X) 'There is no requirement from the Government of India to withhold Reuters handle. We are continuously working with X to resolve the problem,' a government spokesperson said. The government has asked X to explain the ban and has asked the company to reverse it Sources quoted in a PTI news agency report said the government had legally demanded the withholding of the Reuters X account and several others during Operation Sindoor in May. While many were withheld, Reuters remained accessible. The social media giant seems to have acted on that request and blocked Reuters' X handle in India. Since the issue isn't relevant now, the government has asked X to explain the blocking and lift the embargo. "An order was issued on May 7 (during Operation Sindoor) but it was not enforced. X seems to have enforced that order now which is a mistake on their part. Government has reached out to X for resolving it at the earliest," PTI quoted an official source as saying. Are all Reuters handles withheld in India? Reuters's official X handle, along with Reuters World, remains inaccessible in India, while all the affiliated handles on the social media platform, such as Reuters Tech News, Reuters Fact Check, Reuters Asia, and Reuters China, can be accessed. X users attempting to access the main account can see a message that reads: "Account withheld. @ Reuters has been withheld in IN in response to a legal demand." The social media company has an explainer about such messages on its help center page titled "About country withheld content". The message means X was compelled to withhold the entire account specified or posts in response to a valid legal demand, such as a court order or local laws.
