On Saturday evening, X users in India were unable to access the main Reuters news account and the Reuters World account. X restored access to both accounts on Sunday.
According to Reuters, Indian users trying to view the @Reuters account — which has 25 million followers — were shown a message saying the account “has been withheld in IN (India) in response to a legal demand.”
However, a spokesperson for the Indian government told TechCrunch, “The Government of India has not requested the withholding of the Reuters account. We are actively collaborating with X to address the issue.”
Reuters Responds to X Account Restrictions Amid Unclear Government Takedown Request
A Reuters spokesperson said the news agency is working with X to resolve the issue. Reuters also said that in May, X sent a notice to its social media team, saying it was withholding content at the request of the Indian government. However, the notice failed to clarify which government agency made the request or which specific content the request targeted.
X, the platform previously known as Twitter (which recently merged with another Elon Musk company, xAI), has previously criticized the Indian government for demanding the removal of certain accounts and posts.
X Challenges Indian Government Over Alleged Censorship Powers Granted by New Website
In March, X even filed a lawsuit against the Indian government, arguing that a new website permits “unrestricted censorship of information in India” by unlawfully authorizing “countless” public officials to remove content or block accounts. The government responded by stating that the website merely serves as a tool to inform companies about harmful online material.
Last year, a prolonged conflict with Brazil’s Supreme Court pushed X to suspend its operations in the country, prompting authorities to impose a ban that lasted over a month.
X did not promptly reply to TechCrunch’s request for comment. Reuters also did not immediately respond to TechCrunch’s follow-up inquiries regarding its interactions with the Indian government and X.
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