India Blocks Access to Reuters’ X Accounts Amid Legal Dispute
Since Saturday evening, users across India have encountered restrictions when trying to access the main Reuters news account and the Reuters World account on X, the platform formerly known as twitter. Attempts to open @Reuters-an account with over 25 million followers-now display a message stating that the profile “has been withheld in IN (India) in response to a legal demand.”
Discrepancies Surrounding Governmental Legal Orders
Despite this notification, an official representative from the Indian government has denied issuing any formal legal directive requesting content removal or blocking. Simultaneously occurring, Reuters confirmed it is indeed actively engaging with X’s team to investigate and resolve these access limitations.
The news organization also disclosed that back in May, it’s social media department received a prior alert from X indicating some content was being restricted at India’s request. However, this notice lacked details about which governmental agency made the request or which specific posts were affected.
X’s Content Moderation Conflicts with Indian Authorities
X has openly criticized Indian officials for demanding removal of certain accounts and tweets, arguing such actions threaten freedom of expression by enabling disproportionate censorship measures.
In March 2025,tensions escalated when X filed a lawsuit against India’s government challenging a newly launched website that permits numerous public officials to flag or remove online content without obvious oversight-a practice described by X as “unchecked censorship.” The government defended this platform as merely facilitating notifications about harmful material rather than direct suppression of speech.
Global Regulatory Challenges Faced by social Media Platforms
This episode reflects broader struggles faced by platforms like X worldwide regarding state-imposed controls on digital interaction. As an example, last year Brazil’s Supreme Court clashed extensively with X over similar issues; resulting in temporary suspension of services within Brazil and an official ban lasting more than one month before reinstatement occurred.
The Consequences for Digital News Accessibility
The blocking of prominent news sources such as Reuters raises significant concerns about public access to trustworthy data amid growing regulatory pressures globally. recent statistics reveal nearly 70% of internet users depend on social media platforms for their daily news updates-a trend underscoring how such restrictions can severely impact informed citizenship.
“When reliable information channels are censored online, it disrupts democratic dialog and diminishes people’s ability to stay well-informed,” emphasized digital rights advocates during recent international discussions on internet freedom challenges.
An Illustrative Case: Media Restrictions During Political Turmoil
A parallel situation occurred during political unrest in Hong Kong where multiple international media accounts experienced temporary suspensions due to local regulations aimed at controlling narratives surrounding protests-highlighting how governments may exploit platform policies for information control during sensitive events.
