Musk explains why Twitter pulled down posts related to BBC documentary on PM Modi
"India has very strict social media laws", says Elon Musk on why Twitter posts related to BBC docu on PM Modi were taken down earlier this year
Hyderabad: Twitter CEO Elon Musk on Wednesday stated that he was not exactly aware of the BBC’s documentary on Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the related posts that were taken down by the micro-blogging site earlier this year. The billionaire made these remarks in an interview with the BBC broadcast live on Twitter Spaces.
When BBC journalist James Clayton asked why Twitter took down posts regarding the documentary film, which was later banned in India, Musk said, “I’m not aware about this particular case… India has very strict social media laws (sic).”
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He further stated that if he had a choice between complying with a country’s law and going to jail, he said he would choose the former. “If the choice is between complying with laws or going to jail, I’d rather comply with laws than have any of my people go to jail,” he said.
Here’s the full interview:
— Twitter (@Twitter) April 12, 2023
In January this year, BBC released the first of its two-part series, ‘India: The Modi Question’, which focused on Modi’s leadership as Chief Minister of Gujarat during riots in 2002. However, the government soon issued orders to YouTube and Twitter demanding that they block any content related to the docu-film. Twitter’s prompt compliance with this order had then caused quite a stir.
Meanwhile, earlier this month the Modi government reportedly notified norms making it obligatory on “intermediaries” – like Twitter – to “not publish, share or host fake, false or misleading information in respect of any business of the Central government”. It stated that the fact-checking unit of the government will identify what is “fake, false or misleading information”.
