The US-based micro-blogging site, Twitter has lost the legal immunity it enjoys in India because of its failure to comply with the new IT rules.
Twitter is the only mainstream social media platform that has not adhered to the law. Twitter failed to avail the last chance given by the government to comply with the new IT rules. Hence, the move to withdraw the special legal protection was announced by the government of India.
As per recent data, Government cited that Twitter has an estimated 1.75 crore users in India.
Last week, Twitter had assured the Indian Union Government that it will appoint a chief compliance officer and already they are in the advanced stage regarding that.
But the social networking site has failed in appointing the said key personnel. Earlier, the company said that it has already appointed the Chief Compliance officer and the details will be shared directly with the IT ministry.
NEW IT RULES SAY
The new digital rules require significant social media intermediaries —
- provide services primarily in the nature of messaging
- enable identification of the “first originator” of the information that undermines the sovereignty of India, the security of the state, or public order.
Also, Read: Twitter Banned Trump’s Account Permanently
It is mandatory for social media intermediaries with more than 50 lakh users should appoint
- A grievance officer,
- A nodal officer and
- A chief compliance officer.
These personnel should be residents of India.
Social media firms will have to
- take down flagged content within 36 hours, and
- remove flagged content with issues such as nudity and pornography within 24 hours.
TWITTER LOST THE LEGAL IMMUNITY
Because its intermediary status is taken away, Twitter would be treated as a publisher and be liable for punishment (including the Twitter India managing director) under any law if a case is filed against it for alleged unlawful content. The Country’s MD would face police questioning and criminal liability under IPC.
Already, Ghaziabad Police have filed an FIR against 9 entities which includes Twitter India, in connection with an where a man was thrashed and his beard chopped off in Loni.
Police alleged that a communal colour was given to the incident without verification of facts and said that Twitter did nothing to prevent the video from getting viral.
TWITTER FACEOFFS WITH THE INDIAN GOVERNMENT
For the past few months, Twitter’s tweets related the farmer’s protest and some political posts of several BJP leaders triggered a sharp rebuke from the Centre.