Finally! Reuters X account restored in India!
text_fields
New Delhi: After a brief blockage of news agency Reuters's X account in India, the social media platform restored it on Sunday evening. X handle was found to be inaccessible to Indian users, with a message displayed stating the account had been withheld "in response to a legal demand." From Saturday night to Sunday evening, the Reuters handle, which has more than 25 million followers, remained inaccessible to users in India.
X sent Reuters an email in which it said, “At this time, we are no longer withholding access in INDIA to your account,” Business Today quoted. However, the platform did not elaborate on the reason behind the suspension or its reversal.
On Saturday, the Indian government clarified that it had not issued any directive to the platform to withhold the handle of the international news agency in the country.
“There is no requirement from the Government of India to withhold Reuters handle. We are continuously working with X to resolve the problem,” an official spokesperson said.
The inaccessibility of the Reuters account drew the attention of journalists and media observers, sparking questions about transparency in content moderation and government requests to social media platforms. Reuters acknowledged the issue and stated it was seeking more information about the reason for the block in India.
Sources familiar with the matter indicated that the only request involving Reuters’ X account was made on May 7, in the context of Operation Sindoor — a covert national security operation launched by India following the Pahalgam massacre, in which 26 Indian tourists were killed in a Pakistan-sponsored terrorist attack. As part of the operation, the government ordered the blocking of several hundred accounts, citing national security concerns. However, officials confirmed that no action was taken regarding the Reuters handle, despite it being named in the original directive.
