Social Media Platform X Complies With Election Commission's Orders, Removes Political Posts
Social media platform X (previously known as Twitter) has taken down several posts containing political speeches from elected politicians, political parties and candidates in India in compliance with directives from the Election Commission of India (ECI).
The ECI cited violations of the model code of conduct, prompting X to restrict access to these posts within the country. Despite complying with the orders, X expressed disagreement with the ECI's actions, advocating for expanded freedom of expression for political speech. The platform notified affected users and published the takedown orders for transparency.
The takedown orders affected posts from various political leaders and parties, including the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), YSR Congress, Telugu Desam Party (TDP) President N Chandrababu Naidu and Bihar Deputy Chief Minister and state BJP president Samrat Choudhary. Requests for removal were made on different dates in April, with the ECI citing violations of the model code of conduct guidelines.
Meanwhile, Elon Musk, the owner of X, is set to visit India soon, where he will meet with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Musk's visit coincides with India's Lok Sabha election season, adding significance to discussions surrounding technology, business, and sustainability. Tesla officials are also expected to explore potential sites for manufacturing facilities in India, with a reported investment of USD 2 billion in the country.
India is preparing for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, scheduled to be held in seven phases from April 19 to June 1. With a record number of registered voters, totaling 968 million, including 497 million men and 471 million women, the elections are poised to be one of the largest democratic exercises globally.
