Elon Musk's X sues Indian government over alleged censorship via Sahyog Portal

The case will be heard in court after X claimed that the new Sahyog Portal, which was launched by the Federal Ministry of Home Affairs last year, is being used to expand censorship forces and force the content removal, according to BBC. Elon Musk’s social media company, X, filed a lawsuit against the Government of India and accused him of abusing the law to censor content. The case will be heard in court after X claimed that the new Sahyog Portal, which was launched by the Federal Ministry of Home Affairs last year, is being used to expand censorship forces and force the content removal, according to BBC. X argues that the portal grants government officials excessive powers to issue the orders, violating the digital laws of India. The company said it could not be forced to join the platform and consider it a ‘censorship portal’. While the Indian government defends the platform as essential to address harmful online content, other major US technical companies such as Amazon, Google and Meta have agreed to meet Sahyog. The portal automates the process of issuing government notifications to content platforms, such as X and Facebook. The lawsuit follows an order of the Indian Federal Railway Ministry for X to remove ‘hundreds of posts’, including videos related to a deadly bump in Delhi, where 18 people died during the Kumbh Mela pilgrimage. X argues that the decreases issued by Sahyog exceed the extent of the original law that empowers the government to block the content. This law requires that senior officials follow established procedures, including the issuance of notices and opportunities for hearings and reviews. X argues that these precautions are bypassed, leading to arbitrary orders issued by other legal provisions. According to X’s petition, ‘countless’ government officials, including ‘tens of thousands of local police officers’, are issued unilaterally and without supervision. The Indian Federal IT and Home ministries have yet to respond to the BBC’s request for comment. In court, the government insisted that his actions be legal, and made it clear that he merely issued “notices” on illegal content. The government also defended Sahyog and called it a ‘necessity’ in light of the ‘growing amount of illegal and harmful content online’. Apar Gupta, of the Internet Freedom Foundation, described the matter as “essential” as a result of the “wholesale increase in censorship” due to the Sahyog portal blocker mechanism. This is another chapter in the constant tension between X and the Indian government. In 2021, police in Delhi Twitter fell offices after a tweet was described by a ruling party spokesman as “manipulated media”. In 2022, X sued the government over the blocking of orders related to the protests of the farmer, but the court ruled against Twitter and imposed a fine. Under Musk’s leadership, X appealed, and the case is still pending before the Karnataka High Court. India also describes X an “ordinary platform that does not comply” during appeal proceedings in 2023. Furthermore, the government is investigating X’s chatbot, grok, for inappropriate language and controversial responses to user directions. The timing of the lawsuit is striking, as Musk’s other businesses, including Starlink and Tesla, submit in India. In March, Starlink signed agreements with two important telecommunications companies to introduce satellite internet in India, pending government approval. Tesla started renting in Delhi and Mumbai and is reportedly exploring places for showrooms in both cities. Michael Kugelman, director of the Wilson Center’s South Asia Institute, noted that Musk’s expanding business capacity and his close relationship with US President Donald Trump could give him a significant lever in his dealings with the Indian government.