Social media platform X has announced plans to appeal an Indian court order that allows over two million police officers to issue arbitrary takedown requests through a secretive online portal called the Sahyog. The decision comes after the High Court of Karnataka ruled that X’s legal challenge to quash India’s content removal mechanisms lacked legal merit.
According to X, the Sahyog portal enables officers to order content removal based solely on allegations of “illegality” without judicial review or due process for the speakers. The platform also faces criminal liability for non-compliance, which X claims threatens free expression. In a post on the platform, X stated that it will appeal the order to defend free expression and highlighted the risks associated with the Sahyog system.
The dispute between X and the Indian government is not new, with the company previously equating the government’s mechanisms with censorship. The government, led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has argued that the new system is necessary to tackle the proliferation of unlawful content and ensure accountability online. X’s owner, Elon Musk, has also clashed with authorities in several countries over compliance and content takedown demands.
India has ramped up efforts to police the internet since 2023, allowing more officials to file takedown orders and submit them directly to tech firms through a website launched in October. X’s Indian lawsuit targeted the basis for tightened internet regulation in the country, which has sparked debate about the balance between online freedom and accountability.
The appeal by X is significant, as it challenges the Indian government’s approach to content regulation and highlights the ongoing tensions between tech companies and governments over online governance. The outcome of the appeal will be closely watched, as it may have implications for the future of online free expression in India and beyond. With the Indian government continuing to tighten its grip on the internet, the case is likely to have far-reaching consequences for social media platforms, online users, and the broader digital landscape.
