Not in line with the United States’ view of free speech: WH on online postings was removed following an order from the Indian government

The White House said the move didn’t align with America’s view of freedom of speech around the world, just days after Twitter and other social media platforms removed content related to the COVID-19 pandemic in India in response to a government order.

After the government asked them to remove content that was critical of the government’s handling of the current medical crisis or spread fake news about the pandemic, Twitter and other social media platforms took down approximately 100 posts and URLs.

When asked about the Indian government’s order to block social media posts about the pandemic, White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said, “That certainly wouldn’t be aligned with our view of freedom of speech around the world.”

At least 52 tweets from prominent figures, including opposition politicians, journalists, and filmmakers, were censored by the Lumen Database, a Harvard University initiative that tracks takedown requests.

Twitter has said that the posts are being blocked in India due to local regulations, according to The Washington Post. They can still be seen in the US and other parts of the world.

A Twitter spokesperson told The Washington Post that “when we receive a valid legal request, we review it under both the Twitter Rules and local law.”

‘If the content is found to be in violation of Twitter’s Terms of Service, it will be removed from the platform.’ We may withhold access to the content in India only if it is determined to be illegal in a specific jurisdiction but not in violation of the Twitter Rules,’ a spokesperson told the daily.