Social media platforms should respect legislation of land: Ravi Shankar Prasad

Amid the face-off between the federal government and microblogging platform Twitter, Information and Technology Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad Thursday accused social media platforms of “double standards” of their method to latest occasions on the US Capitol Hill and the Red Fort on Republic Day.
While replying to questions within the Rajya Sabha, Prasad stated, “We have flagged Twitter and are in dialogue with them. Why is it that when the police have to act in US Capitol Hill they stand in support, but when similar action is taken at Red Fort, they oppose it? Freedom of speech is there, but with reasonable restrictions. Why the double standards?”
The minister was referring to the latest authorities emergency order to Twitter to dam over 1,300 handles for allegedly spreading misinformation and provocative content material within the aftermath of the violence witnessed through the tractor march carried out by the protesting farmers in Delhi on January 26.
While Twitter has suspended greater than 500 accounts, it has not acted in opposition to accounts of stories media entities, journalists, activists and politicians on the bottom that it “would violate their fundamental right to free expression under Indian law”.
Reacting to Twitter’s stance, Prasad stated in Parliament, “When you become a platform, you make your own law and India’s laws will have no place in it? That is not how it works. You bring money and do business, but you have to respect the law of the land.”
On Wednesday, the IT Ministry had expressed robust displeasure over Twitter’s response to the federal government’s emergency order.

Prasad additionally talked about Koo, a selfmade model of the social networking platform which many ministers and departments of the Union authorities have began transferring to within the wake of the federal government’s face-off with Twitter. He known as it a “big success”.
Asserting the federal government’s dedication to free speech and particular person freedom, the minister stated, “This government is led by leaders who have fought for the freedom of individuals, freedom of media, independence of the judiciary… This includes our Prime Minister, Rajnath Singh ji, Prakash Javadekar and also me. Our commitment to freedom of media is complete and total. But we are equally concerned about the security and sovereignty of India.”
Speaking on steps taken to curb faux information and messages, he added: “We respect social media. It has empowered common people. We respect criticism… you can criticise even the Prime Minister. But if social media is used to propagate hate, then action will be taken.”