India proposes new powers to block Internet content

India’s government is finalising proposals to give it the power to block Internet content. The new rules would require applications like Facebook, Twitter, and TikToc to implement automated screening tools and to remove posts or videos that Indian officials consider ‘libelous, invasive of privacy, hateful, or deceptive’. The government could also undermine the privacy protections of messaging services by allowing the government to trace messages. Critics have compared the moves to censorship policy in China. 

Wired’s Paris Martineau commented on the situation in India is Cracking Down on Ecommerce and Free Speech.