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National
India’s Government Issued Over 200,000 Blocking Orders to Social Media Firms March‑July
✍️ indianexpress.com
🗓 18 Aug 2026, 05:48 AM
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Between March and July, the Indian government sent a blocking order to social media firms at a rate of one per minute, underscoring a surge in regulatory enforcement.
The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology has been issuing blocking orders to social media firms at a pace of one per minute from March through July. The orders, issued under the Information Technology Act, target content that the government deems harmful or unlawful. The high frequency of orders reflects a tightening of digital content regulation amid concerns over misinformation and defamation.
These directives compel platforms to remove or block access to specified content within a short timeframe. The government has cited the need to protect public order and national security as key reasons for the rapid issuance of orders. While the exact number of orders exceeds 200,000, officials have not released a detailed breakdown of the content categories affected.
The move has drawn attention from civil society groups and digital rights advocates, who argue that such a high volume of orders could impact freedom of expression. Platform operators have responded by reaffirming their compliance with legal requirements while urging clearer guidelines.
The government’s approach signals a shift toward more proactive digital governance, with the Ministry announcing plans to streamline the order‑issuance process and improve transparency for users and stakeholders.
These directives compel platforms to remove or block access to specified content within a short timeframe. The government has cited the need to protect public order and national security as key reasons for the rapid issuance of orders. While the exact number of orders exceeds 200,000, officials have not released a detailed breakdown of the content categories affected.
The move has drawn attention from civil society groups and digital rights advocates, who argue that such a high volume of orders could impact freedom of expression. Platform operators have responded by reaffirming their compliance with legal requirements while urging clearer guidelines.
The government’s approach signals a shift toward more proactive digital governance, with the Ministry announcing plans to streamline the order‑issuance process and improve transparency for users and stakeholders.