Microblogging site Twitter has blocked 97 percent of accounts after constant pressure from the central government. The Ministry of Electronics, Information and Technology had demanded the blocking of several accounts posting related to ‘inflammatory content’. These are the accounts that were using hashtags like ‘Farmer massacre’.According to information received from the sources, the central government had twice identified 1,435 accounts through appeals, of which the company has blocked 1,398 accounts. A meeting was held late Wednesday evening between Ajay Prakash Sahni, Secretary, Ministry of Information and Technology and Twitter Public Policy Vice President Monique Meche and Jim Baker.After this meeting, the American social media company started taking action against the users who were identified by the government. A government source said that Twitter has submitted a list of blocked accounts to the ministry and the process is on for the remaining accounts, including steps like sending notices to users. The 1,178 accounts the central government had predicted to be linked to Pakistan and Khalistan have been blocked. Of the 257 Twitter accounts from which the disputed hashtag was run, 220 have been blocked. The source said that some of these accounts may also be duplicates.He further clarified that the disputed hashtag that was launched on Twitter is neither a journalistic freedom nor a right to freedom of expression provided under the Indian Constitution. Because such irresponsible hashtags can only provoke people and make the situation worse.
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