X to Inform Users About Post Restrictions Due to Local Laws
The social media platform X will now inform users when their posts have been restricted to comply with local laws, specifying the country that made the demand.
X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter, has updated its "Under the Hood" report to provide users with greater transparency regarding content moderation. The report will now indicate if a user's posts have had their visibility limited due to compliance with local laws, and will name the country responsible for the legal demand.
This expansion aims to address growing user demand for clearer insight into government-mandated content filtering. Previously, the "Under the Hood" report primarily focused on X's own content flags, such as those for spam or adult material. The new feature specifically highlights instances where X has restricted content visibility to adhere to legal requirements in specific jurisdictions.
However, questions remain about the report's coverage of content takedowns requested by the Indian government. Indian law, specifically Section 69A of the IT Act and its accompanying rules, mandates strict confidentiality for such government orders. This creates a potential conflict, as X's new disclosure mechanism might clash with its legal obligations to keep these orders secret in India.
MediaNama has reached out to X and India's Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology for clarification on whether the "Under the Hood" report includes content withheld in India under Section 69A orders. The report, provided in JSON format, is accessible to accounts with at least 10 posts in the prior month and an age of at least one year.