The X (formerly Twitter) account of Chinese state-affiliated media outlet, Global Times, has been restored in India on Wednesday evening, hours after it was withheld in the country following a legal request.
Earlier in the day, the X handles of both Global Times and another Chinese media house, Xinhua, displayed messages indicating they had been withheld in India in response to a legal demand. This action came after the Indian government, on May 8, ordered the blocking of approximately 8,000 accounts on X, including some belonging to media organizations from countries deemed “unfriendly,” amidst recent military tensions involving Pakistan. The handles of Global Times and Xinhua were among those initially blocked.
While the Global Times account became accessible again on Wednesday evening, the X handle of Xinhua remained blocked. The exact timing of the unblocking of the Global Times account could not be immediately confirmed. The Xinhua account continued to show a message stating it had been withheld in India due to a legal request.
Government sources indicated that certain issues had been communicated regarding the blocked accounts, with restoration contingent upon these concerns being addressed. However, the specific conditions set by the government for unblocking the Global Times account were not elaborated upon by these sources.
The restoration of the Global Times’ X account, while Xinhua’s remains blocked, suggests a nuanced approach by the Indian authorities in managing the flow of information on social media platforms.
Key Highlights:
- The X account of China’s Global Times has been restored in India after being initially withheld due to a legal request.
- This action followed a broader directive to block around 8,000 accounts on X.
- The X account of another Chinese media outlet, Xinhua, remains blocked in India.
- The government has communicated certain issues that need to be addressed for the blocked accounts to be restored.