Twitter blocks Indian minister as row rages

NEW DELHI: India’s IT minister on Friday accused Twitter of briefly blocking his account because of criticisms he made of the US firm in a standoff over new social media rules.

Ravi Shankar Prasad said that in a "gross violation" of Indian regulations, he was without warning informed that his account was locked because of an infringement of US copyright law. The account remained out of action for almost an hour, he said. "It is apparent that my statements calling out the high handedness and arbitrary actions of Twitter, particularly sharing the clips of my interviews to TV channels and its powerful impact, have clearly ruffled its feathers," Prasad tweeted after his account was restored.

"Twitter’s actions indicate that they are not the harbinger of free speech that they claim to be but are only interested in running their own agenda, with the threat that if you do not tow the line they draw, they will arbitrarily remove you from their platform," he added.

Twitter was not immediately available for comment. The US firm has been locked for several months in a row with New Delhi over new rules for social media companies operating in India. The regulations require firms to remove and identify the "first originator" of posts deemed to undermine India’s sovereignty, state security or public order.

Social media companies and privacy activists fear the vagueness of the rules means they could be forced to identify the authors of posts critical of the government. Prasad on Friday said Twitter had not been adhering to the new rules because "it would be unable to arbitrarily deny access to an individual’s account which does not suit their agenda".