Karnataka High Court dismisses X's petition on content removal rules

An Indian court rejected a legal challenge by Elon Musk's X against the country's new content moderation mechanism, dealing a setback to the social media firm in one of its biggest markets.

Filed in March, the company's case against Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government in the Karnataka High Court had targeted the entire basis for tightened internet censorship in India.

"The content on social media needs to be regulated, and its regulation is a must," senior judge Justice M Nagaprasanna said, as he ruled that the petition lacked merit.

Since 2023, India has ramped up efforts to police the internet by allowing many more officials to file takedown orders and to submit them directly to tech firms through a government website launched in October.