Explained: How govt-Twitter fracas put IT laws, content policies in focus

Business Standard explains who can request the takedown of posts on Twitter, how they can do so, and what process the microblogging site follows before deciding to accede to the request or not

Twitter is in the middle of a storm, yet again! Earlier this week, it blocked over 250 accounts on the request of the government, only to restore them a few hours later. The accounts, according to government sources, were “using a hashtag and making fake, intimidatory and provocative tweets” and had to be blocked “to prevent any escalation of law and order in view of the ongoing farmer agitation”. Some popular accounts that were blocked included those of Communist Party of India (CPI) member Mohammad Salim, The Caravan magazine, and farmer group Kisan Ekta Morcha, besides actor and TV presenter