Govt not empowered to issue orders to block accounts: Twitter to HC

Council for microblogging site emphasises that Section 69A (power to intercept electronic communication) of IT Act does not spell out mass blocking of accounts

Twitter on Monday told the Karnataka High Court that the Central Government was not empowered to issue general orders to block social media accounts unless the nature of the contents satisfied the grounds of Section 69A of the Information Technology Act, 2000.

The section talks about the power of the Central government to issue directions for blocking public access to any information through any computer resource if the government believes it goes against the interest of sovereignty and integrity of India or other reasons mentioned in this section. However, the reasons for blocking such information must be recorded in writing