Twitter executives could face 7-year jail, warns govt

NEW DELHI: The government has warned Twitter that its best executives may face up to seven years in jail in conjunction with financial consequences for their failure to take away content material and accounts carrying "objectionable and inflammatory content".

A failure to take away this content material or inordinate delays in complying with the government's request are seen to be a contravention of the rustic's IT regulations, resources told TOI. "We seek compliance, and they have also started agreeing in certain cases. However, in many cases they do remain unresponsive," a government reputable mentioned.

The caution from the ministry of information generation, which follows 'clearance from the top echelons' inside the government, comes just as the global micro-blogging massive faced the warmth from a parliamentary standing committee over perceived biases in blockading accounts forward of the overall election. And a lot in opposition to the committee's wish, Twitter founder Jack Dorsey may now not be provide for the panel's questioning.

The government now says that the corporate has been asked to abide through the law, or else action will practice.

Twitter has been "warned and asked to comply with the provisions under the Indian IT Act. Otherwise, it will face action under Section 69A of the IT Act. A notice has been sent in this regard", senior government officers, on condition of anonymity, told TOI. Section 69A of the IT Act gives powers to the government to seek the blockading of content material or accounts which elevate information this is seen as adverse to the sovereignty and integrity of the rustic, or has the prospective to create public disorder. The Act says that any intermediary (internet platform) who fails to comply with the course "shall be punished with an imprisonment for a term which may extend to seven years and shall also be liable to fine".

An in depth questionnaire sent to Twitter officers on the subject remained unanswered on the time of going to print. As the rustic approaches nationwide elections, the government has asked social-media and internet giants such as Twitter, Facebook and WhatsApp to ensure that their platforms are not used to undermine or influence the political procedure.


The factor has additionally been flagged through IT and law minister Ravi Shankar Prasad, who has warned of strict action in opposition to any internet company whose platform is misused for spreading fake news and other forms of misinformation. The factor had assumed importance after the Facebook-Cambridge Analytica information leak and political meddling episode got here to the fore, whilst fake and viral messages on WhatsApp were blamed for a chain of lynching incidents around the country.

The government is within the means of updating the IT regulations to bring internet corporations below the ambit of Indian regulations, and in addition urged a quicker response time from them. The draft IT [Intermediaries Guidelines (Amendment) Rules], 2018 proposes that any on-line company that has greater than 50 lakh customers in India will have to be integrated inside the country, have a permanent registered place of business and appoint a nodal particular person of touch.


It additionally says that after asked thru a lawful order, the intermediary (internet company) will have to, inside 72 hours of communique, provide information and help to government businesses. These will have to be performed in circumstances related to the rustic's security or cyber security; or throughout investigation or detection or prosecution or prevention of an offence.


Subsequent to the submitting of this document, the ministry of electronics and data generation has issued a rationalization. Here is the full text:


Twitter executives could face 7-year jail, warns govt Twitter executives could face 7-year jail, warns govt Reviewed by Kailash on March 14, 2019 Rating: 5
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