The Press Club of India (PCI) on Thursday expressed concern over what it described as a recent spate of social media takedown orders targeting content critical of the government, stating that such actions are "arbitrary" and violate free speech.
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The PCI noted that in recent days, authorities have issued fresh takedown orders to platforms such as Facebook and X, affecting fact-checker Mohammed Zubair and news outlets including National Dastak.
It also pointed out that in March, the YouTube channel of 4PM News had been blocked.
Referring to actions on social media platforms, the statement said pages of National Dastak, Molitics, and satirist Rajeev Nigam were blocked in India following takedown requests under the IT Act.
On X, Zubair was reportedly noticed that multiple posts were withheld nationwide under a Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology order issued under Section 69A, though "the specific content was not detailed."
Calling it a continuing pattern, the PCI said these measures reflect action "against critical voices," noting that some outlets had previously faced restrictions linked to other proceedings.
The PCI Managing Committee said it "strongly opposes these instances of blatant executive overreach" and urged authorities to respect the fundamental rights of citizens and journalists.
"the opacity in the process, with no reasons provided for takedown requests, makes this online censorship both arbitrary and violative of the Constitution," they emphasized.
The Indian government has increasingly issued takedown orders directing social media platforms such as X, Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube to remove or block content, including posts and accounts critical of the government, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and ruling party policies.
These orders are primarily issued under Section 69A of the Information Technology Act, 2000, which allows the government to restrict online content on grounds such as sovereignty, public order, or national security. In most cases, the content is geo-blocked, meaning it is inaccessible within India but remains visible elsewhere.
In February 2026, the government amended the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021, significantly tightening compliance timelines.
Under the revised rules, platforms are required to remove "unlawful" content within three hours of receiving a government or court order, a sharp reduction from the earlier 36-hour window. The changes apply to content such as deepfakes, AI-generated material, and other flagged posts.
Many argue that many takedown orders are issued without detailed justification, leaving affected users with limited recourse.
They also warn of a "chilling effect" on free speech, saying the measures undermine Article 19(1)(a) of the Constitution by discouraging legitimate criticism, satire, and journalism. The shortened compliance timelines, critics say, push platforms toward over-censorship, as they have little time to assess the legality of content before acting.
Concerns have also been raised about selective enforcement, with allegations that actions disproportionately target voices critical of the ruling establishment, including journalists, opposition figures, and independent creators.