After backlash, Twitter removes distorted map of India from its website
Following massive backlash, microblogging platform Twitter on Monday removed a false map of India from its website, showing Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh as a separate country.
The perverted distortion, which appeared under the title ‘Tweep Life’ in the careers section of the Twitter website, received strong backlash from netizens, who demanded strict action against the platform.
The incident comes amid the US digital giant’s ongoing tussle with the Indian government over new social media rules. Despite repeated reminders, the government has faced Twitter for willful disobedience and failure to comply with the country’s new IT regulations.
This is not the first time that Twitter has misrepresented the map of India. Earlier it had shown Leh as part of China.
Notably, the microblogging platform has lost its legal shield as an intermediary in India, becoming liable for users posting any illegal content.
In October last year, Twitter faced heavy criticism after it featured “Jammu and Kashmir, People’s Republic of China” in a live broadcast from Leh’s Hall of Fame, a war memorial for martyred soldiers in the Union Territory of Ladakh.
India at that time issued a stern warning to Twitter, clarifying that any disrespect to the sovereignty and integrity of the country is completely unacceptable.
In November, the government issued a notice to Twitter for showing Leh as part of Jammu and Kashmir instead of the Union Territory of Ladakh, as the Center slammed the platform for disrespecting India’s territorial integrity by showing a wrong map.
When the microblogging platform didn’t fully comply with the new rules, Twitter’s apparent heaviness came under scrutiny from the government, called the Arbitrator Guidelines, which seeks to establish a robust grievance redressal mechanism and coordinate with law enforcement. orders the appointment of officers for
The rules became effective from 26 May; And Twitter, even after the lapse of the standby time, had not appointed the required officers, losing its ‘safe harbour’ immunity.
Even in the backdrop of strained ties with the Indian government, Twitter on Friday blocked IT minister Ravi Shankar Prasad from accessing his account over alleged violations of US copyright law – a move that the minister immediately called arbitrary and Said total. Violation of IT rules.
Meanwhile, Twitter’s Interim Grievances Officer for India Dharmendra Chatur has resigned within weeks of playing a key role.
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