The Karnataka High Court on Friday dismissed a plea filed by Twitter challenging the Union government’s orders to block 39 tweets and accounts on the platform between February 2021 and February 2022.
Justice Krishna S Dixit imposed a fine of Rs 50 lakh on Twitter, saying that it did not give reasons for not complying with the Union’s demands in a timely manner, reported Bar and Bench. The costs are to be paid within 45 days to the Karnataka State Legal Services Authority. The Court said that ₹5,000 would have to be paid for every day that the payment is delayed.
Twitter is not a farmer or an ordinary person unfamiliar with the law, but a billionare company, said the court.
Justice Dixit also said that he is convinced by the Union government’s stance that it not only has the power to block tweets, but it can also block accounts.
Twitter contended that the Union government was not empowered to issue general orders calling for the blocking of social media accounts and that the orders must contain reasons which should be communicated to users.
Twitter also stated that a blocking order could only be issued in a situation where the nature of the content was in line with the grounds laid down under Section 69A of the Information Technology Act.
If reasons were not recorded in such blocking orders, there would be a possibility of reasons being manufactured at a later stage, Twitter said.
