New Delhi: Twitter Inc. no more enjoys liability protection against user-generated content in India as the microblogging giant has failed to comply with new IT rules, the Indian government has said in a court filing.
The statement is the first time Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government has officially said that Twitter has lost its immunity after repeatedly criticising the company for non-compliance.
The dispute and the public spat has raised concern that United States-based firms will find it difficult to do business amid a more stringent regulatory environment.
India’s IT ministry told the High Court in New Delhi that Twitter’s non-compliance amounted to a breach of the provisions of the IT Act, causing the US firm to lose its immunity, according to the filing dated July 5.
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The filing came in a case filed by a Twitter user who wanted to complain about some allegedly defamatory tweets on the platform, and said the company was not complying with the new law that requires the appointment of certain new executives.
Twitter declined to comment. The company has previously said it was making all efforts to comply.
