X Must Follow Indian Law, Says Centre After New Takedown Transparency Rule

The Centre has said Elon Musk-owned X must comply with Indian law while implementing its new rule to make government requests for content removal more visible to users.

A government official said on August 17 that X would have to follow the “law of the land” when asked about the social media platform's new rules.

Musk had on August 15 shared details of a new algorithm introduced on X, saying “any censorship required by governments is now clearly visible.” The move is aimed at increasing transparency around government intervention in content moderation.

Under the new system, X users will be able to see when governments seek the removal of posts or request restrictions on accounts. The change is expected to make government takedown requests more visible to users.

The Centre's response underscores that X's transparency measures must operate within India's regulatory framework. Government directions concerning online content will continue to be subject to applicable Indian laws and regulations.

The development comes amid a wider global debate over platform transparency, government content restrictions and online freedom of expression. Social media companies operating across different jurisdictions often have to balance their own policies with varying national laws governing content moderation and disclosure of government requests.

Musk's announcement reflects X's stated push to give users greater visibility into government involvement in content restrictions. However, the Centre's position makes clear that the platform's policies cannot override Indian legal requirements.

The official did not elaborate on how the new X system would apply to government requests made under Indian law or whether all such requests could be publicly disclosed.

The Centre's message is that while X can introduce greater transparency around government takedown requests, the platform must continue to comply with India's laws and regulations.