Tejasvi Surya doesn't want Twitter to ban anyone, signals wake-up call against tech cos

The permanent removal of Donald Trump’s Twitter accounts has sparked a debate among Indian politicians on the micro-blogging site.

Srivatsa YB, former Karnataka Congress social media head, appealed to Twitter India to ban the Twitter accounts of BJP leaders Amit Malviya and Tejasvi Surya. “Hate in India isn’t acceptable. Let’s hold them accountable just like in America,” Srivatsa tweeted.

BJP MP Tejasvi Surya reacted to Srivatsa’s tweet, and took a dig at Congress, tweeting: “Sorry dude, I don’t want Twitter to ban anyone — Congressi or BJP or anyone… But one certainly can’t expect such statesmanship from a party that imposed Emergency.”

Sorry dude, I don’t want Twitter to ban anyone – Congressi or BJP or anyone.#FoE is sacrosanct. It cannot be curtailed whimsically by pvt big tech companies without accountability.

But one certainly can’t expect such statesmanship from a party that imposed Emergency. https://t.co/wPQ2vOD1HR

— Tejasvi Surya (@Tejasvi_Surya) January 9, 2021

Tejasvi requested the government to review intermediaries guidelines as Twitter’s action on Donald Trump’s accounts is a wake-up call for democracies, “This must be wake up call for all who don’t yet understand threat to our democracies by unregulated big tech companies. If they can do this to POTUS, they can do this to anyone,” he tweeted.

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“Intermediaries, as per their definition, can’t interfere in content on social media platforms. But Rules there under say otherwise. This anomaly must be addressed immediately,” Tejasvi tweeted.

Tejasvi reacted to whether tech companies can close down accounts. “It can not be curtailed whimsically by private big tech companies without accountability,” he tweeted.

I'd urged govt to repeal IT Intermediaries Guidelines Rules during Zero Hr in Parliament

Intermediaries, as per their definition, can't interfere in content on Social Media platforms. But Rules thereunder say otherwise

This anomaly must be addressed immediately#RegulateBigTech pic.twitter.com/kCyFIdnoAs

— Tejasvi Surya (@Tejasvi_Surya) January 9, 2021

Shiv Sena leader Priyanka Chaturvedi, however, contented that social media platforms cannot escape responsibility after allowing hateful narrative for years, adding that they continue to be enablers of hate.

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“The platform is provided by a tech company & they are bound to set their rules of engagement after adhering to guidelines set by countries. However, for them to have amplified a hateful narrative for years to suddenly ban does not give them the moral high ground they seek,” she tweeted, adding: “These platforms have been enablers of hate, fake news and continue to be so in different parts of the world where they operate. Now that Trump is out of power suspension coming from all these very platforms that powered him. Sowed hate to reap profits & now being holier than thou.”