AL JAZEERA: India’s Social Media Crackdown; Broader Implications for Journalism
By Rushda Fathima Khan
In recent months, social media giant X (formerly Twitter) has blocked the accounts of several U.S.-based human rights organizations at the behest of the Indian government. Among these are Hindutva Watch, India Hate Lab, the Indian American Muslim Council, and Hindus for Human Rights. These organizations have been pivotal in documenting and exposing anti-Muslim hate crimes and hate speech by Hindu nationalists in India.
Raqib Naik, an Indian journalist and founder of Hindutva Watch, emphasized the risks faced by those documenting hate crimes in India during his keynote speech at the Oslo Freedom Forum 2024. “In India, those who document hate crimes and hate speech are more at risk of the regime’s actions than those who commit them,” Naik stated. He highlighted the rise in hate speeches, attacks on the free press, and censorship under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s rule.
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