India has threatened to jail Twitter, Facebook, and WhatsApp employees
India’s government has threatened to jail employees of Facebook Inc., its WhatsApp unit, and Twitter Inc.; as it seeks to quash political protests and gain far-reaching powers over the discourse on foreign-owned tech platforms; people familiar with the warnings say.
The warnings are in direct response to the tech companies’ reluctance to comply with data and takedown requests from the government related to protests by Indian farmers; that have made international headlines, the people say.
At least some of the written warnings cite specific; India-based employees at risk of arrest if the companies don’t comply; according to some of the people.
The threats mark an escalation of India’s efforts to pressure U.S. tech companies at a moment when those companies are looking to the world’s second-most-populous nation for growth in the coming years.
Some of the government’s requests for data involve WhatsApp, which is hugely popular in India and promises users encrypted communication, unable to be read by outside parties.
A WhatsApp spokesman said the company complies with data requests that are “consistent with internationally recognized standards including human rights, due process and the rule of law.”
A Facebook spokesman said the company “responds to government requests for data in accordance with applicable law and our terms of service.”
The Indian government wrote letters to Facebook and Twitter citing specific employees in the country; who risk jail time if the firms don’t comply, per The Journal.
Tech firms and the Indian government have clashed on multiple occasions during the demonstration. Twitter restricted, and later quietly restored, the accounts of journalists and activists sharing information about the protest. The firm then said it suspended up to 500 accounts flagged by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology.
Indian farmers have staged a mass protest; among the largest in history; since late last year to demand the government repeal legislation; that allowed farmers to sell directly to private buyers instead of selling to the government. Farmers argue selling to private buyers would drive down prices because the government guarantees a minimum price on all goods.
