54k accounts in India banned by Twitter for promoting sexual content, terror

New Delhi: Between August 26 and September 25, Twitter banned 52,141 accounts in India for encouraging child sexual exploitation, non-consensual nudity, and related content.

The microblogging website, which is currently controlled by Elon Musk, has deleted 1,982 accounts for encouraging terrorism in the nation.

Twitter, in its monthly report in compliance with the new IT Rules, 2021, said that it received 157 complaints from users in India in the same time frame through its grievance redressal mechanisms, and took action on 129 of those URLs.

"In addition, we processed 43 grievances which were appealing Twitter account suspensions. These were all resolved and the appropriate responses were sent," said Twitter.

"We overturned none of these account suspensions after reviewing the specifics of the situation. All accounts remain suspended. We also received 12 requests related to general questions about Twitter accounts during this reporting period," it added.

Last month, Delhi Commission for Women chairperson Swati Maliwal said the replies received from Twitter regarding the child pornography complaints were incomplete and the Commission was not satisfied with them.

Maliwal had on September 20 summoned the Twitter India Policy Head and Delhi Police over tweets depicting child pornography and rape videos of women and children on the micro-blogging platform.

Taking suo moto cognisance of several tweets openly depicting videos and photographs of sexual acts involving children, the Commission said that most of the tweets portrayed children completely naked and many of them also depicted brutal rape and other non-consensual sexual activities with children and women.

The company said it "does not tolerate any material that features or promotes child sexual exploitation -- whether in Direct Messages or elsewhere throughout the service".

Musk has also expressed grave concerns over reports about the presence of tweets soliciting child pornography on Twitter.

Under the new IT Rules 2021, big digital and social media platforms, with more than 5 million users, have to publish monthly compliance reports.


With inputs from IANS


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