NEW DELHI – India’s top court on Friday sought the government and Twitter’s response to a petition seeking a mechanism to check fake news, hate messages and what officials consider seditious and incendiary content on social media platforms.
The case highlights a standoff between the government of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and free speech advocates who criticize the ruling party for trying to silence opponents.
The government recently asked Twitter to block hundreds of accounts and posts that it says have been spreading misinformation and provocative content linked to farmers who have been protesting agricultural laws since November on the outskirts of New Delhi.