X social media platform said on Monday it plans to appeal an order from the Indian court that would allow more than 2 million police officers nationwide to post arbitrary revocation requests through a secret online portal called Sahyog.
“We will defend free expression to this order,” the company said in its first statement on the platform, since the Karnataka High Court ruled last week.
“Sahyog enables officials to order content based solely on allegations of “illegality”, without judicial review or due process allegations against speakers, and threaten a platform for criminal liability for non-compliance,” X said on Monday.
X has locked the corner with New Delhi in the past, tying the government’s mechanisms to censorship. Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government said the new regime will address the spread of illegal content and ensure online accountability.
X boss Elon Musk, a self-proclaimed free speech authoritarian, clashed with authorities in multiple countries over compliance and content requirements, but the company’s Indian lawsuit targeted the entire foundation to strengthen Internet regulation in the world’s highest country.
Since 2023, the government has stepped up efforts to regulate the Internet by allowing more officials to submit revocation orders and submit them directly to tech companies through the website launched in October.
