X says India police orders to block accounts were fake

· Cybersecurity · India · United States

Social media company X told an Indian court on Friday that police orders asking it to block online accounts of two of India's most prominent free-speech groups were fake, days after the purported content-removal requests sparked a public outcry. The disclosure raises questions about how content takedown requests are authenticated in India, where authorities and platforms frequently clash over censorship. Separately, a researcher found that Apple's predictive-text restrictions include terms such as 'Dictator Trump' and 'Sleepy Joe', noting that keyboard suggestions can quietly shape how iPhone users communicate.

Why it matters：Fake takedown orders and opaque keyboard filters show how content control can be exercised without public scrutiny, a concern for free expression globally.

Key points

  • X said orders to block two free-speech groups were fake.
  • The purported requests had sparked public outcry.
  • Apple's keyboard suggestions were found to block certain political terms.

Sources (original reporting)

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