India bans Facebook, Twitter and other social media in Kashmir

 JournalismPakistan.com |  Published: 26 April 2017

The Indian government has imposed a month-long ban on 22 social media sites in Kashmir. This action aims to prevent misuse by anti-national elements.

Summary

SRINAGAR - Authorities in Indian-administered Kashmir Wednesday banned 22 social networking sites and applications including Facebook, WhatsApp, and Twitter on grounds these were being misused by anti-national and anti-social elements to fan trouble.

The ban will be in place for a month or until further orders, whichever is earlier, said an order issued by Principal Secretary (Home) R. K. Goyal.

"In the interest of maintenance of public order, the government hereby directs all internet service providers that any message or class of messages to or from a person or a class of persons relating to any subject or any pictorial content through the following social networking sites shall not be transmitted in Kashmir valley with immediate effect for a period of one month or till further orders, whichever is earlier," he said in the three-page order.

The sites and applications which will be inaccessible in the valley include Facebook, Twitter, Whatsapp, Wechat, QQ, Qzone, Google Plus, Skype, Line, Pinterest, Snapchat, Youtube, Vine and Flickr.

"On careful examination of all relevant factors, it is observed that the use of social media platforms, which are being misused by anti-national and anti-social elements by transmitting inflammatory messages in various forms are immediately required to be regulated/curbed," the order reads. - PTI

KEY POINTS:

• Ban includes Facebook, Twitter, and WhatsApp among others.
• Order issued by Principal Secretary R. K. Goyal.
• Restriction lasts for a month or until further notice.
• Authorities cite public order as the reason for the ban.
• Informed by concerns over inflammatory messages on social media.