Reuters’ X Account Withheld in India, Restored After Government Intervention
New Delhi – In a rare and controversial move, the official X (formerly Twitter) account of international news agency Reuters was withheld in India for nearly 24 hours, before being restored late Sunday evening (July 6, 2025) following government intervention.
The sudden disruption sparked concerns over press freedom, transparency, and the content moderation practices of Elon Musk-owned X, especially when global media outlets are affected without prior notice or explanation.
What Happened?
Beginning Saturday evening (July 5), Indian users trying to access @Reuters and @ReutersWorld were met with a standard message from X:
“Account withheld. @Reuters has been withheld in IN in response to a legal demand.”
The message remained in place till Sunday evening. However, other affiliated Reuters handles, including @ReutersTech, @ReutersAsia, and @ReutersFactCheck, remained accessible throughout the period.
Government Says “No Legal Demand Made”
In a statement released on Sunday, a spokesperson for the Government of India clarified that the Centre had not made any legal request to block the Reuters account.
“There is no requirement from the Government of India to withhold the @Reuters handle. We are continuously working with X to resolve the problem,” the spokesperson said.
Following this, the main Reuters account was restored, and the blocking notice was removed.
Traces Back to Operation Sindoor?
Government sources indicated that the issue might stem from an earlier takedown order issued on May 7, 2025, during Operation Sindoor, a major counter-terror campaign that led to the temporary restriction of hundreds of accounts — including foreign media outlets — for allegedly spreading misinformation or endangering national security.
While Reuters was not blocked at that time, X appears to have mistakenly enforced the older directive now, long after the issue had become obsolete.
“X seems to have acted on the May 7 order belatedly, which is a mistake on their part. The government has now asked X to reverse it and provide a full explanation,” an official source told TheTrendingPeople.com.
Other Foreign Media Also Affected
Reuters wasn't the only foreign media entity caught in the sudden enforcement. The official X accounts of China’s Global Times and Turkey’s TRT World were also blocked in India with similar messages citing legal demands.
However, the government stated that no current requirement exists to block these accounts either, and discussions are ongoing with X to reverse these actions.
Interestingly, Chinese state-run media outlet Xinhua News and several others — previously blocked during Operation Sindoor — remain accessible, indicating inconsistent or selective enforcement by X.
No Response From Reuters Yet
An email query sent to Reuters seeking a comment on the issue remained unanswered at the time of publication. The global news organization has not made a public statement about the temporary takedown either.
What X Says About Withheld Accounts
According to X’s Help Center, the platform may withhold an account or content in a specific country “in response to a valid legal demand, such as a court order or under local law.”
However, critics say the system lacks transparency, especially when global press institutions are blocked without real-time notification or due process.
📰 Press Freedom, Platform Accountability Under Spotlight
This incident adds to growing scrutiny over the role of social media platforms in moderating content at the behest of governments. While X claims to operate with minimal censorship, its recent actions — especially without clarification — have raised alarms among journalists, activists, and media freedom watchdogs.
Key Developments:
- Reuters’ X account blocked in India from July 5 evening to July 6 evening.
- The Government of India says no legal request was made for blocking.
- Incident linked to an old May 7 order under Operation Sindoor, mistakenly enforced now.
- Other foreign media like Global Times and TRT World also affected.
- X restores Reuters handle after government outreach.
- Concerns raised over press freedom and platform transparency.