Published Mar 19, 2026 | 5:36 PM ⚊ Updated Mar 19, 2026 | 5:36 PM
The popular account @Nher_who on X is one among the many facing Centre's brunt. Credit: x.com/Nher_who
Synopsis: In a sharp escalation of online censorship, multiple popular X accounts — including sharp political parodies (@Nehr_who, @DuckKiBaat, @DrNimoYadav) and activist-journalist handles — were suddenly withheld in India following government orders. The Internet Freedom Foundation condemned the opaque, rapid-fire takedowns, warning that proposed decentralised Section 69A powers and shortened compliance deadlines threaten free expression and satire.
The Internet Freedom Foundation (IFF) has issued a strongly worded statement condemning what it describes as an “alarming escalation” of online censorship in India, citing continuing reports of posts and entire accounts being withheld on platforms including X, Facebook, and Instagram.
The statement, posted on X today by @internetfreedom, highlights cases involving satire, political criticism, and commentary on government policies — content that IFF argues is being suppressed without adequate explanation or due process. The IFF statement comes just one day after a wave of account withholdings began on X on the night of 18 March, 2026.
Users accessing the affected profiles from India now see the standard notice: “Account withheld in IN in response to a legal demand.”
The action is widely understood to stem from government orders under Section 69A of the Information Technology Act, which allows blocking for reasons related to sovereignty, public order, or national security — though platforms provide no further details, and affected users often receive only generic notifications.
– @Nehr_who — Popular parody handle
– @DrNimoYadav — Satirical account known for sharp political commentary and memes
– @indian_armada — Parody/satire account
– @DuckKiBaat — Parody account
– @ActivistSandeep (Sandeep Singh) — Journalist and activist account
– @mrjethwani_ (Manish RJ) — Satirical commentator
– @Doc_RGM (Dr. Ranjan) — Account posting critical content, including satire on govt policies
Additional accounts such as @ITSCK47 have also been reported in user lists circulating on X.
IFF statement against the Alarming Escalation of Social Media Censorship and Proposed Expansion of Takedown Powers
New Delhi, March 19, 2026
The Internet Freedom Foundation (IFF) is concerned by continuing reports of posts and accounts being withheld in India on Facebook, X and…
— Internet Freedom Foundation (IFF) (@internetfreedom) March 19, 2026
These accounts had posted content critical of Centre, including satire targeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi (e.g., on his educational qualifications), commentary on India’s handling of the Israel-Iran conflict, treatment of minorities, and domestic issues such as the LPG shortage.
However, no specific violations were publicly detailed by X or the government beyond the generic “legal demand” reference.
IFF’s statement explicitly links the withholdings to two recent developments:
1. Proposed decentralisation of Section 69A powers: As reported by Business Standard and The Indian Express on 18 March, the government is considering granting direct takedown authority to multiple ministries (Defence, Home Affairs, External Affairs, and Information & Broadcasting), moving beyond the current centralised approval process through MeitY.
2. February 2026 amendments to the IT Rules: These have shortened compliance deadlines for platforms — as little as 2–3 hours for certain notices — under threat of losing safe-harbour protection under Section 79. IFF warns that this “speed, legal threat, and secrecy” system encourages over-compliance and over-censorship.
The organisation reminds the government that the Supreme Court in the Shreya Singhal v. Union of India case (2015) upheld Section 69A only because of built-in procedural safeguards, including written orders and opportunities for challenge. “Secret and inaccessible censorship defeats those safeguards in practice,” the statement notes.
IFF has called on the govt to:
– Halt further decentralisation of blocking powers
– Publish all blocking orders in line with the Shreya Singhal judgment
– Provide meaningful notice and remedy to affected users
– Require platforms to improve transparency reporting
Platforms, for their part, continue to issue only boilerplate notices. X has historically stated that it disagrees with such orders but complies to continue operating in India.
IFF statement ends with a direct appeal to users: “If your account or post has been withheld or blocked in India, please write to legal@internetfreedom.in with screenshots, URLs, and any email or platform notice you have received. IFF will try to assist impacted users and document patterns of opaque censorship.”
