IFEX expresses solidarity with SFLC.in and other digital rights organisations and individuals who are facing content takedown requests on X, following posts documenting censorship and other violations of free expression online.
IFEX, the global network of over 100 member-organisations dedicated to promoting and defending the right to freedom of expression and information, stands in solidarity with member-organisation, SFLC.in, as well as Internet Freedom Foundation (IFF), @geoblockedindia, and other individuals targeted by takedown requests related to their work documenting violations of free expression and online censorship in India.
On 3 November, SFLC.in was notified by X of takedown requests issued by the Delhi Police covering 42 URLs. These include the X handles of SFLC.in, IFF and @geoblockedindia, posts documenting the legal notices received, and other posts documenting online censorship by these organisations and other users.
The requests cite grounds including hate speech, alleged defamation of the Hindu nationalist organisation Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), and safety and security concerns.
These developments follow a series of legal notices that have included objections to SFLC.in’s Free Speech Tracker, which records instances of online censorship, content restrictions, and account takedowns, as well as notifications about complaints being allegedly filed in different states. Accusations also include “continuously opposing government directions, documenting restricted content, and publicly circulating details of geo-blocked material…reducing the effectiveness of measures taken for national security and public order.”
This incident comes at a time when civil society organisations working to promote and protect freedom of expression and access to information are facing mounting pressures in the information landscape with increasingly repressive political climates, censorship, and disinformation. It points to broader concerns about the impact of shrinking civic space at a global level, particularly the ability of civil society organisations to independently document, report on, and question instances of online censorship.
Digital rights organisations like SFLC.in who monitor violations of free expression and access to information are vital advocates that hold governments and companies accountable for protecting and promoting these rights which are critical for a healthy, thriving civic space and democracy.
