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Twitter's been removing the documentary at Modi's request: https://theintercept.com/2023/01/24/twitter-elon-musk-modi-india-bbc/ https://theintercept.com/2023/0

Twitter's been removing the documentary at Modi's request: https://theintercept.com/2023/01/24/twitter-elon-musk-modi-india-bbc/ https://theintercept.com/2023/01/24/twitter-elon-musk-modi-i...

galoisscobi 4y ago
That’s just free speech absolutism!
- miohtama 4y ago
  It’s free speech only if your country is not part of Tesla supply chain.
  - flak48 4y ago
    Not sure how Tesla or even Twitter is exposed to India for Musk wanting to please the Indian government. As big as India is, it keeps being considered as the ‘next billion’ revenue generators for tech companies - but not sure when that day will actually arrive. Teslas aren’t for sale in India, not that many will be afford it (besides the few virtue signaling billionaires / millionaires who might buy it after acquiring their dream Ferrari or whatever). Nor does India contribute to the supply chain AFAIK. Pretty sure Indians don’t contribute to significant % of ad or subscription revenue for Twitter or other tech companies either (compared to USA or Europe - outliers being websites like Quora) given the low purchasing power. I recall New York and London together making more $$$ in a day for Uber than the whole of India So not sure why tech companies are afraid of taking on India, especially Musk. Or maybe just doing what the India govt wants instead of fighting is another way of signaling that they don’t care what happens in India anymore
- deleted 4y ago
  [deleted]
- Spooky23 4y ago
  Modi’s people are free to ask for whatever they want.
- Aunche 4y ago
  There are plenty of examples of Elon Musk's hypocrisy, but this is not one of them. He has always said that intended to comply with the laws of any country.
  - projectramo 4y ago
    Yeah but it seems strange: make a law that you cannot speak against the government and of course we politely obey and keep quiet. Ask us to remove something and we will debate it, fight it and expose it. I think the second approach is right even if the request were “innocuous”.
  - cmeacham98 4y ago
    It is perhaps not hypocrisy, but it is still an egg on his face. He's the one that made the incompatible promises that Twitter will be "free speech absolutist" but at the same time will follow the laws from your average corrupt and fascist government.
    - yjftsjthsd-h 4y ago
      > He's the one that made the incompatible claims that Twitter will be "free speech absolutist" but at the same time will follow the laws from your average corrupt dictator. Er, is that what he claimed? All I've seen is: > By “free speech”, I simply mean that which matches the law. > I am against censorship that goes far beyond the law. - https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1519036983137509376 https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1519036983137509376 Which this is - for better or worse - in line with.
      - twisteriffic 4y ago
        https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1499976967105433600 https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1499976967105433600 > ... Sorry to be a free speech absolutist
        latchkey 4y ago
        The full quote is even more impressive. > Starlink has been told by some governments (not Ukraine) to block Russian news sources. We will not do so unless at gunpoint.
extheat 4y ago
Is it actually “removed” globally or is it just blocked from viewing in India? This would be a big deal if it’s the former.
- captn3m0 4y ago
  The Intercept post linked above says: > Twitter even blocked Indian audiences from seeing two posts by actor John Cusack linking to the documentary. (They remain visible to American audiences.) And links to the legal request on Lumen[0]. Here's tweets from the Information & Broadcasting Ministry[1] attempting to justify the block, and clarifying the directions: > The directions to block content from @BBCWorld vicious propaganda were issued by Secretary, I&B, on Friday using the emergency powers under the IT Rules, 2021. Both @YouTube and @Twitter have complied with the directions.Governments in India. > YT has been instructed to block the video if uploaded again. @Twitter has been directed to block tweets linking video on other platforms. > Accordingly, @BBCWorld ’s vile propaganda was found to be undermining the sovereignty and integrity of India, and having the potential to adversely impact India's friendly relations with foreign countries as also public order within the country. [0]: https://lumendatabase.org/file_uploads/files/5097820/005/097/820/original/Legal_Request_for_Twitter.pdf?1674320467&access_token=Vbprc_ia6fmjek5GOsunAg https://lumendatabase.org/file_uploads/files/5097820/005/097... [1]: Senior Adviser, Ministry of Information & Broadcasting, Government of India, New Delhi.
- LudwigNagasena 4y ago
  The tweets are available: https://twitter.com/derekobrienmp/status/1615893704312774656 https://twitter.com/derekobrienmp/status/1615893704312774656 https://twitter.com/derekobrienmp/status/1616247977294827520 https://twitter.com/derekobrienmp/status/1616247977294827520
  - AmIDev 4y ago
    The above tweets are blocked in India. https://imgur.com/cYElEX2.png https://imgur.com/cYElEX2.png https://imgur.com/v99RGuQ.png https://imgur.com/v99RGuQ.png
memish 4y ago
Why does that article say Elon caved as though he's personally involved in every moderation decision. He wasn't even aware of it and sees it as a problem to be fixed. "First I’ve heard. It is not possible for me to fix every aspect of Twitter worldwide overnight, while still running Tesla and SpaceX, among other things." https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1618319479662055426 https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1618319479662055426
- myko 4y ago
  >>> "First I’ve heard. It is not possible for me to fix every aspect of Twitter worldwide overnight, while still running Tesla and SpaceX, among other things." Wow, strong "I take no responsibility" vibes from this
- csomar 4y ago
  That’s a BS answer that makes corporate speak suddenly much better.

Twitter's been removing the documentary at Modi's request: https://theintercept.com/2023/01/24/twitter-elon-musk-modi-india-bbc/ https://theintercept.com/2023/01/24/twitter-elon-musk-modi-i...

galoisscobi 4y ago

That’s just free speech absolutism!

miohtama 4y ago
It’s free speech only if your country is not part of Tesla supply chain.
- flak48 4y ago
  Not sure how Tesla or even Twitter is exposed to India for Musk wanting to please the Indian government. As big as India is, it keeps being considered as the ‘next billion’ revenue generators for tech companies - but not sure when that day will actually arrive. Teslas aren’t for sale in India, not that many will be afford it (besides the few virtue signaling billionaires / millionaires who might buy it after acquiring their dream Ferrari or whatever). Nor does India contribute to the supply chain AFAIK. Pretty sure Indians don’t contribute to significant % of ad or subscription revenue for Twitter or other tech companies either (compared to USA or Europe - outliers being websites like Quora) given the low purchasing power. I recall New York and London together making more $$$ in a day for Uber than the whole of India So not sure why tech companies are afraid of taking on India, especially Musk. Or maybe just doing what the India govt wants instead of fighting is another way of signaling that they don’t care what happens in India anymore
deleted 4y ago
[deleted]
Spooky23 4y ago
Modi’s people are free to ask for whatever they want.
Aunche 4y ago
There are plenty of examples of Elon Musk's hypocrisy, but this is not one of them. He has always said that intended to comply with the laws of any country.
- projectramo 4y ago
  Yeah but it seems strange: make a law that you cannot speak against the government and of course we politely obey and keep quiet. Ask us to remove something and we will debate it, fight it and expose it. I think the second approach is right even if the request were “innocuous”.
- cmeacham98 4y ago
  It is perhaps not hypocrisy, but it is still an egg on his face. He's the one that made the incompatible promises that Twitter will be "free speech absolutist" but at the same time will follow the laws from your average corrupt and fascist government.
  - yjftsjthsd-h 4y ago
    > He's the one that made the incompatible claims that Twitter will be "free speech absolutist" but at the same time will follow the laws from your average corrupt dictator. Er, is that what he claimed? All I've seen is: > By “free speech”, I simply mean that which matches the law. > I am against censorship that goes far beyond the law. - https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1519036983137509376 https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1519036983137509376 Which this is - for better or worse - in line with.
    - twisteriffic 4y ago
      https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1499976967105433600 https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1499976967105433600 > ... Sorry to be a free speech absolutist
      - latchkey 4y ago
        The full quote is even more impressive. > Starlink has been told by some governments (not Ukraine) to block Russian news sources. We will not do so unless at gunpoint.

extheat 4y ago

Is it actually “removed” globally or is it just blocked from viewing in India? This would be a big deal if it’s the former.

captn3m0 4y ago
The Intercept post linked above says: > Twitter even blocked Indian audiences from seeing two posts by actor John Cusack linking to the documentary. (They remain visible to American audiences.) And links to the legal request on Lumen[0]. Here's tweets from the Information & Broadcasting Ministry[1] attempting to justify the block, and clarifying the directions: > The directions to block content from @BBCWorld vicious propaganda were issued by Secretary, I&B, on Friday using the emergency powers under the IT Rules, 2021. Both @YouTube and @Twitter have complied with the directions.Governments in India. > YT has been instructed to block the video if uploaded again. @Twitter has been directed to block tweets linking video on other platforms. > Accordingly, @BBCWorld ’s vile propaganda was found to be undermining the sovereignty and integrity of India, and having the potential to adversely impact India's friendly relations with foreign countries as also public order within the country. [0]: https://lumendatabase.org/file_uploads/files/5097820/005/097/820/original/Legal_Request_for_Twitter.pdf?1674320467&access_token=Vbprc_ia6fmjek5GOsunAg https://lumendatabase.org/file_uploads/files/5097820/005/097... [1]: Senior Adviser, Ministry of Information & Broadcasting, Government of India, New Delhi.
LudwigNagasena 4y ago
The tweets are available: https://twitter.com/derekobrienmp/status/1615893704312774656 https://twitter.com/derekobrienmp/status/1615893704312774656 https://twitter.com/derekobrienmp/status/1616247977294827520 https://twitter.com/derekobrienmp/status/1616247977294827520
- AmIDev 4y ago
  The above tweets are blocked in India. https://imgur.com/cYElEX2.png https://imgur.com/cYElEX2.png https://imgur.com/v99RGuQ.png https://imgur.com/v99RGuQ.png

memish 4y ago

Why does that article say Elon caved as though he's personally involved in every moderation decision. He wasn't even aware of it and sees it as a problem to be fixed. "First I’ve heard. It is not possible for me to fix every aspect of Twitter worldwide overnight, while still running Tesla and SpaceX, among other things." https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1618319479662055426 https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1618319479662055426

myko 4y ago
>>> "First I’ve heard. It is not possible for me to fix every aspect of Twitter worldwide overnight, while still running Tesla and SpaceX, among other things." Wow, strong "I take no responsibility" vibes from this
csomar 4y ago
That’s a BS answer that makes corporate speak suddenly much better.