Meta has banned the popular Muslim news page @Muslim on Instagram in India at the request of the Indian government, its founder confirmed Wednesday, calling the move “censorship” amid rising tensions between India and Pakistan.
Users in India attempting to access the account, which has 6.7 million followers, were met with a message saying: “Account not available in India. This is because we complied with a legal request to restrict this content.”
The ban follows previous actions by India, including blocking the accounts of Pakistani celebrities and cricketers. Ameer Al-Khatahtbeh, the account’s founder and editor-in-chief, expressed frustration, saying he received hundreds of messages from Indian followers reporting inaccessibility.
“Meta has blocked the @Muslim account by legal request of the Indian government. This is censorship,” Al-Khatahtbeh stated. He also expressed his commitment to continuing his work in holding those in power accountable.
Meta declined to comment but referred to a policy on its website detailing restrictions when content is deemed to violate local laws.
This action comes amid escalating hostilities between India and Pakistan, with heavy fighting along their disputed border. The violence, sparked by missile strikes from India, has led to at least 43 deaths. The dispute follows allegations that Pakistan supported a deadly attack on tourists in Kashmir.
India has also blocked multiple Pakistani YouTube channels accused of spreading “provocative” content, and recently restricted access to the Instagram accounts of figures like Imran Khan and popular Pakistani actors.
As both countries grapple with rising tensions, misinformation has flourished on social media, fueling further distrust between the two nuclear-armed nations.
AFP
