After backlash, Twitter removes distorted map of India from its website
After a massive backlash, microblogging platform Twitter on Monday removed from its website a wrong map of India that showed Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh as a separate country.
The glaring distortion, which appeared on the career section of Twitter website under the header ‘Tweep Life', triggered a strong response from netizens who demanded strict action against the platform.
The incident came amid an ongoing tussle of the US digital giant with the Indian government over the new social media rules. The government has confronted Twitter for deliberate defiance and failure to comply with the country's new IT rules, despite repeated reminders.
This is not the first time that Twitter has misrepresented India's map. Earlier, it had shown Leh as part of China.
Notably, the microblogging platform has lost its legal shield as an intermediary in India, becoming liable for users posting any unlawful content.
Back in October last year, Twitter came under heavy criticism after its geotagging feature displayed "Jammu & Kashmir, People's Republic of China" in a live broadcast from Leh's Hall of Fame, a war memorial for fallen soldiers in the Union Territory of Ladakh.
India had issued a stern warning to Twitter that time, making it clear that any disrespect of the country's sovereignty and integrity is totally unacceptable.
In November, government issued a notice to Twitter for showing Leh as part of Jammu and Kashmir instead of the Union Territory of Ladakh, as Centre lambasted the platform for disrespecting the territorial integrity of India by showing an incorrect map.
Twitter's apparent heavyhandedness has come under government scrutiny when the microblogging platform did not fully complied with the new rules, called intermediary Guidelines, that mandate setting up a robust grievance redressal mechanism and appointing officers to coordinate with law enforcement.
The rules became effective from May 26; and Twitter, even after the expiry of the additional time, had not appointed the requisite officers, leading to it losing the 'safe harbour' immunity.
Even in the backdrop of heightened strained relations with the Indian government, Twitter on Friday briefly blocked IT Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad from accessing his account over alleged violation of US copyright law - a move that was immediately slammed by the minister as being arbitrary and in gross violation of IT rules.
Meanwhile, Twitter's interim grievance officer for India, Dharmendra Chatur, has quit within weeks of taking over the key role.
READ MORE: J&K a separate country, Leh is China's territory: Twitter again shows distorted map of India
