Big and scary question for most of us. Will Facebook and Twitter really be banned? Is 25th May 2021 is the last date to access these two social media apps, Facebook and Twitter? Will WhatsApp and Instagram are also under threat?
So many questions with no clear-cut answer!
Before looking for the answers to these puzzling questions, we need to first know what brings these questions up in mind?
What is making people think that Facebook and Twitter will be banned in India in the first place?
In short, the answer is the conflict between the Govt of India and the social media apps' Authority.
GoI basically gave an ultimatum back in February that all social media Apps have to follow some particular rules and regulations. They have to abide by the protocols set by the government.
At this point, 25th May 2021 was the last day for those social media Apps to sign that agreement.
Remembering Sokovia accord? (Ignore this joke if you're not much into Marvel Cinematic Universe movies).
Anyway, Facebook(and its subsidiaries, WhatsApp and Instagram), Twitter had neither agreed nor denied the protocols set by the Govt. Only Koo(Made in India) which's said to be Twitter's alternative, had signed or agreed or instead decided to comply with their operations as the Govt suggested.
It's not the first time that any Govt had conflicted with social media, online/offline print media, or other kinds of non-govt organization. From time to time, It's reported that various countries had conflicted with social media. As a result of the dispute, online social news channels were eventually highly controlled or shut down permanently.
In a series of press releases and through social media outlets, IT minister Ravi Shankar Prasad had said, “All social media is welcome, but — no disrespect — there should not be double standards........We will be giving a window of three months of significant social media........ And, the rest will come into effect from the day that these rules are notified...This provision is designed to respect the dignity of the users in India,”.
So, what's the summary of this? Will those social media Giants deny to comply with their content with the protocols and regulations set by the Gol and leave India?
That's the most unlikely situation as the tech giants like Facebook and its offshoot, Insta, and WhatsApp has a massive and crucial customer base in India. And if that's the case, will there be an extension to the ultimatum, and the tech giants will eventually agree on some negotiated terms between the two.
Stay Tuned for more updates.
