Following a string of bomb threats targeting Indian airlines, the Indian government has stepped in and asked social media platform ‘X’ (formerly Twitter) to crack down on hoaxes. The central government wants X to take more active measures to curb the spread of these rumors, and is urging the platform to deploy AI-based solutions to block accounts responsible for these threats.
According to NDTV, Sanket S Bhondve, Joint Secretary of the Ministry of Civil Aviation, held a virtual meeting with representatives from airlines and major social media platforms, including X and Meta, to discuss the matter. Aviation Minister K. Rammohan Naidu also weighed in, revealing that the government is pushing for legal reforms. These would make spreading hoax threats while the plane is still on the ground a cognizable offense, tightening the law to cover more scenarios.
X’s History of Resistance
Indian airlines have seen a noticeable uptick in bomb threats recently, prompting the government to take swift action. However, X isn’t new to such requests from Indian authorities. The platform has previously resisted similar takedown demands. Earlier this year, X publicly disagreed with takedown orders issued by the Election Commission of India, citing freedom of speech concerns.
In fact, X even took legal action against the Indian government back in July 2022, challenging orders to block certain accounts, URLs, and tweets. However, it didn’t quite go in their favor—the platform lost the case and was fined INR 50 lakh by the Karnataka High Court. Undeterred, X appealed the decision in August last year, seeking a review.
ProtonMail Also in the Crosshairs
X isn’t the only platform facing government scrutiny over bomb hoaxes. Earlier this year, the IT ministry considered blocking ProtonMail—an end-to-end encrypted email service—after the Tamil Nadu police flagged it for hosting hoax bomb threats. ProtonMail, on its part, had previously removed its physical servers from India, reacting to what it described as the country’s “new surveillance law.”
What’s Next?
While X has been resistant in the past, the Indian government is clearly upping the pressure this time. With legal amendments on the horizon and AI-based solutions being suggested, it looks like the war on hoax bomb threats is about to intensify—both online and on the ground.
