One Blocking Order Every 68 Seconds: Why India’s Online Takedown Surge Is Raising Free-Speech Questions By: Javid Amin | 18 Aug 2026 Nearly 1.95 lakh government-backed blocking orders were sent to Instagram, Facebook and YouTube between March and July 2026 — an average of about 1,275 directions a day, or one every 68 seconds. The figure is striking enough to sound like a warning in itself. But the number needs careful unpacking. These are not 1.95 lakh separate pieces of content necessarily removed by the government, nor were all of…
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Kashmir police crack down on social media misuse, Section 144 invoked to control online content
In south Kashmir’s Anantnag, district deputy commissioner Syeed Fakhrudin Hamid issued an order under Section 144 of Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) warning unregistered online news or social media news portals The district authorities and police in Kashmir on Thursday cautioned social media handles, their owners and people to refrain from sharing news content without verification or militant propaganda, otherwise they will face action under law. In south Kashmir’s Anantnag, district deputy commissioner Syeed Fakhrudin Hamid issued an order under Section 144 of Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) warning unregistered…
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