NEW DELHI:
Twitter blocked Union Information Technology (IT) Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad's account for roughly an hour on Friday over allegedly violating the US Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA).
In the backdrop of the country's new IT regulations, the social media network's relationship with the central government worsened in recent times.
However, the precise reason for Twitter momentarily suspending the Union minister's account may appear unbelievable to many. It is related to a 2017 post linked to music director AR Rahman's renowned song 'Maa Tujhe Salaam,' which was deemed to be in breach of Twitter's copyright rules.
According to the Lumen database, the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI) filed the DMCA notification for AR Rahman's song 'Maa Tujhe Salaam' on behalf of Sony Music Entertainment on May 24. According to the documents, Twitter only received it on June 25, after which the social media platform took action.
The Lumen database is an independent research project that studies cease and desist letters about online material, and requests for content withholding received by Twitter are published on its website.
The 2017 tweet, sent from Union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad's Twitter account, included a video homage to the Indian Army, with AR Rahman's song playing in the background. According to those familiar with the situation, it was placed on the anniversary of the war's victory in 1971.
Twitter momentarily disabled Ravi Shankar Prasad's account, marking the first time in India that a Union minister was barred from using a social media network. Later, the platform reinstated access to the account, stating that the move was made in response to a DMCA request and that the linked tweet had been "withheld."
"Per our copyright policy, we respond to valid copyright complaints sent to us by a copyright owner or their authorised representatives," it said.
Owners can inform Twitter under the DMCA copyright alleging that a user has infringed on their intellectual property.
The IT minister, on the other hand, criticised the event, claiming that Twitter was simply exhibiting its own flagrant absurdity and pursuing its "own agenda." According to the ministry, Twitter is only taking these steps because the government has asked it to fully adhere to the country's new IT regulations.
For failing to follow the IT requirements, Twitter lost its intermediary status in India earlier this month, which means the social media network may be sued directly under the country's laws for posts on the platform. According to Ravi Shankar Prasad, the government's condemnation of Twitter's behaviour "clearly ruffled its feathers."
Also Watch