Thread by @prateekwaghre

There's a lot to consider here, but I want to dwell on this 'transparent when convenient' aspect for just a bit, which cuts across ministries.

https://twitter.com/internetfreedom/status/1616804447300247555

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Let's stay with MIB. Since December 2021, they've put out at least 8 press releases about their use of 'emergency powers' under Rule 16.
-Dec 2021 (pib.gov.in/PressReleasePa…): 20 YouTube channels, 2 websites.
-Jan 2022 (pib.gov.in/PressReleseDet…): 35 Youtube channels, websites.
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-Feb 2022 (pib.gov.in/PressReleasePa…): Unspecified number of 'apps, website, & social media accounts'
-Apr 2022 (5th)(pib.gov.in/PressReleasePa…): 22 YouTube channels,3 Twitter accounts,1 Facebook account,1 website. Notably,this was the 1st time 'Indian channels' were included(8).
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-Apr 2022 (25th)((pib.gov.in/PressReleasePa…): 16 YouTube channels (10 from India), 1 Facebook account.
-Jul 2022 (pib.gov.in/PressReleasePa…): Response to a question in Rajya Sabha - "Ministry has acted against 94 YouTube channels, 19 social media accounts and 747 URLs".
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Notice how the numbers from the last press releases don't add up, so there are likely many others instances that we don't know about.
-Aug 2022 (pib.gov.in/PressReleasePa…): 8 YouTube channels (7 from India), 1 Facebook account and 2 Facebook posts.
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-Sep 2022 (pib.gov.in/PressReleasePa…): 45 videos from 10 YouTube channels.

Since December 2022, there have been Press Releases about the 'Fact Check Unit', rather than usage from Rule 16. (amenda-ception anyone)
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https://twitter.com/prateekwaghre/status/1615373450356621315

-Dec 2022 (pib.gov.in/PressReleasePa…): 40 'fact checks' across 3 YouTube channels
-Jan 2023 (pib.gov.in/PressReleasePa…): "over 100" 'fact checks' across 6 channels.
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At the time of writing this, there is no 'press release' about the #BBCDocumentary,only reports from 'unnamed' &/or 'reliable' sources.
I love how they give us information when convenient, just like it was to say that Twitter took down "90-95% orders"
8/
business-standard.com/article/curren…

Speaking of MeitY, who have themselves issued press releases about 'app bans'. 3 that I'm aware of (could be more)
June 2020 (pib.gov.in/PressReleasePa…): 59 apps aka 'the tiktok ban'
Sep 2020 (pib.gov.in/PressReleasePa…): 118 apps aka 'the pubg ban'
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Nov 2020 (pib.gov.in/PressReleasePa…): 43 apps

The documentary ban is only a another step down a path we've been on for some time now.
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On many occasions, *crickets chirp* from ministry offices and we discover things incidentally because Twitter happens to disclose some instances through @lumen_database. A purely voluntary act that it can choose to stop at anytime, and other platforms don't really do anyway.
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Relying on platforms is precarious, this transparency should be forthcoming from our elected representatives. Corporations will do what's best for them. Remember the Reuters story from Feb 2022?

https://twitter.com/prateekwaghre/status/1488824853998485505

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There are some other aspects to unpack here - some may be a little wonky - but we need to push on them.
Definitional issues:

https://twitter.com/prateekwaghre/status/1511353850175062024

.
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Process and Legitimacy:
Why do we see a spectrum of actions ranging from 'chest thumping' press releases, selective leaks and the sounds of silence? What's the underlying calculus beyond mere projection? Democratic legitimacy goes beyond just winning elections, no?
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Addendum to tweet 8.
There is a a tweet thread 👇

https://mobile.twitter.com/Raghu_Raj_/status/1617032850280448000

Ok, looks like Twitter has reported this to @lumendatabase.

https://twitter.com/digitaldutta/status/1617104406251724802

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