BJP's Tejasvi Surya, Malviya see threat of 'unregulated' tech giants as Twitter bans Trump

As Twitter on January 9 deleted accounts of US President Donald Trump stating 'risk of further incitement of violence', BJP MP Tejasvi Surya and BJP leader Amit Malviya have expressed their concern on the action. Taking to Twitter, Surya said that the action must be a "wake up call" for all who do not yet understand the threat of "unregulated big tech companies". Similarly, Malviya tweeted that de-platforming a sitting US president sets a dangerous precedent. While Surya warned that if Twitter can take such an action against POTUS, it is time that India reviews intermediaries regulations, Malviya opined that the action has less to do with his views and more to do with "intolerance for a differing point".

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Twitter suspends Donald Trump's account permanently

This came after Twitter suspended Trump's account permanently. Twitter said, “After reviewing of tweets from the Donald Trump account and the context around them — how they are being received and interpreted on and off Twitter — we have permanently suspended the account due to the risk of further incitement of violence”. It added, "In the context of horrific events this week, we made it clear on Wednesday that additional violations of the Twitter Rules would potentially result in this very course of action. Our public interest framework exists to enable the public to hear from elected officials and world leaders directly. It is built on a principle that the people have a right to hold power to account in the open”. 

In his first response after permanent suspension of his Twitter account, outgoing US President tweeted from the official Twitter account of POTUS and said that the microblogging site has banned free speech. Trump alleged that Twitter employees coordinated with Democrats and Left to suspend his account. However, within minutes of his tweet, Twitter removed it from the profile. He then tweeted from a page called Team Trump that was made to canvass support for him ahead of elections, but Twitter deleted that account also. 

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Terming people who voted for him as 'patriots', Trump said that 'Twitter may be a private company, but without the government's gift of Section 230 they would not exist for long.' Opining that he had predicted such an action, the US president said that his team has been negotiating with various other sites, he will make a "big announcement soon". Trump declared, "We will not be silenced! Twitter is not about free speech. They are all about promoting a Radical Left platform where some of the most vicious people in the world are allowed to speak freely...".

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US Capitol siege

The step was taken by the microblogging site after Trump supporters stormed US Capitol in name of protest against the "rigged election" claim made by Donald Trump. Violence and destruction ensued soon after with Trump supporters vandalising the chambers of the Capitol building. Trump had given a speech from the White House, urging protesters to march on the Capitol after making false claims of electoral fraud. Later, after the siege, Biden condemned the violence, urging Trump to 'stop this carnage' and 'do his Constitutional duty'. Trump, later gave a speech telling rioters to 'go home in peace', before formally conceding the election. Congress later reconvened and formally certified Biden and Harris' electoral victory, with senior Republican leaders slamming Trump.

READ | Twitter permanently suspends Donald Trump's account over risk of 'incitement of violence'