We missed this earlier: The District Magistrate of Indore on April 20 issued an order placing restrictions on comments and forwards related to coronavirus made on social media platforms. The order, which threatens prosecution for non-compliance, was issued under Section 144 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPc), 1973. "That the restriction is imposed on the comments made on Social Media platform related to breaking of Corona transmission chain in an unrestrained manner and if any such post will be forwarded/extended forward on social media, then the proceedings will be initiated for violation of The Epidemic Disease Act, 1897, National Disaster Management Act, 2005 and violation of this Order. If any person forwards the message to provoke the public, then police will register a case against the said persons. The Admin of various social media group are requested to remove the members spreading wrong message with immediate effect." - April 20 order The Internet Freedom Foundation (IFF) on Monday filed an application seeking the withdrawal of this order. This is not the first time a district administration has bypassed the central government in issuing such orders. On April 27, the Jabalpur district administration imposed curbs on COVID-19 related posts that are "objectionable, inciting and gory" on social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter and Instagram for two months under Section 144 as well. Not long before the Jabalpur order, the centre ordered Twitter to censor tweets critical of the government. Twitter complied with government requests to censor 52 tweets that…
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