NCPCR urges J-K DGP to file FIR against Twitter officials over video promoting terrorism using children

National Commission for Protection of Child Rights wrote a letter to Jammu and Kashmir Director General of Police Dilbag Singh to file an FIR against Twitter officials over video promoting terrorism using children.

New Delhi:The National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) has written a letter to Jammu and Kashmir Director General of Police (DGP) Dilbag Singh over a complaint regarding a video posted on Twitter alleging violation of child rights and requested him to file an FIR against officers of the micro-blogging site. The complainant alleged that the video posted on Twitter supports terror activity and promotes terrorism using children.

In the letter, NCPCR Chairperson Priyank Kanoongo said the Commission has received a complaint informing about a post and video posted on Twitter under the Twitter handle @AGH HISTOrY wherein a child has been shown to use a gun and is firing bullets in the air.

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"It is seen that there are 4-5 men who are looking at the child and appreciating him to use the gun. The complainant alleges the video to be showing unlawful terror activity support and promotion of terrorism using children and allowing terror organisations to use Twitter to facilitate recruitment activities for terrorism in Union Territories of Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh."

The Commission further observed that the video which has been posted on social media platform Twitter under the Twitter handle @AGH HISTOrY points towards the unlawful promotion of terrorism using child soldiers against India on Twitter and that such posts and videos being circulated online on Twitter is a "threat to the public interest and sovereignty of India".

"The posting of such posts and videos in wide circulation on Twitter is also a matter of concern because Twitter's policy permits children (that is children aged 13 years and above) to use and access Twitter and the Commission is under the apprehension that such posts would hurt children using Twitter and give them access to join such illegal groups on Telegram... Twitter by allowing such twitter posts to be posted and circulated on its platform violates the provisions of the law of the land including information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021and Section 79 of the Information Technology Act, 2000. Also, as per Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021...," read the letter.

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"Therefore, as prayed for by the complainant and given the violations of law of the land being committed by Twitter, the Commission requests for filing an FIR against officers of Twitter, Manish Maheshwari (Managing Director) and Shagufta Kamran (Twitter India Policy Manager) under relevant provisions of law for violating law of the land and take necessary action against them and further requests for necessary action against Telegram as well so that such groups promoting terrorist activities operating on Telegram can also be identified."

The NCPCR chairperson has requested the DGP to send an action taken report in the matter to the Commission in seven days.

For the past several months, Twitter has been involved in a stand-off with the Indian government over the new amendments in the country's new Information Technology laws with the microblogging platform losing its intermediary status and becoming liable for user-generated content.

Several FIRs have been registered in different parts of the country against Twitter India Managing Director Manish Maheshwari.

ANI

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