Delhi Police Engaged in Takedown Drive on Protest-Related Social Media Content
The Delhi Police is actively sending takedown notices to Instagram to remove reels and posts related to youth protests at Jantar Mantar and elsewhere. A senior police officer stated that a large number of posts have been flagged and removed, and over 400 social media accounts operating from outside India posting offensive content have been blocked. The removed content includes posts depicting police violence against students on July 20, 2026, when police used lathis, tear gas, and pellet guns on protesters. Law enforcement agencies are using Section 79(3)(b) of the Information Technology Act, which does not legally require takedown, but Meta has been automatically complying with nearly all such requests. The Internet Freedom Foundation condemned the drive, calling it censorship of political expression and noting that unpublished directions violate Supreme Court guidelines requiring transparency for orders restricting fundamental rights. The scale of the takedown and involvement of other government agencies remains unclear.
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