An Instagram reel documenting the impact of a proposed Google data centre on residents of Tarluvada village in Andhra Pradesh was restored in India on September 10, more than three months after it was blocked on May 22. The reel, created by journalists Shamsheer Yousaf and Monica Jha, had been inaccessible under Section 79(3)(b) of the IT Act, 2000, following government action through the Sahyog Portal, according to medianama.com.
The restoration followed a writ petition filed by the Internet Freedom Foundation (IFF) on behalf of the journalists before the Delhi High Court, alongside a legal notice requesting a review under the IT Rules, 2021. The reel was part of the "Dirty Data" global journalism project that examined the effects of rapid data centre construction. Despite the restoration, Andhra Pradesh authorities have not provided any explanation for the initial blocking or the subsequent unblocking, as reported by medianama.com.
The case highlights ongoing tensions between government regulation and digital content related to infrastructure projects in India. The blocking of the reel without public explanation raised concerns about transparency and freedom of expression. The involvement of the IFF and the Delhi High Court underscores the role of legal mechanisms in challenging government censorship. This incident is part of a broader pattern of content regulation under the IT Act and IT Rules, which have been used to restrict online material without clear justification, according to medianama.com.
The Instagram reel was inaccessible for 111 days before being restored on September 10, marking a significant moment in digital rights advocacy in India. The Delhi High Court writ petition and the IFF's legal notice were key factors in the reel's reinstatement, as detailed by medianama.com.