Indian Government’s Requests to Remove Content from Google Platforms

News: Over the last decade, the Indian government has consistently called upon Google to remove a substantial amount of content, exceeding 110,000 pieces across various platforms like YouTube and web browsers. According to a recent survey conducted by Surfshark, India has emerged as the third-most active country in terms of requesting content removal from Google. In the period spanning from 2013 to 2022, Indian government agencies submitted over 19,600 content removal requests to Google.

Trend of Content Removal Requests

The study underscored that “defamation” stood out as one of the most common rationales behind these requests. This trend is not unique to India but rather mirrors a global pattern in which governments employ content removal requests as a tool to manage the flow of information. According to the report, government-initiated requests for content removal have surpassed a staggering 355,000 over the past decade. Furthermore, in 2022, there was a remarkable 50% surge in removal requests compared to previous years, marking a record-breaking increase. The Surfshark research pointed out that the trend of governments seeking content removal from Google products is on the rise, with the global count of removal requests skyrocketing nearly 13-fold over the last ten years, from 7,000 to 91,000 requests annually.

Global Impact of Content Removal Requests

From a global perspective, the survey noted that nations predominantly cited national security concerns as the primary basis for requesting the removal of content. The analysis also unveiled a notable uptick in governments worldwide making content removal requests to Google, particularly during times of international conflicts and wars.

Focus on YouTube

Among the various Google platforms, the Indian government primarily focused its attention on YouTube, where the majority of their content removal requests were specifically targeted. According to the study’s findings, YouTube received the highest number of requests at 8.8 thousand, followed by Google Play Apps with 4.3 thousand requests, and Web Search with 1.4 thousand requests. In total, the Indian government lodged 19,600 requests for content removal from Google over the past decade, averaging approximately five requests per day. The most frequently cited reason for these requests was defamation, accounting for 20.1% of cases, encompassing instances of libel, slander, and corporate defamation. Impersonation was the second most common reason at 16.3%, followed by concerns related to privacy and security, which accounted for 8.3% of the requests.

Government Control of Information

Over the years, the Indian government has consistently made requests to Google for the removal of content from its platforms, with a particular emphasis on YouTube. These requests are primarily driven by concerns related to defamation, impersonation, and privacy and security issues. This study also highlights a global trend wherein governments seek to control information flow through content removal requests, showing a significant uptick in such requests in recent years.

FAQs

Q: Why does the Indian government make content removal requests to Google?

A: The Indian government makes content removal requests to Google primarily based on concerns of defamation, impersonation, and privacy/security.

Q: How many content removal requests has the Indian government made to Google?

A: The Indian government has made over 19,600 content removal requests to Google in the past ten years.

Q: Is the trend of content removal requests increasing globally?

A: Yes, the trend of content removal requests is increasing globally, with a significant rise observed in recent years.