How Journalists Can Protect Themselves Against a Global Surveillance Industry
Governments worldwide are deploying sophisticated spyware against journalists through methods that are growing cheaper, more powerful, and harder to detect, according to a recent report by the International Federation of Journalists (IJF). For journalists who want to understand what they are up against and what they can do about it, the report also offered a set of recommendations, based on interviews with digital security specialists.
Press Freedom Situation in India ‘Very Serious’: Reporters Without Borders
India has ranked 157th out of 180 countries and territories in the 2026 World Press Freedom Index, published by Reporters Without Borders, or RSF, which rated the country’s press freedom situation as “Very Serious,” the highest level of threat in the annual index.
Commercial Spyware, Once a Military Tool, Is Now Routinely Deployed Against Journalists
Governments worldwide are systematically deploying commercial spyware against journalists, and the business of building and selling such tools has grown into a global industry operating with little regulation or accountability, according to a study by the International Federation of Journalists, or IFJ, a Brussels-based organisation representing journalists globally.
Why Does the Government Want to Review Journalism Courses?
The education ministry has reportedly written to all university vice-chancellors, forwarding a suggestion from Prime Minister Narendra Modi that journalism syllabuses be reviewed “to make them more effective.” The ministry offered no specification of what the review should contain or why the current syllabuses fall short. This vagueness, which appears to be deliberate, is concerning.
Govt Limits Who Can Issue Internet Takedown Orders, But Questions Remain
The central government has restricted the number of officials authorised to order the removal of online content from social media platforms and websites, departing from its earlier policy that allowed thousands of officers to issue such directions. While the change appears to promote accountability, it leaves unresolved the concern that a government-run effort to combat “misinformation” could also silence legitimate reporting, commentary and political critique.
MP Police Treat Reading Political Ideology as Evidence of Crime
Madhya Pradesh Police have cited books on fascism and communism as evidence in a chargesheet against a youth collective founder accused of hurting religious sentiments. If political literature can be treated as criminal evidence, then any citizen engaging with dissenting ideas risks being branded a threat to public order.
Our Government Says It Loves Hindi, Then Bans a Hindi Scholar
Francesca Orsini, a world-renowned scholar of Hindi and South Asian literature, was turned away at Delhi airport despite holding a valid Indian visa, without explanation. If this government is truly the patron saint of Hindi, it seems to have a curious way of showing affection, by banning one of its most devoted translators.
Should Religion Be Above Criticism?
A 22-year-old law student in Pune has been charged with allegedly offending religious sentiments after making derogatory remarks about Islam and the Prophet Muhammad. Whatever the merits of the case, the incident raises an important question: should the right to free speech include the right to criticise religion—one’s own or someone else’s?
New FCRA Rule Brings Censorship to NGO Publications
The central government now requires NGOs that receive foreign funding and engage in any form of publication to declare that they do not circulate “news content” — and to obtain a certificate from the Registrar of Newspapers for India (RNI) confirming this. This could amount to the use of financial regulation to curb the speech and advocacy roles of civil society groups.
What Authorities Reveal by Silencing Speech
As citizens debate freedom of speech—amid serious charges over social media posts and alleged selective blocking of news websites—it’s worth examining censorship through the lens of political science rather than ideology, which often reduces complex issues to partisan battles and obscures deeper understanding.
Did Ashoka University Prof. Violate the Law—or Just Offend Some Sentiments?
The arrest of Ashoka University professor Ali Khan Mahmudabad points to a troubling truth about how law enforcement operates in an increasingly polarised public sphere: in a politically charged atmosphere, the threshold for prosecuting an ordinary citizen—academic or not—can be alarmingly low. All it takes is one complaint, one misreading, or one wilful distortion of a public remark. The system, instead of examining the context or the merit of what is said, responds as if the outrage itself is evidence of wrongdoing.
Independent News Site The Wire Was Blocked Amid India Pakistan Tensions
Independent news portal The Wire became inaccessible to readers across India on May 9 after internet service providers displayed notices saying the site had been blocked on government orders, according to the media outlet. The disruption coincided with rising hostilities between India and Pakistan and came just weeks after the 2025 World Press Freedom Index placed India at 151 out of 180 countries.
Discourse Over Assam Reporter’s Arrest Reveals Need for Media Literacy
Assam-based news reporter Dilwar Hussain Mozumder was released from judicial custody on March 29 after securing bail in the second case against him. However, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma’s response seems to reveal a lack of understanding regarding what constitutes journalism and who qualifies as a journalist.
Indian Govt. Censored Criticism of Union Ministers, Claims X
The central government issued 66 takedown notices to X (formerly Twitter) over the past year, with one-third targeting content critical of Union Ministers and government agencies, according to The Hindu, whose report is based on an analysis of court documents from a lawsuit filed by X challenging the government’s actions in the Karnataka High Court.
Court Affirms Right to Express Views, Even If Controversial
The Supreme Court has observed that protecting freedom of speech and expression, even when what is said is unpopular or disliked, is essential and must be respected in a healthy democracy. The observation came in a case involving Congress MP Imran Pratapgarhi, who was accused of promoting enmity through a poem shared in a social media post.
Musk’s X Challenges Indian Government’s Censorship in Court
Elon Musk’s social media platform, X (formerly Twitter), has filed a lawsuit against the Indian government, alleging that the country’s IT Ministry has overstepped its legal authority by unlawfully expanding censorship powers. The legal dispute centres around new mechanisms introduced by the Indian government that, according to X, allow for more widespread and unregulated content removal from online platforms.
Where Does India Stand in Free Speech Ranking?
India ranks 24th out of 33 countries on the “Future of Free Speech” index, which measures global support for free speech and identifies which topics people believe should be open for discussion and criticism. The report show that while many Indians express belief in the importance of free speech, the country’s legal and political environment does not reflect these sentiments.
Telangana CM Threatens to ‘Strip and Parade’ Social Media Trollers
In an assembly speech, Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy expressed his outrage over the use of abusive language directed at his family on social media, particularly against the women in his household. His anger is understandable, but not the threat he issued to "strip" and "parade" offenders on the streets, nor his proposal to amend laws governing media and social media use.
Tushar Gandhi Detained by RSS-BJP Activists; Protests Across Kerala
Tushar Gandhi, great-grandson of Mahatma Gandhi, was allegedly detained by Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) activists in Kerala following his critical remarks about the RSS.
Journalists’ Arrest in Telangana Raises Press Freedom Concerns
Two YouTube journalists in Hyderabad, Telangana—Revathi Pogadadanda and Tanvi Yadav—have been arrested for airing a video critical of Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy of the Congress party. The video allegedly contained “derogatory” and “vulgar” content. However, arresting journalists for their work, even if it is considered offensive, doesn’t set a good precedent for democratic freedoms.