Meta Blocks Kashmir Pellet Victim's Story Amid India's Tightening IT Rules

Instagram, owned by Meta, has blocked news articles from prominent Indian media houses, The Hindu and Scroll.in, that covered the story of Insha Mushtaq, a Kashmir pellet gun victim. This move, citing 'legal requirements under the Union government's Information Technology Rules,' comes as Meta faces increasing pressure to comply with India's recently tightened digital content laws and raises serious concerns about press freedom and online censorship in the country. This isn't an isolated incident; Scroll.in reports four of its posts have been blocked since June, and Meta has restricted access to other J&K news outlets. The blocks coincide with renewed national attention on pellet guns, sparked by recent student protests at Jantar Mantar where these weapons were reportedly used, injuring several. Insha Mushtaq, who lost her eyesight in 2016, recently received significant government rehabilitation, a story highlighted by the now-blocked articles, drawing a direct link between past state actions and current media scrutiny. The Union government's amended IT Rules, effective February 2026, mandate social media platforms to remove 'sensitive' content within two hours and 'unlawful' content within three hours of official notice, or risk losing their 'safe harbor' immunity. As the Supreme Court continues to hear petitions challenging the use of pellet guns, Meta proactive censorship via 'automated systems' suggests a tightrope walk between regulatory compliance and accusations of stifling dissent, indicating a future where online news platforms in India may operate under even greater government oversight.