The Facebook page Kashmir Bulletin, a digital platform that had been regularly sharing news updates and public-interest stories from across the Kashmir Valley, has been restricted in India.
The page, which had garnered more than 1.18 lakh followers and recorded a cumulative viewership of nearly 10 million, was restricted on March 5 at around 1 PM under Section 79(3)(b) of the Information Technology Act, 2000.
The restriction was implemented by Meta Platforms, the parent company of Facebook, in compliance with legal obligations under India’s information technology regulations. Section 79(3)(b) of the Act pertains to the responsibilities of online intermediaries to act upon lawful directions concerning content hosted on their platforms.
Over time, Kashmir Bulletin had built a considerable online audience by sharing regular updates on local developments, public issues and community-related information from different parts of Kashmir.
The restriction has come as a surprise to many followers, as thousands of readers regularly relied on the page for news updates and information.
Meanwhile, the team behind Kashmir Bulletin has appealed to the concerned government authorities to review the matter and consider restoring the page so that the platform can continue sharing information and serving its audience in a responsible manner.
The administrators also expressed gratitude to their followers for their continued support and trust, expressing hope that the issue will be resolved soon and the platform will be able to resume its services for the public.
