IT Ministry, MyGov, NIC join Indian microblogging site Koo after Twitter row

The Ministry of Electronics and IT (MeitY) and other government departments have shifted to the homegrown microblogging site Koo after Twitter did not follow the government's directive to block some tweets and accounts.

Koo has verified handles of MeitY, MyGov, Digital India, National Informatics Centre (NIC), India Post, National Institute of Electronics and Information Technology (NIELIT), Digilocker, Common Services Centre, UMANG App, Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC), National Internet Exchange of India (NIXI) among others on its platform so far.

Union Railways Minister Piyush Goyal has also joined the microblogging site. Goyal tweeted, "I am now on Koo. Connect with me on this Indian micro-blogging platform for real-time, exciting, and exclusive updates. Let us exchange our thoughts and ideas on Koo."

"Key organisations from the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) have set up accounts on Koo, India's own micro-blogging platform. This move comes as a strategic response as an action against Twitter for not complying with the order for blocking around 257 tweets and Twitter accounts which were tweeting about farmer genocide," as per Koo's official statement.

Co-founder and CEO of Koo Aprameya Radhakrishna talked about building "social networks keeping in mind local cultural nuances" and expressed his excitement and said, "We are humbled and at the same time excited by the adoption and encouragement by so many noteworthy personalities and recently the entry of the topmost government offices of the country onto Koo."

The social network also claimed an increase in downloads after MeitY joined its platform. This app came out 10 months ago and won MeitY's Aatmanirbhar App Challenge.

MeitY had asked Twitter to block 257 URLs or web addresses and one hashtag under relevant sections of the law as they were "spreading misinformation about (farmer) protests and has the potential to lead to imminent violence affecting public order situation in the country."

According to Twitter, it held meetings with government officials and stated these accounts and posts in question come under free speech and are newsworthy. In a bid to protect public conversation, the social media giant then "unwithheld" the accounts. These accounts include those of farm organisation BKU Ekta Ugrahan, Tractor2Twitter, and CPM leader Mohammed Salim.

With PTI inputs; by Mehak Agarwal

Also read: Sandes, India's answer to WhatsApp, being tested by govt officials: report

Also read: Indian apps trend on Google Play Store after PM Modi's Mann Ki Baat