‘Stop Vizag Data Centers’ Instagram account blocked in India
The Instagram account for the 'Stop Vizag Data Centers' campaign has been temporarily restricted in India, with activists alleging a lack of prior deliberation. The campaign, which had gained significant traction, raises concerns about the transparency and socio-ecological costs of AI data center development in Visakhapatnam. The restriction was made under India’s IT Rules, prompting the campaign to launch a backup account and accuse the government of silencing voices.
Why it matters
This incident highlights tensions between digital activism, government regulation, and corporate development, raising critical questions about freedom of speech, environmental concerns, and the societal impact of large-scale AI infrastructure projects.
The Instagram account of the citizen-led ‘Stop Vizag Data Centers’ campaign has been temporarily restricted in India, with the account currently unavailable to users in the country while remaining accessible in other countries, according to representatives of the movement. They alleged that the restriction process lacked prior deliberation.
Following the action, the movement has announced a backup Instagram account to continue posting.
A message displayed on the restricted account says: “We temporarily restricted access to this account pursuant to legal requirements under India’s Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules.”
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