Twitter will defend voice of its users, says CEO

NEW DELHI: Amid a debate over freedom of speech on social media, Twitter today said it will make sure that the "voices" of its users are defended, even as it would make it harder for any "abuse" to take place from its platform.

The assertion, by Twitter's global CEO Dick Costolo during his maiden India visit, came on a day when the Supreme Court struck down a controversial IT Act provision that provided for arrest of those posting "offensive" content on websites, especially social media sites like Facebook and Twitter.

Costolo also said that India is one of the fastest growing markets for Twitter in terms of users and the micro- blogging giant will expand its sales team in the country.

"We have a great reputation as a company for defending and respecting our user voices... We will defend and protect our users interests across the world."

Asked about Twitter's policy for dealing with terror groups like ISIS using the platform, Costolo said: "Accounts of terror groups like ISIS are against law and service terms..."

He said that Twitter has already made it "a lot easier to report abuse".

"... We will continue to make it harder (for those who abuse)," he told reporters here.

According to Twitter's Transparency Report, the social network during July-December 2014 received 41 account information requests from the Indian government and information was provided in 22 per cent cases.

Similarly, one removal request from court and 14 from government agencies were received by Twitter in the said period.

The company today launched 'Twitter Samvad' in partnership with the Indian government, under which people can give missed calls to select phone numbers and in return they will receive tweets as SMS from government offices, including the PMO.

Part of the Prime Minister's Digital India initiative, this tweet-powered service will provide political content in real-time on mobile devices anywhere in the country, Costolo said.

Currently, Twitter Samvad has 16 government offices participating in the initiative.

Talking about the Indian market, he said the company is expanding its sales team in the country.

"We started as resellers and we are growing our sales team now," he said but declined to give specific details.

With regard to advertisements on Twitter timelines of the users, Costolo said the company does not play any direct role and it depends on the choices made by the user and that determines what one sees on the timeline.