Human Rights Forum alleges Instagram restricted posts critical of Google-Adani data centre projects in Visakhapatnam

Hyderabad: The Human Rights Forum (HRF) on Monday strongly alleged attempts to suppress social media criticism and discussion of the proposed Google-Adani-led hyperscale data center projects in and around Visakhapatnam.

HRF alleged that On May 31, 2026, Instagram restricted two posts by HRF in India. One was an HRF post publicising an online petition seeking transparency and accountability regarding the proposed data center projects.

The second was an information post documenting, among other things, ongoing work at the proposed Vizag Hyperscale Data Center site at Adavivaram, located in close proximity to the Mudasarlova reservoir.

The post raised questions about the legality of activities being undertaken at the site in the absence of the requisite permissions. Instagram indicated that the restrictions were imposed under Section 79(3)(b) of the Information Technology Act, 2000.

“The online petition raised serious concerns of public importance relating to environmental impacts, land use, water consumption, energy requirements, public consultation, forest loss and the long-term consequences of these projects for local communities and natural resources. These are matters of direct public concern arising from important policy decisions. Such concerns are legitimate matters for public discussion in any democracy. Citizens and civil society organisations have every right to seek information, question official claims, express dissenting views and demand accountability in relation to projects that may significantly affect their lives and environment,” said HRF Andhra unit secretary, Y Rajesh

The restrictions Rajesh said imposed on HRF content by Instagram do not appear to be isolated incidents but form part of a broader pattern. He reminded that the Environmental Reporting Collective (ERC), an international consortium of investigative journalists, has publicly disclosed that Instagram blocked access in India to a video connected to its investigation into the environmental and social impacts of data center expansion in Vizag.

The two-minute video examined the proposed Google data center project at Tarluvada in Anandapuram mandal near Visakhapatnam and its reported impacts on Dalit lands and local communities. According to the ERC, Meta informed it that the restriction was imposed pursuant to a notice from the Government of India under Section 79(3)(b) of the Information Technology Act, 2000, but did not provide any detailed explanation regarding the legal basis, policy rationale or specific complaint. ERC has called for the restoration of the content and greater transparency regarding the decision.

“HRF is also aware of at least 20 short videos, from 11 different accounts, critical of the proposed Adavivaram-Mudasarlova data center project that have been blocked by Instagram over the past week. Taken together, these actions raise serious concerns about a pattern of restricting public-interest content relating to the environmental and social implications of large-scale data center projects in and around Visakhapatnam. Earlier, on May, 30, 2026, HRF received a communication from X informing us that it had received a request from the Guntur Urban Police District, Andhra Pradesh, concerning the petition-related post referred to above. The request appears to stem from a complaint that is less an attempt to address the substantive issues raised by us than an effort to discourage legitimate public scrutiny and debate,” said HRF Andhra and Telangana Coordination committee member, VS Krishna.

However, X has not restricted the content yet. Consistent with its ‘transparency policy’, it informed HRF of the request. HRF has also learnt that at least one other user who shared the petition received a similar communication from X.

In another instance known to us, Facebook restricted access to the same content without any prior notice to the user concerned. He added that these actions by major technology platforms represent a deeply concerning infringement on the public’s right to receive information, engage in debate and participate in collective deliberations that may profoundly affect the region’s future.