Indian Cartoonists Face Repeated Instagram Bans as Government Orders Surge

Indian cartoonist Satish Acharya has lost access to his Instagram account in his home country for the second time in three weeks. The 55-year-old discovered on Tuesday that his profile was briefly blocked, a restriction that prevented users in India from finding or accessing his work through web links.

Acharya’s account was first restricted from September 28 to October 6. During that period, anyone attempting to view his profile saw a message stating it was unavailable under India’s Information Technology Rules. The rules allow government authorities and courts to order social media platforms to remove or restrict specific content. Acharya said he wrote to Meta, Instagram’s parent company, but received no reply. He was preparing to file a lawsuit when his account became accessible again in early October, only to be blocked again earlier this week for three days.

This incident follows a similar restriction faced by cartoonist Manjul a few weeks prior. Instagram restricted a post by Manjul that criticized India’s election commission over its controversial revision of voter rolls. While Manjul’s profile remained accessible, the case raised concerns about how legal orders are being used to limit political satire. Artists and free-speech advocates argue that the rules, intended by the government to tackle unlawful material, can stifle the country’s tradition of political humor.

The restrictions coincide with a sharp increase in government oversight of digital content. According to the Indian Express, government agencies sent nearly 195,000 blocking and content-restriction orders to platforms including Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube between March and July. These figures were obtained through a right-to-information request via the federal government’s Sahyog portal. The data does not specify how many posts were ultimately removed. Technology policy expert Prateek Waghre noted that Meta appears more willing to comply with these orders than X, though limited public data makes direct comparisons difficult.

The political context for these moves is intense. Memes and online humor played a large role in fueling protests over education and jobs in July, which led to the resignation of India’s education minister. Debate has also intensified over a revision of voter rolls that removed 130 million names. Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party has urged ministers to strengthen their online presence, while authorities have reportedly asked Meta to ensure its recommendation systems do not steer users toward limited narratives or content that could incite public disorder.

In a statement to the BBC, Meta said it may temporarily restrict accounts to comply with India’s IT Rules but did not explain the specific reasons for restricting Acharya’s account or Manjul’s post. The company declined to comment on assessments regarding its compliance rates. The BBC sought comment from India’s IT ministry but had not received a response as of press time.

Independent cartoonists rely heavily on social media to reach audiences without traditional newspaper backing. Manjul noted that this independence allows them to draw freely but creates a vulnerability to platform decisions. Rachita Taneja, creator of the popular comic Sanitary Panels, described social media as a double-edged sword that answers to advertisers rather than users. Despite the pressures, cartoonists continue to support one another, with Taneja drawing a solidarity cartoon when Acharya was first blocked.

Sandeep Adhwaryu, a cartoonist at a leading Indian newspaper, said that self-censorship can become normalized over time, even without explicit instructions from editors. He compared satire to a shape-shifting virus that mutates in response to its environment. Acharya noted that his cartoons targeted previous governments without official restrictions, but much of his current satire is directed at the current administration. He remains active, preparing to use the courts if the blocks continue.