India issues final warning to Twitter to comply with new rules

The Indian government issued a final warning to Twitter Inc. to immediately comply with new rules for social media companies or face "consequences” under local laws, in an escalating dispute with the micro-blogging site.

The new rules, which took effect in February, require intermediaries such as Twitter, Alphabet Inc.’s Google and YouTube, Facebook Inc. and its WhatsApp messaging platform to assign and appoint representatives to redress grievances. Penalties, including jail terms, can be imposed if a company violates them. "The refusal to comply demonstrates Twitter’s lack of commitment and efforts towards providing a safe experience for the people of India on its platform,” the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology said in notice on Saturday, adding it is giving "one last notice” to the site to comply as a "gesture of goodwill.”