Meta takes down social media handles of prominent Jammu and Kashmir news outlets

Meta removes social media accounts of Jammu and Kashmir news outlets, raising concerns over censorship and freedom of expression.

Social media handles of several news outlets based in Jammu and Kashmir were taken down on Tuesday (March 3, 2026) by Meta, which runs Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp.

The move came in the wake of widespread protests in J&K for the past three days over the killing of Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei on February 28.

The affected outlets include prominent Srinagar-based organisations such as the Greater Kashmir, Rising Kashmir and Kashmir Life.

In a statement, Kashmir Life, said its verified Facebook and Instagram pages “became inaccessible in India on Monday (March 2, 2026) afternoon after Meta restricted access at the request of law enforcement authorities”.

Quoting the Meta’s response, the news portal said the handles “were restricted under Section 79(3)(b) of the Information Technology Act, 2000”. 

Kashmir Life, in the statement, said it was “a professionally managed organisation that has been in operation for 17 years”. “It upholds the highest standards of journalism and is a major responsible media outlet operating in Jammu and Kashmir. The organisation has written to Meta seeking detailed clarification regarding the specific grounds, scope, and duration of the restriction, as well as the procedural options available for review or redressal,” it said.