Airlines Bomb Threat: After Criticising X, Govt Directs Ire Towards Meta, Accuses Platforms Of 'Abetting Crime'

The social media platforms were pressed to explain the steps they have taken to prevent such messages from gaining traction online.

The Centre has criticised social media platforms X (formerly Twitter, owned by Elon Musk) and Meta (parent of Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, owned by Mark Zuckerberg) for their role in allowing dangerous rumours around hoax bomb threats targeting airlines to spread. There have been reports of 120 such incidents since October 14 this year - that's an average of 12 hoax calls per day over a period of 10 days. 

During a virtual meeting organised by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), the platforms were accused of "abetting crime" by failing to curb the circulation of hoax messages. Officials from both social media platforms and airlines were present at the meeting, which was led by Joint Secretary Sanket S Bhondve.

X Asked To Explain Countermeasures

X, in particular, faced criticism after the Delhi Police struggled to obtain user details linked to the threatening messages. The platforms were pressed to explain the steps they have taken to prevent such messages from gaining traction online. Meanwhile, airlines confirmed that they adhered to all security protocols when dealing with the threats.

Civil Aviation Minister K Ram Mohan Naidu has announced that hoax calls will soon be classified as a cognizable offence, with tougher penalties in place for perpetrators. In the past 10 days, the Delhi Police have filed eight cases related to bomb threats.

Legal Coverage To Threats Made

The Centre is also working on amending the Suppression of Unlawful Acts against Safety of Civil Aviation Act to extend legal coverage to threats made while planes are still on the ground. Minister Naidu emphasised that the government is committed to cracking down on hoax threats and ensuring that those responsible face serious consequences, including being placed on no-fly lists.

Security measures at airports have been ramped up, with enhanced checks and additional surveillance efforts. Although investigations are ongoing, Naidu cautioned the public against jumping to conclusions, stressing the importance of thorough inquiries before speculating on conspiracy theories. Despite the disruptions caused by the threats, each alert is being treated with full seriousness to ensure the safety of passengers.