Instagram’s Muslim Community Page Blocked for Indian Users
If you’re in India and try visiting the massive @Muslim Instagram profile, you’ll hit a wall: 'Account not available in India.' This restriction, confirmed by its founder Ameer Al-Khatahtbeh, isn’t a glitch. It happened after the Indian government issued a legal request to Meta, which owns Instagram and Facebook. For the page’s 6.7 million global followers, this is more than just a technical hiccup. In one of the world’s largest democracies, blocking such a big outlet for Muslim voices is nothing short of striking—and for many, deeply troubling.
The timing also raises eyebrows. As artillery fire rattles the border between India and Pakistan and both governments sling accusations over a deadly attack in Kashmir, social media platforms are caught in the crossfire. India has already clamped down on a range of Pakistani-linked social accounts, including those belonging to celebrities and athletes. Now, with @Muslim—a page known for digging into issues major Western media often sidestep—off limits, people are starting to wonder how far these digital crackdowns might go.
The Page, Its Impact, and Growing Concerns Over Censorship
@Muslim is more than just a news page; it’s become an online lifeline for people searching for stories and voices that rarely get mainstream attention. Founded by Palestinian-American journalist Ameer Al-Khatahtbeh, the account has logged over 866 million views and provided a steady stream of content on political and humanitarian issues affecting Muslim communities globally. Stories range from coverage of attacks and human rights crises to everyday experiences that rarely break through on traditional platforms. With the account now banned in India, millions are left without a key source of information tailored to their community.
Al-Khatahtbeh didn’t mince words about the situation. He called Meta’s move censorship, arguing it cuts off crucial news and perspectives for Indian followers. He also urged Meta and government officials to be transparent about why the decision was made and who exactly it serves. Meta, sticking closely to its censorship playbook, said only that it’s complying with a legal request citing local laws. The platform has a policy: when content allegedly breaks country-specific rules, it can be blocked—but that doesn’t make decisions like this any less controversial or confusing for users.
In India, there’s a recent pattern of cracking down on digital spaces that discuss sensitive topics—especially those involving religion, rights, and international conflict. Tech companies have to walk a razor’s edge between following local legal requirements and protecting speech, especially when governments cite 'security' or 'public order' to justify content takedowns. For Indian users who turned to @Muslim for deeper insight during turbulent times, the loss of this page hurts. No official has commented, and Meta isn’t giving further details.
The sudden block highlights growing anxiety about how quickly entire online communities can be silenced, especially during moments of crisis. Users in India may now be searching for other avenues to access the kind of news and perspectives that Meta has just taken offline—leaving a void in a digital space already tightly controlled.
