Twitter shows Jammu and Kashmir, Leh as part of China; sparks row

Team Udayavani, Oct 19, 2020, 2:59 PM IST

Twitter came under fire again on Sunday for displaying Jammu-Kashmir’s Leh as a part of ‘People’s Republic of China’. National Security Analyst Nitin Gokhale who was live on Twitter near Leh airport, noticed that his location was displaying as ‘Jammu and Kashmir, People’s Republic of China’.

See this Twitter! When I put Hall of Fame Leh as the location, see what it shows. I tested it deliberately.@Twitter @TwitterIndia @TwitterSupport pic.twitter.com/sGMbmjJ60c

— Nitin A. Gokhale (@nitingokhale) October 18, 2020

Gokhale posted screenshots of the same on Twitter while raising the issue “Tweeple pl put Hall of Fame Leh as your location for live broadcast and see what’s happening. It shows location as Jammu and Kashmir, Peoples Republic of China. I tested it again. Outrageous. Pl flood Twitter with complaints. GoI should take immediate action.”

Tweeple pl put Hall of Fame Leh as your location for live broadcast and see what’s happening. It shows location as Jammu and Kashmir, Peoples Republic of China. I tested it again. Outrageous. Pl flood Twitter with complaints. GoI should take immediate action. @rsprasad pic.twitter.com/pbnr8364at

— Nitin A. Gokhale (@nitingokhale) October 18, 2020

Here’s one more example, if you need one @Twitter @TwitterIndia @TwitterSupport. I put location as Leh’s Kushak Bakula Airport and look what you are showing! pic.twitter.com/eTpf9mac6E

— Nitin A. Gokhale (@nitingokhale) October 18, 2020

This comes amid simmering border tensions between India and China along the Line of Actual Control (LAC).

However, Reacting to the incident, Twitter spokesperson said that teams have worked swiftly to investigate and resolve the concerned geotag issue, News Agency ANI tweeted

ANI tweeted, “We became aware of this technical issue on Sunday, & understand & respect the sensitivities around it. Teams have worked swiftly to investigate & resolve the concerned geotag issue: Twitter Spokesperson on location tag in a live broadcast showing Jammu & Kashmir as part of China”

We became aware of this technical issue on Sunday, & understand & respect the sensitivities around it. Teams have worked swiftly to investigate & resolve the concerned geotag issue: Twitter Spokesperson on location tag in a live broadcast showing Jammu & Kashmir as part of China. pic.twitter.com/UqpCCgma1q

— ANI (@ANI) October 19, 2020