Motorola is suing social media platforms and creators over the posts, raising expression concerns in India

Motorola has filed a lawsuit in India against social media platforms and content creators over posts it claims are defamatory, raising concerns that they could dilute the company’s critical coverage, experts say.

The lawsuit, filed in a Bengaluru court and obtained by TechCrunch, names platforms including X, YouTube and Instagram along with dozens of content creators, and seeks the removal of content as well as broader restrictions on what it calls false or defamatory material related to the company’s devices.

In its more than 60-page filing, Motorola sought a permanent injunction barring the defendants from publishing or sharing what it describes as false or defamatory content about its products including reviews, videos, comments and boycott campaigns.

The complaint cites hundreds of posts across the platforms, including videos alleging problems with the devices and phones catching fire. But it also targets unfavorable product reviews and user comments that the company claims are false or defamatory.

Two of the creators named in the lawsuit, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said they only learned of the case after receiving an email from X’s support team on Tuesday informing them that their account had been flagged in the proceedings.

In the email, X said it received the lawsuit and notified the user in the interest of transparency, and suggested they could seek legal counsel, contest the case, or remove the content.

One of the creators said the post mentioned in the lawsuit relates to a verified incident, adding that the company replaced the device. “The brand is mentally harassing us, and they want to be a role model,” the creator told TechCrunch.

“It will make an impact,” they said. “I’ll stop covering the good parts too.”

India is Motorola’s second-largest market after the United States, accounting for about 21% of its global smartphone shipments in 2025, according to data from the International Data Corporation. IDC data showed that more than 90% of its devices shipped in India were in the sub-$250 category — a price range in which consumers often rely on online reviews and word-of-mouth.

Free speech advocates contend that Motorola’s complaint is overblown.

“When a single complaint groups hundreds of URLs together and seeks a sweeping injunction against them all, it collapses the categories that the law has traditionally separated,” said Apar Gupta, a lawyer and founding director of the New Delhi-based digital rights group Internet Freedom Foundation. He warned of a wider “chilling effect”, saying many creators may choose to remove content rather than face the cost and pressure of legal action.

“The category at greatest risk is precisely the category consumers rely on most: independent product criticism that holds manufacturers accountable for real safety and quality issues,” he told TechCrunch.

Madhav Sheth, CEO of homegrown smartphone brand Ai+ and former head of Realme India, defended tougher action against what he called misinformation. Saying On social media, “freedom of expression is not a license to defame.” He warned against taking legal action against “fake news or unverified ‘scandals’.” His comments sparked online criticism from users who said they might discourage legitimate reviews of products.

Others in the industry took a different view. Sunil Raina, Managing Director, Lava International, He said On

The case may signal a broader shift in how brands respond to online criticism in India. The aforementioned creator said they expect more of these legal actions in the future, as evolving rules around online content increase the liability of creators and platforms — a trend reflected in Recently proposed changes to IT rules in India It aims to tighten censorship of online content.

Motorola did not respond to a request for comment. Google, Meta, and X also did not respond.