Centre’s New Guidelines on Social Media Regulation

February 25, 2021

The Central government has notified the new guidelines on social media regulations on February 25, 2021. It is being called as “Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules 2021”.

Highlights

  • The new guidelines have been notified with the aim of regulating social media and OTT platforms.
  • These rules were put into public by the union Ministers Ravi Shankar Prasad and Prakash Javadekar.
  • The Union Ministers also said that social media platforms have empowered the ordinary Indians. They praised these platforms for gaining popularity and huge users.
  • They also welcomed the move by social media platforms to do business in India.

Why new rules have been framed?

  • The government has notified the new rules on digital media and OTT with the aim of empowering the ordinary users regarding the social media.
  • With the new rules, the government wants to set up a mechanism for redressal and timely resolution of their grievance.
  • The new rules are progressive, liberal and contemporaneous.
  • It seeks to address varied concerns of people.
  • It also wants to remove any misapprehension with respect to the restrictions on creativity and freedom of speech & expression.
  • The rules were framed depending upon the difference of the viewership in a theatre & television as compared to viewership on Internet.

Facts regarding new rules

  • The new guidelines on social media were framed in accordance with the section 87 (2) of the Information Technology Act, 2000.
  • These guidelines were released after having an elaborate consultation with the public as well as the stakeholders. They were consulted to negate the concerns regarding accountability, transparency, and rights related to digital media.
  • Part- II of the guidelines will be administered by Ministry of Electronics and IT.
  • Part-III of the guidelines will be administered by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting. This part is related to the Code of Ethics & procedure. It also safeguards the relation with the digital media.
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