Lok Sabha Question No. 2614 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2018-01-03
Subject: Social Networking Sites
Ministry: ELECTRONICS AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
Asked by: HARISH DWIVEDI

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF ELECTRONICS AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.  2614

TO BE ANSWERED ON: 03.01.2018

## SOCIAL NETWORKING SITES

## 2614         SHRI HARISH CHANDRA ALIAS HARISH DWIVEDI:

Will the Minister of Electronics & Information Technology be pleased to state:-

- (a) whether  social  networking  sites  are  being  misused  by  the  general  public  by  uploading objectionable images and videos;
- (b) if so, the details thereof;
- (c)   whether the Government proposes to amend the relevant criminal laws in order to regulate and control these activities;
- (d)    if so, the details thereof; and
- (e)   the measures taken/being taken by the Government in this regard?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE FOR ELECTRONICS AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY (SHRI ALPHONS KANNANTHANAM)

- (a):    Yes, Sir.

(b): The  number  of  Social Media  pages  /  Uniform  Resource  Locators  (URLs) blocked/removed  since  2014          under  the  provision  of  section  69A  of  the  Information Technology (IT) Act 2000 are 4137.

- (c):    No, Sir.
- (d):    Does not arise.
- (e):    There are legal provisions to regulate misuse of social media:
- (i) The  Information  Technology  (IT)  Act,  2000  provides  for  punishment  for  publishing  or transmitting objectionable contents through following provisions:
-  Section 66E:  Punishment for violation of privacy
-  Section 67: Punishment for publishing or transmitting obscene material in electronic form.
-  Section  67A:  Punishment  for  publishing  or  transmitting  of  material  containing sexually explicit act, etc., in electronic form
-  Section 67B: Punishment for publishing or transmitting of material depicting children in sexually explicit act, etc. in electronic form.
- (i) The Information Technology (IT) Act, 2000 also has provisions for removal of objectionable online content. The Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines) Rules, 2011 notified under section 79 of the IT Act requires that the Intermediaries shall observe due diligence while discharging their duties and shall inform the users of computer resources not to host, display, upload, modify, publish, transmit, update or share any information that is harmful, objectionable, affect minors and unlawful in any way.
- (ii) Government  also  takes  action  under  section  69A  of  the    IT  Act,  2000  for  blocking  of websites/webpages with objectionable contents, whenever  requests are received from designated  nodal  officers  or  upon  Court  orders.  Section  69A  of  the  IT  Act  empowers Government to block  any information  generated,  transmitted,  received,  stored  or  hosted  in any computer resource in the interest of 1) sovereignty and integrity of India, 2) defence of India, 3) security of the State, 4) friendly relations with foreign States 5) public order or 6) for preventing incitement to the commission of any cognizable offence relating to above.
- (iii) Further, the Information Technology  (Intermediary Guidelines) Rules, 2011 notified under section  79  of  the  IT  Act  requires  that  the  Intermediaries  shall  observe  due  diligence  while discharging their duties and shall inform the users of computer resources not to host, display, upload, modify, publish, transmit, update or share any information that is harmful, objectionable, affect minors and unlawful in any way.

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