Lok Sabha Question No. 5145 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2019-07-24
Subject: Abuses on Social Media Platforms
Ministry: ELECTRONICS AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
Asked by: Rahul Ramesh Shewale, Sangeeta Kumari Singh Deo, Bhartruhari Mahtab

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF ELECTRONICS AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.5145

TO BE ANSWERED ON: 24.07.2019

## ABUSES ON SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS

## 5145. SHRI RAHUL RAMESH SHEWALE:

## SHRIMATI SANGEETA KUMARI SINGH DEO: SHRI BHARTRUHARI MAHTAB:

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

- (a)  whether the cases of abuses on social media platforms have increased in the country during each of the last three years and the current year and if so, the details thereof;
- (b)    the  mechanism  developed  by  the  Government  to  monitor  such  cases  before  they  are  reported  for action;
- (c)  whether the Government has penalized social media platform operator in such cases during the said period, if so, the details thereof, social media platform operator-wise and if not, the reasons therefor; and
- (d)  the other steps taken by the Government to prevent misuse of social media platform in the country?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER FOR ELECTRONICS AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY (SHRI RAVI SHANKAR PRASAD)

(a)and  (b)  :  Cyber  space  is  a  complex  environment  of  people,  software,  hardware  and  services  on  the Internet.  With  a  borderless  cyberspace  coupled  with  the  possibility  of  instant  communication  and anonymity, the potential for abuse of cyberspace and social media platforms is a global issue.

Section 69A of the Information Technology Act, 2000 empowers Government to block any information generated, transmitted, received, stored or hosted in any computer resource in the interest of sovereignty and integrity of India, defence of India, security of the State, friendly relations with foreign states or public order or for preventing incitement to the commission of any cognizable offence relating to above. Yearwise detail of no. of URLs blocked on social media platforms are as follows :

| Year                  |   No. of URLs ordered for blocking |
|-----------------------|------------------------------------|
| 2016                  |                                633 |
| 2017                  |                               1385 |
| 2018                  |                               2799 |
| 2019 (till June 2019) |                               2163 |

(c): 'Police'  and  'Public  Order'  are  State  subjects  as  per  the  Constitution  of  India  and  States  are primarily  responsible  for  prevention,  detection  and  investigation  of  cybercrimes  through  their  law enforcement  machinery.  The  Law  Enforcement  Agencies  take  legal  action  against  the  cyber-crime offenders  as  per  the  provisions  of  applicable  laws.  The  data  related  to  penalization  of  social  media platform operator is not maintained by MeitY.

(d): Government regularly interacts with social media platforms regarding the steps to be taken to make social  media  safer.  Ministry  of  Electronics  &  Information  Technology  (MeitY)  and  Ministry  of  Home Affairs (MHA) as well as Police are in regular touch with various social media platforms to effectively address the issue of removal of objectionable content

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