Lok Sabha Question No. 672 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2020-09-16
Subject: Regulation of Social Media Platforms
Ministry: ELECTRONICS AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
Asked by: Ravneet Singh

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF ELECTRONICS AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 672

TO BE ANSWERED ON 16.09.2020

## REGULATION  OF SOCIAL  MEDIA PLATFORMS

## 672.   SHRI RAVNEET SINGH BITTU:

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

(a) whether it is a fact that social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram etc. are being found to be increasingly used to incite violence and hatred in the  society;

(b) if so, the details of cases detected by the Government in the last three years, State/UT-wise along with the action taken by the Government in this regard;

(c) whether any steps are being taken by the Government to build any framework or regulatory guidelines to prevent misuse of these social media  platforms which pose a threat to the unity and integrity of the country; and

(d) if so, the details thereof and If not, the reasons therefor?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATES FOR ELECTRONICS AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY (SHRI SANJAY DHOTRE)

(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 misuse of cyberspace and social media platforms for criminal activities is a global issue. In line with increase of usage of Internet as also the growth of social media platforms, there are increasing number of incidents of reporting of such content having potential to incite violence and hatred.  Government has a well defined system of reporting and blocking for public access within the framework of section 69A of the Information Technology (IT) Act, 2000 and the Rules thereunder. Section 69A of the Act 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. The no. of websites/ webpages/ accounts blocked during the last 3 years are as follows :

|   Year | No. of websites/webpages/accounts Blocked   |
|--------|---------------------------------------------|
|   2017 | - 1385                                      |
|   2018 | - 2799                                      |
|   2019 | - 3635                                      |

The  blocking  of  information  for  public  access  power  is  vested  with  Central  Govt.  and  thus  data  for State/UT is not applicable.

(c) and(d) : The social media platforms are intermediaries as defined in the IT Act, 2000. Section 79 of the  Act  and  the  Information    Technology  (Intermediary  Guidelines)  Rules  2011  require  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, inter alia, grossly harmful, harassing, defamatory, libelous, invasive of another's privacy, hateful, or racially, ethnically objectionable, disparaging, or otherwise unlawful in any manner.   They are also expected to remove any unlawful content relatable to Article 19(2) of the Constitution of India as and when  brought  to  their  knowledge  either  through  a  court  order  or  through  a  notice  by  appropriate government or its agency.

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