Lok Sabha Question No. 322 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2021-02-03
Subject: Regulation of Social Media
Ministry: ELECTRONICS AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
Asked by: Raksha Nikhil Khadse

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF ELECTRONICS AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 322

TO BE ANSWERED ON: 03-02-2021

## REGULATION OF SOCIAL MEDIA

## 322.   SHRIMATI RAKSHA NIKHIL KHADSE:

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

(a)    whether  the  Government  proposes  to  regulate  digital  social  Media  platforms  like WhatsApp, Facebook, etc. and if so, the details thereof; and

(b)      the  steps  taken  by  the  Government  to  prevent  the  misuse  of  these  social  media platforms and other news media platforms and ensure the digital safety of users especially women?

## ANSWER

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

(a): The  social media  platforms are intermediaries as defined in the Information Technology  (IT)  Act,  2000.    Section  79  of  the  IT  Act,  2000  and  the  (Intermediaries 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 or directed under section 69A of the IT Act, 2000.

(b):  Government has taken several steps to prevent the misuse of social media platforms and other news media platforms and to ensure the digital safety of users especially women. These, inter alia, include:

(i) The Information Technology (IT) Act, 2000 has provisions to deal with cyber crime against children. Sections 66E, 67, 67A and 67B of the Act provides stringent punishment for publishing, browsing or transmitting of obscene, sexually explicit and child pornography  in electronic form. Further, sections 354A and 354D of Indian Penal Code, 1860 provide punishment for cyber bullying and cyber stalking.

(ii) Ministry  of  Home  Affairs  (MHA)  operates  a  National  Cyber  Crime  Reporting Portal, www.cybercrime.gov.in to enable citizens to online report complaints pertaining to all types of cyber crimes with special focus on cyber crimes against women and children. Complaints  reported  on  this  portal  are  attended  by  the  respective  Law  Enforcement Authorities of States. A nation-wide helpline number [155260] is also made functional to help public in filing complaints through the portal. MHA has also created a Twitter Handle 'Cyber  Dost'  to  spread  awareness  on  cyber  safety  and  cyber  security.  MHA  has  also published a Handbook for Adolescents/Students on Cyber Safety.

.......2/-

- (iii) 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. (iv) MeitY regularly interacts with social media platforms on issues related to spread of fake  news,  misinformation/disinformation on  Internet. Social  media  platforms  have implemented a number of steps to address the issue of fake news propagated using their platform. (v) MHA  has  issued  a  number  of  advisories  which  includes  advisory  on  untoward incidents  in  the  name  of  protection  of  cows  dated  09.08.2016,  advisory  on  cyber-crime prevention and control dated 13.01.2018 and  also an advisory on incidents of lynching by mobs in some States fueled by rumors of lifting/kidnapping of children dated 04.07.2018. (vi) MeitY through a program, namely,  Information Security Education & Awareness (ISEA), has been creating awareness among users highlighting the importance of following the  ethics  while  using  Internet  and  advising  them  not  to  share  rumors/fake  news.  A dedicated  website  for  information  security  awareness  (https://www.infosecawareness.in) provides relevant awareness material. Under the progamme,  21 awareness workshops on Information Security exclusively for women  have  been organized covering 2,083 participants. The topics/content covered in these workshops includes cyber security, cyber stalking,  online  shopping,  social  media  and  privacy,  password  management,  internet security, mobile security, browser security, online banking, instant messaging, etc. Besides this,  an  exclusive  handbook  namely 'Information  Security  Awareness  handbook  for Women',  'Cyber  Security  tips  for  Women' and  'Online  Safety  tips  for  Women@Home during  COVID  19'  have  been  designed.  The  awareness  content  designed/developed exclusively for women  have been made available for download on the website https://www.infosecawareness.in/women.

*******