Lok Sabha Question No. 586 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2022-07-20
Subject: Regime for Social Media Companies
Ministry: ELECTRONICS AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
Asked by: Asaduddin Owaisi

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF ELECTRONICS AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION 586

TO BE ANSWERED ON 20.07.2022

## REGIME FOR SOCIAL MEDIA COMPANIES

## 586.     SHRI ASADUDDIN OWAISI:

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

- (a)  whether  the  Government  in  February  2021  came  out  with  new  accountable  regime  for social media companies through updated IT (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital media Ethics Code) Rule 2021;
- (b) if so, whether these rules are not sufficient to keep a check on the unlawful, inflammatory and illegal content and conversation on such platform;
- (c)  whether  the  Government  proposes  to  enhance  the  accountability  for  social  media companies by amending IT laws; and
- (d) if so, the details thereof and the steps taken or being taken by the Government to ensure that right of expression is not hampered by amending the IT rules of social media?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE FOR ELECTRONICS AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY (SHRI RAJEEV CHANDRASEKHAR)

(a) : All  the  policies  of  the  Government  are  aimed  at  ensuring  Open,  Safe&Trusted  and Accountable internet for its users. The Government has notified the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Codes) Rules, 2021 ('IT Rules, 2021') on 25 th February, 2021 to make intermediaries including social media platforms accountable to their  users  and  enhance  user  safety  online.  These  new  Rules  overhauled  the  then  existing framework  for  intermediaries  and  introduced  certain  obligations  to  make  them  more accountable to the citizens and the government and also being transparent in their services to the users.

(b): As  per the IT Rules, 2021, the online intermediaries including Social  media intermediaries have been mandated to develop a robust grievance redressal system for their users.  They  are  required  to  publish  privacy  policy,  rules  and  regulations  and  terms  and conditions. They are also expected to remove any unlawful content as and when brought to their knowledge either through a court order or through a notice by appropriate government or its authorized agency. They are also expected to act on any information violative of their policies as and when it comes to their knowledge.

(c):  Government policies and rulemaking are committed to ensure an Open, Safe & Trusted and Accountable Internet for its users. As the Internet access continues to rapidly expand in India, new issues related to the above commitments also keep emerging.  As the digital ecosystem continues to evolve at a fast pace, new challenges are being emerging in the cyberspace every day.  To deal with such new and emerging issues, as well as to keep pace with the evolving cyber space, the Government has proposed to further update the part-II of the IT Rules, 2021.

(d): Freedom of speech and expression is a constitutionally guaranteed right under Article 19(1). Neither the Information Technology (IT) Act nor the above said Rules contravene any of these rights.

******