Lok Sabha Question No. 385 (STARRED), answered on 2022-03-30
Subject: Authentication of Social Media Accounts
Ministry: ELECTRONICS AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
Asked by: Abdul Khaleque

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF ELECTRONICS AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

## LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO.*385

TO BE ANSWERED ON: 30.03.2022

## AUTHENTICATION OF SOCIAL MEDIA ACCOUNTS

## *385.  SHRI ABDUL KHALEQUE:

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

- (a) whether the Government is planning to bring a law which will ensure and authenticate the social media accounts;
- (b) if so, the details thereof;
- (c)  whether  the  Government  is  considering  to  authenticate  social  media  accounts  through Aadhaar, Voter Cards and other official documents to rein in fake news; and
- (d) if so, the details thereof and if not, the details of the steps which the Government envisages to take in order to stop the spread of fake news?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER FOR ELECTRONICS AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY (SHRI ASHWINI VAISHNAW)

- (a)  to (d):    A Statement is laid on the Table of the House.

## STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO  LOK  SABHA  STARRED  QUESTION NO.  *385  FOR  30-03-2022  REGARDING  AUTHENTICATION  OF  SOCIAL  MEDIA ACCOUNTS

……

(a) and (b): Keeping with the aim to have an Open, Safe & Trusted and Accountable Internet, Government  has  notified  the  Information  Technology  (Intermediary  Guidelines  and  Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021 (IT Rules, 2021) under the  Information Technology Act (IT Act), 2000 to make social media platforms accountable to their users and enhance user safety online. As per the said Rules, the significant social media intermediary (SSMI) shall enable users who register for their services from India, or use their services in India, to voluntarily verify their accounts  by  using  any  appropriate  mechanism,  including  the  active  Indian  mobile  number  of such users,  and  where  any  user  voluntarily  verifies  their  account,  such  user  shall  be  provided with a demonstrable and visible mark of verification.

(c) and (d):  There is no proposal at present with the Ministry to bring a separate law to ensure and authenticate all the social media accounts or  for linking a Government identity with social media accounts of individuals.

Government is well aware of the risks and dangers posed by growing phenomena of fake news and dissemination of wrong  information through various social media platforms.  With Cyberspace being virtual, borderless, mostly anonymous and with  anyone being able to post, share,  communicate any message from anywhere across the world at any time,  it is  a global challenge to identify and stop spread of fake news on social media.

Government has taken several steps to address the challenges of misinformation  and rumours spreading via various online media platforms including social media, news channels and other online portals. These, inter alia , include:

- (i) The  above  said  IT  Rules,  2021  published  on  25 th February,  2021  require  that  the intermediaries  follow  certain  due  diligence  as  prescribed.  They  are  required  to  publish privacy policy and terms of use of their platform. They are required to inform their users not to host, display, upload, modify, publish, transmit, update or share any information that is harmful, objectionable, and unlawful in any way. They are also required to remove any unlawful content related to Article 19(2) of the Constitution of India or violative of any law,  as  and  when  brought  to  their  knowledge  either  through  a  court  order  or  through  a notice by appropriate government or its agency. The Rules also require that publishers of online news observe the Code of Ethics which includes adherence to :
-  Norms  of  Journalistic  Conduct  of  the  Press  Council  of  India  under  the  Press Council Act, 1978;
-  Programme Code under section 5 of the Cable Television Networks Regulation) Act, 1995;
-  Content which is prohibited under any law for the time being in force shall not be published or transmitted.
- (ii)  As  per  rule  4(2)  of  the  above  said  Rules,  a  Significant  Social  Media  Intermediary  (SSMI) primarily providing messaging service are  required to identify  the first originator of the information  for  the  purposes  of  prevention, detection,  investigation,  prosecution  or punishment of an offence related to the sovereignty and integrity of India, the security of the  State,  friendly  relations  with  foreign  States,  or  public  order,  or  of  incitement  to  an offence relating to the above, or in relation with rape, sexually explicit material or child sexual abuse material based on notice from  lawful agencies or on the orders of the court.
- (iii)  Under  section  69A  of  the  IT  Act,  Ministry  of  Electronics  and  Information  Technology (MeitY)  does  blocking  of  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.
- (iv)  A  Fact  Check  Unit  has  been  setup  under  Press  Information  Bureau  of  Ministry  of Information  and  Broadcasting  in  November,  2019.  This  Unit  takes  cognizance  of  fake news both suo-motu and by way of queries sent by citizens on its portal or through e-mail and whatsapp. The Unit responds to the relevant queries with correct information when the same pertains to Central Government or forwards them to States/UTs in other cases. The Unit also maintain social media accounts and posts cases of fake news, being busted, on the  same  on  regular  basis.  The  Fact  Check  Unit  of  PIB  covers  news  on  various  media platforms, including electronic media.
- (v) 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  rumours/fake  news.  A  dedicated website for information security awareness (https://www.infosecawareness.in) provides all the relevant awareness material.
- (vi)  MeitY  regularly  interacts  with  popular  social  media  intermediaries  and  issues  advisories from time to time including advisories issued in March, 2020 and in May, 2021 to curb availability of fake news related to Covid-19.

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