No proposal to appoint regulator for social media: Prasad

The government on Wednesday informed parliament that the IT ministry had no proposal to set up a regulator for social media.

Union IT and Communications Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad, however, said that the government has issued Information Technology (Intermediate Guidelines and Code of Conduct of Digital Media) Rules, 2021 under the IT Act, specifying the potential diligence to be followed by all intermediaries. . Social media intermediaries.

Mr. Prasad informed the Lok Sabha, “The social media platform has been attached to develop a robust grievance redressal system. At present, the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology has no proposal.”

The government announced broad rules in February for social media firms such as Facebook and Twitter and OTT players such as Netflix, which required them to remove any content flagged by authorities within 36 hours and set up a grievance redressal mechanism with an officer Was required. country.

The guidelines also make it mandatory for platforms such as Twitter and WhatsApp to identify the originator of a message that officials consider to be anti-national and against the security and sovereignty of the country.

The new rules related to the social media platform are to be regulated by the IT Ministry, while the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting will look into issues related to content on entertainment apps and online news portals.

Mr. Prasad said under the provision of Section 69A of the Information Technology Act, 2000, the government blocks illegal and malicious online content, including social media accounts, in the interest of India’s sovereignty and integrity, protecting India, security of the state, the benevolent . Relations with foreign states or public order or to prevent the commission of any cognizable offense related to the above.

“Under this provision, 9,849 URLs / accounts / webpages, mostly on social media platforms, were blocked during the year 2020,” Mr. Prasad said.

In response to the question whether the government has done any study about the effect of the government’s control on social media on the right to freedom of expression enshrined in the constitution, Prasad denied any such study conducted by the government.

He said that the government welcomes criticism, dissent and people’s rights to ask questions on social media.

“However, it is required to accept that the fundamental right to speech and expression under Article 19 (1) is also subject to reasonable restrictions under Article 19 (2) of the Constitution which can be imposed in the interest of safety, security and sovereignty Of India, public order, friendly relations with foreign countries, “Mr. Prasad said.

The minister said that it is equally important that social media should not be misused or misused to promote terrorism, promote violence and compromise the dignity of women.