New IT Rules Consider Removing Social Media Content Deemed 'Fake' by Government 3x5q3h Technology News

Any information identified as "fake or false" would be prohibited under the draft. 12354k

By Reuters | Updated: 19 January 2023 09:55 IST

New IT Rules Consider Removing Social Media Content Deemed 'Fake' by Government

Photo Credit: Pexels/ Tracy Le Blanc 1y1k6r

Social media platforms would have to ensure s do not host information deemed as false

Highlights

Government has been involved in tussles with various social media sites
In December, government blocked 94 YouTube channels spreading fake news
Information flagged as fake by PIB would be prohibited

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The government will not permit social media platforms to host any information that it identifies as false, according to a draft proposal of new IT rules released this week.

This is the latest in a slew of measures by Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government that are being seen as efforts to rein in big tech firms.

Any information identified as "fake or false" by the Press Information Bureau (PIB), or by any other agency authorised for fact-checking by the government or "by its department in which such business is transacted", would be prohibited under the draft.

Six YouTube Channels Exposed for Spreading False Information, PIB Tweets

Once information was identified as such, social media platforms or other "online intermediaries" would have to "make reasonable efforts" to ensure s do not "host, display, , modify, publish, transmit, store, update or share" such information, it added.

In October, the government announced a would be set up to hear complaints from s regarding content moderation decisions of social media firms, which are already required to appoint in-house grievance redressal officers and executives to co-ordinate with law enforcement officials.

The government has also repeatedly been involved in tussles with various platforms when they failed to heed demands that certain content or s be taken down for allegedly spreading misinformation.

Twitter Plea Against Government's Takedown Orders Adjourned by High Court

Last month, Indian government blocked 104 YouTube channels, 45 videos, four Facebook s, three Instagram s, five Twitter handles and six websites have been blocked for spreading misinformation and threatening national security. Union Minister Anurag Thakur had then said the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), under the provisions of Part-II of the IT Rules, had issued directions to block 1,643 -generated URLs, including webpages, websites, posts and s on social media platforms from 2021 to October 2022.

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