India remains open to self-regulation of social media content, says minister
2 years, 1 month ago

India remains open to self-regulation of social media content, says minister

The Hindu  

India continues to favour a self-regulatory body for social media content disputes, a federal minister told Reuters, despite a lack of consensus among Big Tech companies to form a joint appeals panel. The government on Friday said it would set up an appeals panel amid concerns users had no recourse if they objected to moderation decisions of firms such as Meta, Twitter or Google. The move is seen as the latest attempt of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's administration to regulate Big Tech firms through policy changes that have often irked companies who complain about excessive compliance burden. India's Minister of State for IT, Rajeev Chandrasekhar, told Reuters in an interview on Saturday that New Delhi could still consider industry self-regulation as government-led reviews "is not something that we want to spend a lot of time doing".

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History of this topic

Doesn't match our culture: Minister for laws to curb social media vulgar content
3 weeks, 5 days ago

Doesn't match our culture: Minister for laws to curb social media vulgar content

India Today  

Union Information and Broadcasting Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw on Wednesday called for laws to curb objectionable content on social media and hoped that the Opposition would have a discussion on the same. The government has urged social media platforms to be more proactive in content moderation, especially when it comes to harmful or illegal content. It said that social media companies …

Chandrababu says misuse of social media biggest challenge
1 month ago

Chandrababu says misuse of social media biggest challenge

Deccan Chronicle  

Vijayawada:Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu on Saturday emphasised the need for effective measures to control harassment of people over social media. Calling this the biggest challenge, he wanted a debate on how such misuse of social media could be controlled and who should be given the responsibility for controlling social media. Chandrababu Naidu stressed the need for proper …

Anti-India narrative on social media: Why it’s time for government to counter online negativity
3 months, 1 week ago

Anti-India narrative on social media: Why it’s time for government to counter online negativity

Firstpost  

A wave of anti-India sentiment is flooding social media, distorting our global image. India can no longer afford silence and has to reclaim its narrative on the world stage Lately, social media has evolved into a platform where global narratives are created, shaped, and spread at turbo speed. A recent example is the “What’s wrong with India?” campaign on social …

DC Edit | Govts, leave social media alone
3 months, 3 weeks ago

DC Edit | Govts, leave social media alone

Deccan Chronicle  

What can governments do about social media platforms? Amid a developing scenario in which both free-speech advocates and authoritarian governments are protesting the treatment being meted out to the CEO of Telegram who is facing the rigour of the law in France, the Uttar Pradesh government has taken an unusual stand to use the social media for boosting its popularity …

Free Speech v. Digital Disinformation: How Is State Intervention In Social Media Content Moderation Being Navigated In USA & India
5 months, 2 weeks ago

Free Speech v. Digital Disinformation: How Is State Intervention In Social Media Content Moderation Being Navigated In USA & India

Live Law  

Recently, the United States Supreme Court in Moody v. NetChoice, LLC refrained from issuing what could have been a landmark judgment on a pivotal issue: whether states can enact laws that limit the power of social media companies to moderate content. This case revolved around the constitutionality of laws enacted by Texas and Florida that aimed to restrict social media …

Opinion: There’s a clear way to regulate Facebook, TikTok and other social media
9 months ago

Opinion: There’s a clear way to regulate Facebook, TikTok and other social media

LA Times  

Powerful technology has perhaps never presented a bigger set of regulatory challenges for the U.S. government. Congress can create an independent authority responsible for establishing and enforcing baseline safety and privacy rules for social media companies. At minimum, companies would be banned from accepting payment from terrorist groups looking to verify social media accounts, as the Tech Transparency Project found …

Parl panel discusses issues with tech firms in Mumbai
1 year, 2 months ago

Parl panel discusses issues with tech firms in Mumbai

Hindustan Times  

New Delhi: The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Communications and Information Technology on Monday met senior officials from all major social media platforms and discussed monopolistic practices, content and ad moderation, election misinformation, promotion algorithms and parental control, among others, people aware of the matter said. The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Communications and Information Technology meets representatives of all major social …

No matter how laudable the new IT Rules are, if the effect is unconstitutional, they must go: Bombay High Court
1 year, 5 months ago

No matter how laudable the new IT Rules are, if the effect is unconstitutional, they must go: Bombay High Court

The Hindu  

The Bombay High Court on Thursday said that no matter how laudable or high the motives are while framing the new Information Technology Rules, if the effect of a rule or law is unconstitutional then it must go. A division bench of justices Gautam Patel and Neela Gokhale was hearing a bunch of petitions filed by political satirist Kunal Kamra, …

World Press Freedom Day | How free speech in India is compromised by government control over platforms: Book excerpt from ‘Caged Tiger: How Too Much Government is Holding Indians Back’ by Subhashish B
1 year, 7 months ago

World Press Freedom Day | How free speech in India is compromised by government control over platforms: Book excerpt from ‘Caged Tiger: How Too Much Government is Holding Indians Back’ by Subhashish B

The Hindu  

Published : May 03, 2023 07:00 IST - 6 MINS READ In December 2004, the Delhi Police arrested Avnish Bajaj, the CEO of Baazee.com, because someone in Kharagpur, West Bengal, tried to sell through the website video copies of two Delhi-based students having sex. Social media companies, a term left vague and expansive, need to take down content within 36 …

New IT Rules provide an evidence-based-fact-checking system for fake news, says Centre
1 year, 8 months ago

New IT Rules provide an evidence-based-fact-checking system for fake news, says Centre

The Hindu  

The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology termed as “premature” political satirist Kunal Kamra’s plea challenging the constitutional validity of the Information Technology Amendment Rules, 2023 and said the Rules are in “public interest” and provide an evidence-based-fact-checking system for a mechanism to deal with fake or false or misleading information resulting in riots, mob lynching and other heinous crimes. …

Musk ‘not aware’ about Twitter deleting content on BBC's Modi documentary
1 year, 8 months ago

Musk ‘not aware’ about Twitter deleting content on BBC's Modi documentary

Hindustan Times  

Twitter CEO Elon Musk on Wednesday said that some rules related to social media are ‘quite strict’ in India while adding that he is not aware about ‘what exactly happened’ when Twitter took down content related to a documentary critical to Prime Minister Narendra Modi. don't know what exactly happened with some content situation in India," Musk told UK-based British …

Portal opened for complaints against decisions of social media platforms
1 year, 9 months ago

Portal opened for complaints against decisions of social media platforms

The Hindu  

The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology on February 28 launched the Grievance Appellate Committee portal under the IT Rules, 2021, allowing people who are dissatisfied with complaints to social media companies on content takedown requests, to be heard by one of three Committees constituted by the government. The Information Technology Rules, 2021 were amended last year to require social …

India panel recommends digital competition act to rein in Big Tech
2 years ago

India panel recommends digital competition act to rein in Big Tech

The Hindu  

An Indian parliamentary panel on Thursday recommended the government enact a digital competition act to regulate anti-competitive business practices by Big Tech companies on its platforms. Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government has had strained relations with many large technology companies, and New Delhi has been tightening the regulation of firms such as Facebook, YouTube and Twitter. "The Committee recommend that …

New IT rules to put more obligations on social media platforms to act against unlawful content, misinformation: Rajeev Chandrasekhar
2 years, 1 month ago

New IT rules to put more obligations on social media platforms to act against unlawful content, misinformation: Rajeev Chandrasekhar

The Hindu  

IT Minister Rajeev Chandrasekhar on October 29 said the latest amendment of IT rules will put more definite due diligence obligations on social media companies to make efforts that no unlawful content or misinformation is posted on their platforms. The government on October 28 notified rules under which it will set up appellate panels to redress grievances that users may …

Through the looking glass: The power of economic reforms in shaping businesses
2 years, 2 months ago

Through the looking glass: The power of economic reforms in shaping businesses

Firstpost  

India has one of the world’s largest start-up ecosystems, with over 70,000 start-ups. The big two India has one of the world’s largest start-up ecosystems, with the number of start-ups in the country above 70,000, according to the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade. However, one of the key challenges that start-ups face in India is the country’s …

Why is there a growing unease between the govt and Big Tech in India?
2 years, 5 months ago

Why is there a growing unease between the govt and Big Tech in India?

Business Standard  

The confrontation between big tech companies and the Indian government over the country’s new IT rules escalated on Tuesday after Twitter moved the Karnataka High Court challenging the IT ministry’s order to remove content and block multiple accounts on the US microblogging platform. Twitter would risk losing its safe harbour protection under the intermediary rules if it refuses to comply …

Twitter to India court: Overturn gov’t orders to remove content
2 years, 5 months ago

Twitter to India court: Overturn gov’t orders to remove content

Al Jazeera  

The US company’s attempt to get a judicial review of some Indian gov’t orders is part of a growing confrontation. Twitter has asked an Indian court to overturn some government orders to remove content from the social media platform, a source familiar with the matter said, in a legal challenge which alleges abuse of power by officials. Twitter has been …

Justice Pardiwala calls for regulation of social media, says it's overrun by 'half truths'
2 years, 5 months ago

Justice Pardiwala calls for regulation of social media, says it's overrun by 'half truths'

India Today  

Justice JB Pardiwala, part of the Supreme Court bench that rapped former BJP spokesperson Nupur Sharma for remark on Prophet Muhammad, called for strict regulations of social media, claiming that media trials are not healthy for rule of law. During a virtual address on Sunday, Justice JB Pardiwala said social media is overrun by people "possessing half truth and information" …

Control and delete: The Hindu Editorial on government appellate panels for social media
2 years, 6 months ago

Control and delete: The Hindu Editorial on government appellate panels for social media

The Hindu  

The Government’s plan to set up a panel that can overturn content moderation decisions made by social media platforms is problematic in many ways. The trigger for these Government-appointed committees to come to life will be, say, an appeal by a social media user who feels aggrieved by an order of the platform’s grievance officer. But this is exactly what …

India is considering a panel to rule on social media takedowns
2 years, 6 months ago

India is considering a panel to rule on social media takedowns

Al Jazeera  

Digital rights activists warn the move will increase direct gov’t control over social media platforms in India. Apar Gupta, executive director of the Internet Freedom Foundation, a nonprofit that advocates for digital rights, tweeted that should the move go through, it will “increase” direct government control over social media platforms. Rather than curing defects highlighted by Courts, they increase direct …

India's Social Media Guidelines Won't Change With Elon Musk's Twitter Takeover: MoS IT Rajeev Chandrasekhar
2 years, 7 months ago

India's Social Media Guidelines Won't Change With Elon Musk's Twitter Takeover: MoS IT Rajeev Chandrasekhar

ABP News  

New Delhi: Union Minister Rajeev Chandrasekhar said on Wednesday that the government's guidelines for social media platforms would not change despite billionaire Elon Musk's acquisition of Twitter. "Despite Elon Musk's takeover of Twitter, IT guidelines governing the social media platforms remain the same. READ | '@elonmusk Blocked You': Twitter Users Blocked By Him Call Out 'Free Speech Absolutist' Elon Musk …

Sri Lanka crisis: Government restores access to social media following backlash
2 years, 8 months ago

Sri Lanka crisis: Government restores access to social media following backlash

The Hindu  

Sri Lanka restored access to social media sites and messaging apps on Sunday afternoon, after its early morning decision to block usage sparked wide criticism. Condemning the social media ban, the Bar Association of Sri Lanka said it was a “vital aspect” of the freedom of expression of people, and “as important as traditional media”. The Human Rights Commission of …

In Perspective | The only answer to India vs Big Tech on moderation
2 years, 10 months ago

In Perspective | The only answer to India vs Big Tech on moderation

Hindustan Times  

Last week, news agency Reuters reported what it described as a “heated meeting” between Indian government officials and big technology companies Google, Facebook, and Twitter on fake news and content moderation. Quoting unnamed sources, the news agency said India’s information and broadcasting ministry criticised the companies for dragging their feet on fake news, which forced India to point out content …

'Social Media Made Posting Hate Speech Difficult in US, Not So in India': Union Min Vaishnaw Calls for Better Self-regulation
2 years, 10 months ago

'Social Media Made Posting Hate Speech Difficult in US, Not So in India': Union Min Vaishnaw Calls for Better Self-regulation

News 18  

Social media platforms should show improvement in accountability and self-regulation, said Ashwini Vaishnaw, Union Minister of Railways, Communications and Electronics & Information Technology, in an interview on Sunday. Vaishnaw said taking action for potential misuse of the platform in terms of igniting law and order situations, compromising people’s dignity is “non-negotiable”. What is the grievances redressal mechanism?” Vaishnaw responded to …

Children and social media traps
2 years, 10 months ago

Children and social media traps

The Hindu  

R eading the newspaper one recent morning, I was struck by a headline: “Meta sued over 11-year-old’s suicide”. It’s indeed scary that our children like to spend more time on these social media platforms than with us parents. In the U.S. Congress, a former Facebook employee-turned-whistleblower Frances Haugen said these photo-sharing and messaging apps do have deliberately designed algorithms that …

A Review On IT Rules 2021: A Positive Or A Negative Restriction On Digital Media And OTT Platforms?
3 years, 1 month ago

A Review On IT Rules 2021: A Positive Or A Negative Restriction On Digital Media And OTT Platforms?

Live Law  

The Information technology Rules, 2021 was released by the Indian Government to regulate the social media platforms, digital media platforms and the OTT platforms. government through a press release had expressed its view that that because of the widespread concern with respect to the issues relating to the digital contents both on digital media and the OTT Platforms various PIL …

SC expresses concern over section of media for communalising news, 'bringing bad name to India'
3 years, 3 months ago

SC expresses concern over section of media for communalising news, 'bringing bad name to India'

Firstpost  

Solicitor-General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the Centre, said IT Rules have been framed to regulate content online, including web portals. New Delhi: A section of media gives communal colour to news bringing bad name to the country, the Supreme Court rued on Thursday, expressing serious concern over fake news on social media including web portals and YouTube which listen only …

Big Tech Is Bending to the Indian Government’s Will
3 years, 4 months ago

Big Tech Is Bending to the Indian Government’s Will

Wired  

As Indian democracy crumbles day upon day under the grasp of Narendra Modi, social media platforms have functioned in lieu of a free press. As Reporters Without Borders recently noted, journalists in India “risk dismissal if they criticize the government.” Since Modi took control in 2014, India’s ranking on the World Press Freedom Index has fallen every year, plateauing at …

'Effort to Divert Attention': Centre on Twitter's Concerns Over Freedom of Speech in India
3 years, 5 months ago

'Effort to Divert Attention': Centre on Twitter's Concerns Over Freedom of Speech in India

News 18  

The Government of India has said that Twitter’s statement expressing concerns over freedom of expression and safety of its employees in India was an effort to divert attention from its non-compliance with Indian laws at that stage. Twitter in a statement on May 27, in the midst of a tussle with the government, had expressed concerns over the potential threat …

India internet law adds to fears over online speech, privacy
3 years, 5 months ago

India internet law adds to fears over online speech, privacy

Associated Press  

NEW DELHI — It began in February with a tweet by pop star Rihanna that sparked widespread condemnation of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s handling of massive farmer protests near the capital, souring an already troubled relationship between the government and Twitter. “India’s plans for the internet appear to be like that of a closed ecosystem like China,” said Raheel …

India’s internet law adds to fears over online speech, privacy
3 years, 5 months ago

India’s internet law adds to fears over online speech, privacy

Al Jazeera  

Law puts digital platforms such as Twitter and Facebook under direct government oversight, but critics worry it may lead to outright censorship. ‘Closed ecosystem like China’ “India’s plans for the internet appear to be like that of a closed ecosystem like China,” said Raheel Khursheed, co-founder of Laminar Global and Twitter India’s former head of politics, policy and government. “Twitter’s …

GOI slams Twitter in Delhi HC for failing to fully comply with IT Rules 2021
3 years, 5 months ago

GOI slams Twitter in Delhi HC for failing to fully comply with IT Rules 2021

Op India  

The central government has told the Delhi High Court, Monday, that in spite of 3 months time granted to all SSMIs to comply with the IT Rules 2021, having expired on May 26, Twitter Inc has failed to fully comply with the same, news agency ANI reported. In its affidavit, Centre tells Delhi High Court, “In spite of 3 months …

Twitter has failed to comply with law of land, Centre tells Delhi High Court
3 years, 5 months ago

Twitter has failed to comply with law of land, Centre tells Delhi High Court

India Today  

The Centre on Monday told the Delhi High Court that Twitter had failed to comply with the new Information Technology Rules, which are law of the land. The Centre said Twitter was a “significant social media intermediary” which was obliged to comply with the IT Rules 2021. In its affidavit, the Centre said, “Twitter Inc failed to comply with new …

'Misplaced, exaggerated and disingenuous': India's response to UNHRC's criticism of new IT rules
3 years, 6 months ago

'Misplaced, exaggerated and disingenuous': India's response to UNHRC's criticism of new IT rules

Firstpost  

Stating that new IT rules are ‘designed to empower ordinary users of social media’, India on Sunday dismissed criticism by three UN special rapporteurs and said that the country’s democratic credentials are well recognised New Delhi: India has dismissed criticism of its new IT rules relating to social media by three UN special rapporteurs on rights issues, saying the country’s …

New IT rules necessitated by social media abuse: India to UN Special Rapporteurs
3 years, 6 months ago

New IT rules necessitated by social media abuse: India to UN Special Rapporteurs

India Today  

The Indian government has told the United Nations Human Rights Council that the formulation of new IT rules for social media companies was necessitated by the concerns over increased instances of abuse of new media platforms including inducement for recruitment of terrorists, obscene content, financial frauds and incitement of violence. In a letter to the secretariat of the council, the …

Shashi Tharoor-led Parliamentary panel to question Twitter over 'misuse' today
3 years, 6 months ago

Shashi Tharoor-led Parliamentary panel to question Twitter over 'misuse' today

India TV News  

A parliamentary panel headed by Congress leader Shashi Tharoor will question top officials of the micro blogging site Twitter to know their views on prevention of misuse of the social media platform. The social media giants Twitter and Facebook has been summoned to depose before it on Friday on issues related to misuse of the platforms and protection of citizens’ …

Don't preach us on Democracy: Ravi Shankar Prasad blasts Twitter for non-compliance
3 years, 6 months ago

Don't preach us on Democracy: Ravi Shankar Prasad blasts Twitter for non-compliance

India TV News  

Union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad has said that social media platform Twitter should not "preach us on democracy" as he said that India has the proud distinction of being the world's largest and the most vibrant democracy. Speaking to India TV, Prasad said that the government will not ban Twitter and that the platform has to follow the rules, else …

Twitter India loses intermediary status, can now be prosecuted for content. UP Police file first FIR
3 years, 6 months ago

Twitter India loses intermediary status, can now be prosecuted for content. UP Police file first FIR

Op India  

Note: Later reports suggests the main accused’s name is Parvez Gujjar and not Parvesh Gujjar. Social Media giant Twitter has lost its intermediary status in India for not complying with the new Information Technology Rules, which came into force on May 26, reports Times of India. According to the reports, as Twitter India did not comply with IT rules enforced …

India accuses Twitter of not complying with new IT rules
3 years, 6 months ago

India accuses Twitter of not complying with new IT rules

Al Jazeera  

Standoff between government and Twitter escalates after technology minister accuses social media giant of deliberately not complying with local laws. India’s technology minister says Twitter Inc deliberately defied and failed to comply with the country’s new IT rules, which became effective in late May. Technology Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad on Wednesday said Twitter has chosen “the path of deliberate defiance” …

Intermediary Rules 2021 – Not Liberal
3 years, 6 months ago

Intermediary Rules 2021 – Not Liberal

Live Law  

The Government of India has recently notified the Information Technology Rules, 2021. Rule 3 – Lack of Procedural Safeguards Rule 3 of the 2021 Rules deals with the due diligence to be observed by both social media intermediaries and significant social media intermediaries while discharging its duty. Rule 4 additionally requires a significant social media intermediary to endeavor to deploy …

Twitter needs India and Nigeria to grow. It’s running into trouble in both
3 years, 6 months ago

Twitter needs India and Nigeria to grow. It’s running into trouble in both

CNN  

New Delhi CNN Business — Twitter is under siege in two countries that are critical for its global growth plans. Even though almost 40 million Nigerians have a Twitter account — more than the entire population of Ghana — there are some geopolitical considerations that might have influenced Twitter’s decision.Ghana ranked 13 places higher than Nigeria in 2019 on the …

Twitter vs Govt of India: Importance of SM and what is the road ahead
3 years, 6 months ago

Twitter vs Govt of India: Importance of SM and what is the road ahead

Op India  

Today, when the whole world is confronted with an unprecedented crisis due to the COVID19 pandemic, another crisis has emerged over the ‘penetrative’ role of social media platforms in India. Considering the kind of enormous outreach of social media, platforms such as Twitter have started to act arbitrarily to become a state within a state Twitter decided to defy an …

Twitter and the Centre must both comply with Indian law
3 years, 6 months ago

Twitter and the Centre must both comply with Indian law

Live Mint  

The debate over social media has been vociferous, but the discourse on the tussle between Twitter, in particular, and India’s government over the Information Technology Rules, 2021, has been defined by two parallel narratives. Twitter as a private company is entitled to frame and implement policies and rules for those who wish to use its platform, as long as these …

The case for social media to be closely regulated is clear
3 years, 6 months ago

The case for social media to be closely regulated is clear

Live Mint  

Are social media firms exceeding their limits? Barring China, where major American social media outlets are banned, pretty much the entire world is caught in a moment of great introspection about the conduct of these all-pervasive companies. After the hotly-contested decision by Facebook, Instagram and Twitter to suspend the then US president Donald Trump’s accounts in January 2021 on grounds …

Intermediary Status: Socially Available, Legally Endangered
3 years, 6 months ago

Intermediary Status: Socially Available, Legally Endangered

Live Law  

The Information Technology Rules, 2021 came into force on 25 February 2021, superseeding the Information Technology Rules, 2011 framed under the Information Technology Act, 2000. Unlike the Previous Guidelines, the New Guidelines introduced a new sub-category named 'social media intermediary' to regulate the content published on social media. The New Guidelines prescribe certain additional compliances for social media intermediaries if …

Twitter seeks more time from govt to comply with new IT rules
3 years, 6 months ago

Twitter seeks more time from govt to comply with new IT rules

India TV News  

Social media platform Twitter is learnt to have approached the government seeking more time to comply with the new IT rules. In its notice, the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology had said that Twitter's refusal to comply with the rules demonstrated the micro-blogging site's "lack of commitment and efforts towards providing a safe experience for the people of India …

New IT rules only to tackle misuse of social media, give users redressal mechanism, says Ravi Shankar Prasad
3 years, 6 months ago

New IT rules only to tackle misuse of social media, give users redressal mechanism, says Ravi Shankar Prasad

The Hindu  

Amid Twitter and WhatsApp pushing back against the government’s new rules for social media platforms, IT and Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said the rules only benefit the over 100 crore users of such platforms by giving them a means to address their grievances. Rules give redressal mechanism to users, says Prasad With Twitter and WhatsApp up in arms against …

Indian Govt Asks Twitter to Comply With IT Rules or Face 'Unintended Consequences'
3 years, 6 months ago

Indian Govt Asks Twitter to Comply With IT Rules or Face 'Unintended Consequences'

News 18  

India has told Twitter it has one last chance to comply with new IT rules, or face “unintended consequences” according to a copy of an official letter seen by Reuters. India’s technology ministry wrote to Twitter on May 26 and May 28 on the new rules, but the company’s responses “neither address the clarifications sought by this ministry nor indicate …

Govt issues one last notice to Twitter to comply with IT rules
3 years, 6 months ago

Govt issues one last notice to Twitter to comply with IT rules

India Today  

The government on Saturday issued a notice to Twitter giving it one last chance to “immediately” comply with the new IT rules and warned that failure to adhere to the norms will lead to the platform losing exemption from liability under the IT Act. The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology said that Twitter's refusal to comply with the rules …

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