{"id":113453,"date":"2021-06-19T10:52:24","date_gmt":"2021-06-19T05:22:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blog.forumias.com\/?p=113453"},"modified":"2021-06-21T15:54:52","modified_gmt":"2021-06-21T10:24:52","slug":"rationale-behind-new-information-technology-rules-2021","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/rationale-behind-new-information-technology-rules-2021\/","title":{"rendered":"Rationale behind New Information Technology Rules, 2021"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p><b>Synopsis<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">:<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Social media is a direct product of the globalized internet, which connects people all over the globe. It significantly impacts economic, social, and political discourse in a country. Hence, the government formulated new Information Technology Rules, 2021 to regulate them and prevent their misuse.<\/span><\/p>\n<h5><b>Background<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">:<\/span><\/h5>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The internet has revolutionized the world, and we are now in the process of a transition from the industrial to the internet age.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This transition would affect how we see economics, politics, society, governance, democracy, and our fundamental rights. Therefore, it becomes imperative to improve the regulatory framework over the internet and social media.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It is in this context that <a href=\"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/new-it-rules-for-social-media-and-its-challenges\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">new Information Technology Rules, 2021<\/a> were formulated by the Government of India.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h5><b>About Social Media<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">:<\/span><\/h5>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Social media is a direct product of the globalised internet which connects people all over the globe.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It allows people to converse with each other through profiles both known and anonymous. It allows the transmission of information in real-time across the world.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h5><b>Information Technology Rules, 2021 related to Social Media:<\/b><\/h5>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Social media companies are prohibited from hosting or publishing any unlawful information.\u00a0<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Information obtained in relation to the interest of the sovereignty and integrity of India, public order, friendly relations with foreign countries, etc. can be deemed unlawful. The government can <\/span><b>order takedown<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> of such information within 24 hours.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The user should be <\/span><b>given a notice<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> before its content is taken down.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The government can direct messaging platforms to tie the identity of the user with the message transmitted by him\/her for strengthening <\/span><b>traceability<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The rules call for social media companies to publish<\/span><b> a monthly compliance report<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> as well.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Social media platforms are classified into <\/span><b>two categories <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">&#8211; social media intermediaries and significant social media intermediaries, the latter being platforms with a large user base.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The significant social media intermediaries will be obliged to follow some additional measures like:<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Appointing a Chief Compliance Officer, Nodal Contact Person, and a Resident Grievance Officer in India. All of them should be Indian Residents.<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The chief Compliance Officer shall be responsible for ensuring compliance with the Act and Rules.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Nodal Contact Person will do 24\u00d77 coordination with law enforcement agencies.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Resident Grievance Officer shall receive and resolve complaints from users. The officer must acknowledge the complaint within 24 hours, and resolve it within 15 days of receipt.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">These platforms should also have a physical contact address in India, which should be notified on the website and apps.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h5><b>Rationale behind New Social Media Rules:<\/b><\/h5>\n<ol>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><b>First<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, the rules invoke <\/span><b>a minimum regulatory standard <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">on social media. This brings it to par with newspapers, magazines, and websites that are responsible for the content published over them.\u00a0<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The companies are<\/span><b> still considered as an intermediary and continue to enjoy immunity under Section 79<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> of the <a href=\"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/information-technology-act-of-india-2000\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Information Technology Act.<\/a><\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Section 79 states that an intermediary shall not be liable for any third-party information hosted by it if it duly follows the guidelines released by the government.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Further, they have screening teams that can duly remove objectionable content.\u00a0<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">For instance, Twitter deleted some tweets of former US President Donald Trump in January 2021 and later suspended his account.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><b>Second<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, the freedom of speech enjoyed over social media is derived from Article 19(1)(a) of the Indian Constitution. It is <\/span><b>subject to the restriction of Article 19(2)<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> that includes public order, security of the state, defamation, etc. grounds. Hence, due restrictions can be imposed on social media.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><b>Third<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, social media has become<\/span><b> a public square in which the most important conversations on politics and society are discussed<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. Therefore, its regulation becomes imperative for overall societal wellbeing.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><b>Fourth<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, social media is a <\/span><b>commercial product<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> that is being offered with the objective of money-making. Hence, it should be regulated like other commercial products.<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The fact that a commercial product could be used for a social purpose does not make the product a social good.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><b>Fifth<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, the big social media companies <\/span><b>sometimes attempt to regulate the policies of the government as per their will<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. This may grow into economic exploitation and political intervention on a grand scale if not duly regulated.\u00a0<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Large-scale intervention can lead to disastrous results, as was shown by the East India Company\u2019s dominant control in the past which led to India\u2019s colonisation.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p><b>Source<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: <a href=\"https:\/\/indianexpress.com\/article\/opinion\/columns\/social-media-new-it-rules-twitter-facebook-instagram-7363947\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Click Here<\/a>\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><strong>\u00a0Read Also :-<a class=\"seoquake-params-link\" href=\"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/new-social-media-rules-an-analysis\/\" rel=\"0438b55f x_url\">New social media rules &#8211; an analysis<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Synopsis: Social media is a direct product of the globalized internet, which connects people all over the globe. It significantly impacts economic, social, and political discourse in a country. Hence, the government formulated new Information Technology Rules, 2021 to regulate them and prevent their misuse. Background: The internet has revolutionized the world, and we are&hellip; <a class=\"more-link\" href=\"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/rationale-behind-new-information-technology-rules-2021\/\">Continue reading <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Rationale behind New Information Technology Rules, 2021<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":61,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1230,9],"tags":[1293],"class_list":["post-113453","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-9-pm-daily-articles","category-public","tag-sec_1","entry"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","views":{"total":0,"cached_at":"","cached_date":1704905826},"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/113453","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/61"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=113453"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/113453\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=113453"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=113453"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=113453"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}