Centre Proposes Amendments to IT Rules to Extend Oversight to Social Media Users Posting News Content

In a significant move aimed at tightening regulation over digital content, the Central Government has proposed amendments to the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021, seeking to expand compliance obligations of intermediaries and extend regulatory oversight to even ordinary users who post or share news and current affairs content on social media platforms.

Key Proposal by the Government

The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) on March 30, 2026, released draft amendments (Second Amendment Rules, 2026), inviting public comments.

The proposed changes aim to:

Make government advisories, directions, and guidelines legally binding on intermediaries
Expand the scope of regulation beyond publishers to include non-publisher users sharing news content
Strengthen the enforceability of government directions and improve legal clarity

Extension of Rules to Social Media Users

One of the most significant changes proposed is the expansion of the regulatory framework to cover users who are not officially classified as “publishers” but:

Post
Share
Circulate

news and current affairs content on social media platforms.

Earlier, the Digital Media Ethics Code primarily applied to registered publishers and OTT platforms. The amendment now proposes to bring user-generated news content within its ambit.

Expansion of Government Oversight Mechanism

The draft proposes amendments to Rule 8(1), which would extend:

The Inter-Departmental Committee (IDC) mechanism
Procedures for blocking content
Emergency blocking powers

to both intermediaries and user-generated news content.

This effectively enables the government to issue directions for blocking or regulating content shared even by individuals, not just media organisations.

Binding Nature of Government Directions

A major shift under the proposal is that:

Government advisories, clarifications, and directions will no longer remain mere guidance
Non-compliance may lead to loss of “safe harbour” protection for intermediaries

Safe harbour is the legal immunity that protects platforms from liability for user-generated content.

Context: Increasing Regulation of Digital Space

The proposal builds upon earlier amendments in 2026 which:

Mandated labelling of AI-generated content such as deepfakes
Reduced the timeline for content takedown from 36 hours to 3 hours
Imposed stricter due diligence obligations on platforms

These developments reflect the government’s broader effort to enhance accountability and transparency in the digital ecosystem.

Concerns Raised by Experts

Digital rights groups and experts have raised concerns that:

The amendments may blur the distinction between users and publishers
A wide range of online expression could be classified as “news”
The rules may lead to increased censorship and executive control over online speech

Some critics have described the move as expanding state power over digital discourse, potentially impacting freedom of speech under Article 19(1)(a).

Public Consultation Process

The government has invited public comments on the draft rules, with the deadline later extended to April 29, 2026, following requests from stakeholders for more time to review the proposals.

Significance

If implemented, the amendments would mark a major shift in India’s digital regulatory framework, with implications for:

Social media users
Digital platforms
Online journalism and citizen reporting

The changes could redefine how news and current affairs content is regulated in the age of social media.

सोशल मीडिया यूज़र्स पर भी लागू होंगे IT Rules? केंद्र सरकार ने प्रस्तावित किए बड़े संशोधन

केंद्र सरकार ने Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021 में संशोधन का प्रस्ताव रखा है, जिसके तहत सोशल मीडिया पर समाचार और समसामयिक विषयों से संबंधित सामग्री पोस्ट करने वाले सामान्य यूज़र्स को भी नियमों के दायरे में लाने की योजना है।

सरकार का प्रस्ताव

MeitY ने 30 मार्च 2026 को ड्राफ्ट संशोधन जारी किया, जिसमें प्रस्ताव है कि:

सरकारी निर्देश और सलाह अब कानूनी रूप से बाध्यकारी होंगे
नियमों का दायरा बढ़ाकर साधारण यूज़र्स तक किया जाएगा

यूज़र्स पर बढ़ेगा दायरा

अब तक ये नियम मुख्य रूप से:

न्यूज़ पब्लिशर्स
OTT प्लेटफॉर्म

पर लागू होते थे।

प्रस्तावित संशोधन के बाद:

सोशल मीडिया यूज़र्स द्वारा शेयर की गई खबरें भी नियमन के दायरे में आएंगी

सरकारी नियंत्रण का विस्तार

संशोधन के तहत:

Inter-Departmental Committee की शक्तियां बढ़ेंगी
कंटेंट ब्लॉक करने की प्रक्रिया
आपातकालीन ब्लॉकिंग अधिकार

अब यूज़र्स के कंटेंट पर भी लागू होंगे

सेफ हार्बर पर असर

नियमों का पालन न करने पर प्लेटफॉर्म का सेफ हार्बर संरक्षण खत्म हो सकता है

चिंताएं

विशेषज्ञों का कहना है कि:

इससे अभिव्यक्ति की स्वतंत्रता प्रभावित हो सकती है
सामान्य पोस्ट भी “समाचार” की श्रेणी में आ सकते हैं
सेंसरशिप बढ़ने की आशंका है

महत्व

यदि यह संशोधन लागू होता है, तो:

डिजिटल कंटेंट का नियमन काफी सख्त हो जाएगा
आम यूज़र्स भी कानूनी दायरे में आ जाएंगे
सोशल मीडिया की प्रकृति में बड़ा बदलाव आ सकता है