Don’t host obscene, vulgar content on online platforms: Centre to tech companies

The ministry has also directed platforms to carry out an immediate review of their internal compliance frameworks.

The Ministry of Electronics and IT has sent an advisory to online platforms, including social media companies, asking them not to host obscene, or vulgar content, calling for “greater rigour” in adhering to provisions of the law. The ministry has also directed platforms to carry out an immediate review of their internal compliance frameworks.

“…certain categories of content circulating on social media and other intermediary platforms may not be in compliance with applicable laws relating to decency and obscenity given rise to concerns among different sections of society regarding the responsible use of digital platforms and the need for continued adherence to the constitutional framework governing freedom of speech and expression,” MeitY said in the advisory.

It said there is a need for greater consistency and rigour in the observance of due diligence obligations by intermediaries, particularly in relation to the identification, reporting and expeditious removal of content that is obscene, indecent, vulgar, pornographic, paedophilic, harmful to children or otherwise unlawful.

“…intermediaries shall not permit the hosting, displaying, uploading, publication, transmission, storage, sharing of any content that is obscene, pornographic, vulgar, indecent, sexually explicit, paedophilic, or otherwise prohibited under any law… and undertake an immediate review of their internal compliance frameworks, content moderation practices and user enforcement mechanisms, and to ensure strict and continuous adherence to the provisions,” it added.

The Indian Express had earlier reported that the government was considering amendments to the Information Technology (IT) Rules 2021, to prohibit the proliferation of “obscene” content on video on digital news outlets, and video-on-demand platforms. The term could have a wide ambit, and may disallow content that contains defamatory allegations, “half truths,” “anti-national attitudes,” and “criticises” segments of “social, public and moral life of the country”.