IT rules may cover social media news

In a revised draft released on March 30, the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) has invited stakeholders to provide comments until April 14, which indicates that it will strengthen compliance requirements for intermediaries and expand supervision of online content.One key proposal seeks to clarify that part three of the rules – which applies to digital news publishers – will also apply to “news and current affairs content” shared on social media by users who are not registered publishers.While the draft itself focuses on clarifying applicability and strengthening oversight mechanisms, officials said the framework could enable action on such content through existing grievance-handling procedures overseen by an interdepartmental committee, although the draft did not detail specific actions.It also proposed changes to Part II, including the insertion of new Rule 3(4), which would require intermediaries to follow the advice, instructions and guidelines issued by the government as part of their legal responsibilities under Section 79 of the IT Act. It further states that platforms must retain user data as required by the rules.The draft also expands the role of the interdepartmental committee under Article 14 so that it can review not only user complaints but also cases referred directly by the government.The ministry said in the notification that the amendments aim to ensure an “open, secure, trusted and responsible internet” and “enhance compliance with clarifications, recommendations and instructions issued by the ministry” while improving the way digital content is regulated.The government describes the proposed changes as “clarification and procedural” aimed at further increasing legal certainty and strengthening the enforceability of its directives.