Watch | Govt moves to tighten social media rules; individual users may come under compliance net

The government is moving to tighten social media regulations, with draft amendments proposing that even individual users could come under a stricter compliance framework, marking a significant shift in India’s digital content oversight. Under the proposed changes, platforms may no longer have the discretion to ignore government advisories. “Advisories, guidelines and SOPs, as long as they are issued in the form of a written order, have to be complied with by platforms,” the draft states, signaling a move from an advisory to a mandatory regime. The compliance net is also being widened beyond intermediaries and publishers. “The proposed amendment expands the scope… to also include individual users posting content on news and global affairs,” indicating that users may now face similar obligations. Additionally, the inter-departmental committee reviewing online content could see its remit extended to cover individuals, not just publishers. The draft rules have been released for public consultation, with feedback invited over 15 days until April 14.