Hotstar, Zee5, alt Balaji among others, soon will have to cohere to higher accountability standards in India. Also the new negotiator guidelines cover publishers of news on digital media as well.

The Government of India announced on 25 February, Thursday a new set of rules and guidelines under the existing laws to regulate digital content. Putting all speculations of censorship for digital platforms to rest,the central government now demands self-regulation from content creators on the web. The new rules have been enclosed in accordance with various laws under the Ministry for Electronics and IT(Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules 2021.

The classification of digital content for different age groups is one of the main features of the new guidelines. The new guidelines also include rules that will monitor social media and digital news platforms. The new set of guidelines emphasize action against any material that is abusive to women. This applies to both social media and digital content platforms. The government has obliged the companies to set up a Grievance Redressal Committee which will be responsible for taking prompt action on all complaints about any content on its platform. Also, the government will designate the post of a Joint Secretary or above officer as an “Authorized Officer” who can direct the blocking of material.

Some Outlines explained by Neosoft Technologies

1. Social media giants such as facebook, Twitter, instagram and others will be required to appoint India-based compliance officers. If they remove content, they will be required to inform users, also give reasons for taking down their posts and hear them out.
2. Social media sites must disclose the “first originator” of any disobedient message. “Who started the prank? You have to say,” Mr. Prasad said, adding that it would be applicable to spread the material for which the punishment is up to five years.
3. The supervision mechanism will incorporate a committee with representatives from the ministries of Defence, External Affairs, Home, I&B, Law, IT and Women and Child Development. It will have “suo motu powers” to call hearings on complaints of violation of the Code of Ethics if it wants.
4. The government will designate the post of a Joint Secretary or above officer as an “Authorized Officer” who can direct the blocking of material. If an appellate body believes that the material violates the law, it has the right to send the material to a government-controlled committee to block orders to be issued.
5. Self-classification for streaming services on content that is 13 plus old, 16-plus old or older for adults based on gender, violence, and nudity. A procedure to ensure children do not use material approved for them.
Digital news media needs to follow the rules under the Press Council of India. Also, the new websites have to be registered on the site of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting.
6. The rules discredit social media content that is obscene, derogatory, racist, harmful to minors, threatens India’s unity, integrity, defense, security or sovereignty and its relations with other countries. Social media sites have to remove or deactivate objectionable or illegal content within 36 hours of being notified or a court order.
7. Companies must appoint a Grievance Officer to receive, accept and resolve complaints within a month. The tech giant will also have to appoint grievance officers.
8. An arbitrator has to remove or disable access to material that is illegal or objectionable, within 24 hours of the complaint.
9. A three-tier mechanism to implement the Code of Ethics: self-regulation; self-regulation by the self-regulating bodies; government’s oversight mechanism.

About Neosoft Technologies
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