The government regularly interacts with social media companies on matters including accountability of such platforms and safety of users, and there are no plans at present to block any social media platform in the country, Parliament was informed on Thursday. While some users do misuse social media platforms to create hate and ill-will among people of the country, no social media platform or any other intermediary can destroy India’s democracy, Minister of State for Electronics and IT Rajeev Chandrasekhar said in a written reply to a question in the Rajya Sabha.
“At present, the government has no plan to block any social media platform in the country,” he added. The minister said the government receives various grievances from users about hate content on social media platforms and responds to them in an appropriate way. The government regularly interacts with social media intermediaries on various issues, including issuing advisories to make these intermediaries safe and accountable to users, he added.
“Indian democracy has its bedrock in its Constitution and constitutionally guaranteed fundamental rights for every citizen. No social media platform or any other intermediary can destroy our democracy,” Chandrasekhar emphasised. He stated that under the provision of Section 69A of the Information Technology Act, 2000, the government blocks malicious online content, in the interest of sovereignty and integrity of India, defence of India, security of the State, friendly relations with foreign states or public order.
In response to a question on whether the government proposes to regularise social media in the country, Chandrasekhar said policies are aimed at ensuring a fair, open and trusted internet. “Government policies are aimed to ensure free, fair, open and trusted Internet and intermediaries are allowed to operate in the country as long as they follow applicable laws including Information Technology (IT) Act, 2000, and Rules,” he said.
Chandrasekhar said the electronics and IT ministry has invoked the provisions of Section 69A of the IT Act to block certain apps following the due process specified in the Information Technology (Procedure and Safeguards for Blocking for Access of Information by Public) Rule, 2009. It has been the endeavour of the government to put in place an enabling and investor-friendly policy environment in the country, he further said.
‘Twitter Hasn’t Designated Nodal Contact Person, Matter Sub-judice’
Twitter appointed a chief compliance officer and a resident grievance officer as a contingent arrangement, but has not designated a nodal contact person, Parliament was informed on Thursday. On May 26, 2021 (the day when new rules for social media were enforced), Twitter was non-compliant as it failed to appoint a chief compliance officer, a nodal contact person and a resident grievance officer as mandated in the norms, Minister of State for Electronics and IT Rajeev Chandrasekhar said in a written reply to a question in the Rajya Sabha.
“Subsequently, they appointed a chief compliance officer and a resident grievance officer as a contingent arrangement. Twitter has also not designated a nodal contact person and the matter is sub-judice,” he added. Social media platforms like Twitter are intermediaries as defined in the Information Technology (IT) Act, 2000.
In order to ensure accountability of social media platforms to users and enhanced user safety, the government has notified the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021, which came into effect from May 26, 2021, the minister said. He added that in case of non-compliance, the intermediaries are liable to lose their exemption under Section 79 of the IT Act, 2000.
Chandrasekhar said ‘Police’ and ‘Public Order’ are state subjects, and complaints reported against Twitter are dealt by the respective law enforcement authorities of states/ Union territories. “MeitY is not involved in filing of any FIR against Twitter,” he added. Responding to a question on phishing attacks, Chandrasekhar said activities of fraudulent e-mails, SMSs, phishing websites and campaigns through WhatsApp pretending to be from legitimate services lure users to divulge credentials to conduct financial frauds.
“As per the information reported to and tracked by the Indian Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-In), a total of 454, 472, 280 and 138 phishing incidents were observed during the year 2018, 2019, 2020 and 2021 (up to June) respectively,” he added.
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