Rajeev Chandrasekhar says IT rules ensure citizens an open, trusted, and accountable internet

The Union Minister of State for Information Technology dispelled rumours about how social media networks operate in India. The Center, according to Rajeev Chandrasekhar, has no plans to regulate social media intermediaries. New IT rules, in Chandrasekhar’s opinion, guarantee that citizens have access to a free, trustworthy, and accountable internet.

The IT Rules, 2021, according to the Union minister in a written response to the Lok Sabha, define specific obligations on the intermediaries, including that no intermediary will be permitted to violate the rights accorded to citizens under the constitution.

Government never interferes with nor exercises control over social media intermediaries, nor does it impose any restrictions on users’ freedom of expression. The IT Rules, 2021 place particular requirements on intermediaries, including a prohibition on violating the rights guaranteed to citizens by the Constitution.

The statements in the lower house of the Parliament follow a query on whether the government intends to appoint an officer to oversee social media accountability. According to the Union minister, the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021, also known as the IT Rules, 2021, place specific requirements on intermediaries regarding the types of information that may be hosted, displayed, uploaded, published, transmitted, stored, or shared.

According to the new IT rules, intermediaries must delete any content that violates any presently in force laws as soon as it comes to their attention, either by a court order or a warning from the relevant government or its authorised agency.

The minister stated, “In case of failure to follow diligence as provided in the IT Rules, 2021, by intermediaries, they shall lose their exemption from liability under section 79 of the IT Act and shall be liable for consequential action as provided in such law.”

The Union government issued orders to block 6,775 URLs (Uniform Resource Locators) for webpages, websites, content, and accounts on social media platforms in the year 2022.