The Indian government addressed the United Nations Human Rights Council about the new IT rules for social media companies. The government told the Council that the formulation of the new rules was necessitated by the concerns over increased instances of abuse of new media platforms including inducement for recruitment of terrorists, obscene content, financial frauds and incitement of violence.
The Permanent Mission of India to the UN in Geneva referred to communication by UN Special Rapporteurs in which concerns were raised over the new IT rules for social and digital media, in a letter to the secretariat of the council.
In its reply, the mission said the rules were brought to empower ordinary users of social media. The victims of abuse of social media should have a forum of grievance redressal, it said.
The letter said, “The enactment of new IT rules had become necessary due to widespread concerns about issues relating to increased instances of abuse of social media and digital platforms, platforms including inducement for recruitment of terrorists, circulation of obscene content, the spread of disharmony, financial frauds, incitement of violence, public order etc.”
India’s Supreme Court had in two judgments directed the government to frame systems to guard against misuse of different platforms. The Mission also said that even the Rajya Sabha had repeatedly sought that the social media companies be made accountable under the country’s laws.
The letter said that on the issue of traceability of the first originator of the information, the rules sought only limited information, and that too when a message is already in circulation and is giving rise to violence or other improper acts.
The Indian mission sought to assert that India’s democratic credentials were well recognised and the right to freedom of speech and expression were guaranteed under its Constitution.