Social Media Intermediary Guidelines: Full load of what the govt announced

No safe harbour if due diligence not followed; platforms to remove or disable sexual content within 24 hours of complaint; Chief Compliance Officer post, monthly compliance report mandatory

The rules for social media, also called Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules 2021, were notified by the cabinet on February 25.

Three years in the making, the rules add a bunch of compliance for social media companies, such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, WhatsApp and YouTube. ‘Significant social media intermediaries’ – decided on the basis of user base – will abide by the new laws, and must comply within three months of the rules being published in the official gazette.

Business Standard breaks-down key features of the new legislation:

Due Diligence by Intermediaries: The rules prescribe that due diligence