India’s Ministry of Electronics and IT (MeitY) has invited public comments on the proposed changes to the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021, which are described as “clarificatory and procedural” but intended to strengthen compliance and enforcement. A key aspect of the proposal is the requirement for intermediaries, including social media platforms, to comply with government advisories as part of their due diligence obligations under Section 79 of the Information Technology Act, thereby elevating government communications to enforceable obligations. The amendments also broaden the scope of content oversight to include intermediaries hosting user-generated news content, potentially increasing platform liability and editorial responsibility. Additionally, the mandate of the Inter-Departmental Committee would expand to allow proactive reviews initiated by the ministry, rather than solely responding to complaints. These proposals build on existing IT Rules that impose detailed due diligence requirements on intermediaries, including obligations to remove unlawful content and ensure traceability. The government has framed these proposals as necessary for an “Open, Safe, Trusted and Accountable Internet,” while stakeholders are invited to submit feedback by 14 April 2026.
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