India Proposes Expanded Social Media Regulations

The Indian government is considering new measures to broaden its regulatory framework, targeting a wider array of online content creators such as influencers and podcasters on platforms like Facebook, YouTube, and X. This initiative, outlined by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), seeks to amend existing IT rules—designed to govern digital media content—to include “users who are not publishers” who share material related to “news and current affairs” under a “code of ethics” already applied to registered news publishers.

Digital rights experts caution that the amendments may grant the state increased authority over posts concerning news and politics, potentially influencing independent journalists and content creators. The proposed changes would compel platforms to adhere to directives if they wish to retain “safe harbour” status, which offers legal immunity from liability for user-generated content.

Concerns Over Censorship

The revisions have alarmed activists and creators, who argue the rules could enforce state-led censorship with limited transparency. They warn that the measures might be used to suppress critics and limit dissent. Despite this, the government claims the amendments will bolster current IT regulations, reducing misinformation, hate speech, and deepfakes, while inviting public input by 14 April.

“Interestingly, despite the many laws regulating online content, hate speech and fake news haven’t reduced in the country. Meanwhile, posts that are critical of the government—even if they’re satirical—are increasingly being blocked or removed,” says Akash Banerjee, operator of the YouTube channel The Deshbhakt, which has over six million followers.

Kumar Nayan, whose X account @Nehr_who? has 242,000 followers, shared his experience with the new rules. His account was blocked by X under Section 69A of the IT Act, with no prior notice or explanation. A court order restored his profile, but ten posts remain restricted in India, awaiting review by a government panel. The BBC has reviewed the content, which mocks Prime Minister Narendra Modi or critiques his Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government.

“No reasonable person will say these posts threaten the nation’s security or disturb communal harmony. They are just funny posts, so why does the government want them taken down?” Nayan questions. He added that revealing his identity through legal action has raised safety concerns, as social media anonymity often shields critics and whistleblowers from harassment.”

Meanwhile, a recent US government report highlights that since 2021, social media firms in India have faced an “increasing number of takedown requests” for content and accounts tied to politically motivated issues. Digital rights activist Nikhil Pahwa, co-authoring an article with Apar Gupta of the Internet Freedom Foundation, notes that successive amendments to the IT rules—introduced in 2021—have expanded state control over online content and eroded user rights. A 2021 revision brought digital news outlets under government oversight, while a 2025 update strengthened the federal home ministry’s Sahyog portal, enabling agencies to issue takedown notices with limited transparency.

Further, the IT rules were amended in early 2026, cutting the compliance window for social media firms to respond to blocking orders from 36 to three hours. This change has drastically reduced opportunities for legal review, according to the authors. The Sahyog portal now operates as a separate mechanism for content removal, distinct from the federal government’s blocking powers under Section 69A.