Govt Asks Social Media Platforms to Identify, Remove Misinformation & Deepfakes within 36 Hrs

GG News Bureau

New Delhi, 8^th Nov. The government on Tuesday issued an advisory to social media intermediaries, asking them to take action against misinformation and deep fakes.

The advisory includes the following points:

1. Intermediaries should exercise due diligence and make reasonable efforts to identify and remove misinformation and deep fakes that violate rules and regulations or user agreements.
2. They should take prompt action against such cases, within the specified timeframes of the IT Rules 2021.
3. Users should not host or share such information or content.
4. Intermediaries must remove any reported content within 36 hours and disable access to it.
5. Failure to comply with these provisions may result in the loss of protection under Section 79(1) of the Information Technology Act, 2000.

The Minister of State for Skill Development & Entrepreneurship and Electronics & IT, Rajeev Chandrasekhar, emphasized the government’s commitment to the safety and trust of digital citizens.

He highlighted the challenges posed by misinformation and deepfakes, particularly their impact on women.

The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MEITY) has issued a second advisory within six months, urging online platforms to take decisive actions against the spread of deep fakes.

Rajeev Chandrasekhar explained that online platforms have a legal obligation to prevent the spread of misinformation under the IT Rules 2021. They must remove such content within 36 hours upon receiving a report. Failure to comply with this requirement may result in legal action under Rule 7 of the IT Rules, which allows aggrieved individuals to take platforms to court under the Indian Penal Code (IPC).

The Minister encouraged those affected by deepfakes to file First Information Reports (FIRs) at their nearest police station and utilize the remedies provided by the IT Rules 2021.