Fact Check: Are users required to verify their social media accounts within 3 months? Know truth here
The Centre has clarified that it is not mandatory for citizens to verify their social media accounts and that it has only asked social media platforms to ensure a mechanism for those who wish to do it voluntarily
BusinessToday.In | February 28, 2021 | Updated 15:24 IST
A Twitter post claiming citizens to verify their social media accounts with a government ID has gone viral on social media
The Centre on February 25 came out with new guidelines to regulate digital content platforms, online streaming, and social media. In the midst of this, a post that has gone viral on social media claiming that in keeping with the new guidelines, all social media accounts need to be verified through mobile phones with a government ID within three months.
The dangers of incendiary stuff do justify the regulation of online content, but India’s new regulatory system grants the Centre an oversized role and could be misused to stifle dissent
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The Union Government on Thursday came up with new stringent guidelines for social media platforms along with code of ethics for over-the-top (OTT) platforms and digital media.
Addressing the media, the Union Minister for Electronics and IT, Ravi Shankar Prasad said that social media platforms will be classified under two categories – social media intermediaries and significant social media intermediaries – with the latter being subject to greater obligations.
The government will soon notify a list of significant social media intermediaries soon, the minister said, adding that platforms with a “significant” number of users will be classified as significant social media intermediaries. A benchmark number would be set for the classification, he said.
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Finally, the Central government, under the ambit of the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules 2021, has brought in detailed guidelines for digital content on both digital media and Over The Top (OTT) platforms, while giving overriding powers to the government to step in.
The government declares sweeping regulations for social media and OTT platforms that require them to remove any content flagged by the authorities within 36 hours. These OTTs also have to set up a complaint redressal mechanism, with an officer being based in the country.
Two Union Ministers Ravi Shankar Prasad and Prakash Javadekar while addressing media persons warned that “double standards of social media will not be acceptable”. Highlighting the misuse of social media in the country, Ravi Shankar Prasad said that the government wants social media platforms operating in the country to introduce a mechanis