Facebook, Twitter, Instagram to be Banned in India Tomorrow?

Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram Ban in India from 26th May? Check Out the Reason!

If the new Intermediary Rules are not followed, social media services such as Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram may face a ban in India. The deadline to follow the government’s instructions is May 25, but none of the networks, including WhatsApp, Facebook, and Twitter, have yet to agree to the new rules.

Indian Version of Twitter ‘Koo’ has Conformed to the New Standards

The only social media app that has conformed to the new standards ahead of the May 25 deadline is Koo, the Indian version of Twitter. The Ministry of Electronics & Information Technology (MEITy) granted social networks three months to comply with the new IT guidelines in February 2021.

What If None of The Sites Comply with the New Guidelines?

It is a pivotal moment for social media businesses because if they do not comply with the new guidelines by May 25, they will lose their intermediary status and protections, and legal action could be taken against them under Indian law, according to a government official. The companies situated in the United States had requested a six-month extension because they were awaiting a response from the US headquarters.

What Facebook (Business Representative) has to Say About this?

Revealing whether Facebook will follow the requirements or not, a business representative said in a statement that they intend to comply with the provisions of the IT rules and continue to explore a few of the areas that require more engagement with the government. They are working to develop operational time and enhance efficiencies in accordance with the IT guidelines. Facebook is committed to people’s ability to express themselves freely and safely on their platform.

What are the Guidelines?

According to the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology’s new regulations, social media networks must hire compliance officers from India. The officer will deal with the complaints, monitor the content, and delete it if it is offensive. These restrictions apply not only to social media networks but also to over-the-top (OTT) sites.

Netflix, Amazon Prime, and other streaming companies will be required to establish a grievance redressal officer from India who will handle complaints and respond within 15 days. According to the government, social media sites do not have a self-regulatory code. As a result, it wants the businesses to form a committee with officials from various ministries to control the content.