The Indian government announced a set of guidelines and rules that social media platforms and OTT services such as Netflix, Prime Video and others will have to follow. The rules are officially known as Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules 2021 and will be enforced to moderate content on various platforms. The government listed how it will enforce these rules in detail which you can check out in detail here. 

And now, we also know the rules that need to be followed in detail, thanks to a PDF of the order shared by Medianama. Here are some of the key rules that digital media platforms will have to adhere to:

OTT Platforms 

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Streaming services will have to start self-regulating and censor content according to a code. Every show on the platform will now have to provide an age certification for content U (for all ages), U/A 7+, U/A 13+, U/A 16+, and A (adult).OTT platforms will now also have to offer a parental lock system to keep children away from mature content rated above U/A 13+. Social Media Platforms  

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Social Media companies will also have to appoint a nodal officer beside a grievance officer that can be contacted by law enforcement. The person has to be available at all times and can be contacted directly to address objectionable content. Every social media platform will have to publish a monthly report that will contain information about the number of complaints received and resolved. Social Media Platforms will also bear the responsibility of tracking the originator of objectionable content. This rule is also extended to applications such as WhatsApp and Signal which means instant-messaging apps may have to discontinue end-to-end encryption in the country. Social Media platforms will have to remove offensive content within 36 hours after a court order has been issued. Each platform should also have a voluntary verification program where users can be verified through a mobile number.

The government also plans to introduce regulations for digital news publishers where the government has proposed a three-tier mechanism. Publishers will also have a self-regulation code by publishers, an oversight mechanism and a regulatory body of publishers. The rules for digital news outlets are still at an early stage. 

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