I&B Ministry
I&B ministry mulls new legal framework to regulate digital content
MUMBAI:The ministry of information and broadcasting is examining existing laws and contemplating a new legal framework to regulate “harmful” content on digital platforms amidst rising concerns over obscenity and violence, officials said.
In its response to the parliamentary standing committee on communications and information technology, headed by BJP member of parliament Nishikant Dubey, the ministry acknowledged growing societal concern that constitutional freedom of expression was being misused to showcase objectionable content on digital platforms.
The ministry’s scrutiny comes in the wake of recent controversies, including inflammatory comments by social media influencer Ranveer Allahbadia. Though he later apologised and received protection from arrest from the supreme court, the incident sparked widespread condemnation and criminal cases.
Unlike traditional print and electronic media, which operate under specific regulations, new media services such as over-the-top (OTT) platforms and YouTube currently lack a dedicated regulatory framework. This regulatory gap has intensified calls for legislative reform.
The ministry recently issued an advisory to online curated content publishers, emphasising strict adherence to the code of ethics prescribed under the Information Technology Rules, 2021. The advisory particularly stressed age-based content classification and implementation of access control mechanisms for adult-rated content.
“This ministry has received references from honourable members of parliament, representations from statutory organisations, and public grievances regarding the alleged spread of obscene, pornographic and vulgar content,” the ministry stated in its communication to OTT platforms.
The move follows expressions of concern from various quarters, including high courts, the supreme court, and statutory bodies such as the national commission for women. While some worry about potential censorship, recent controversies have strengthened demands for more robust content regulation.
The ministry has committed to submitting a detailed proposal following thorough deliberations on the matter. The initiative aims to balance freedom of expression with responsible content creation in the digital space.
I&B Ministry
PIB Fact Check Unit flags 2,913 fake claims, blocks 1,400 URLs
Government steps up misinformation fight with FCU and IT Rules framework.
MUMBAI: In the age of viral forwards and deepfake déjà vu, the government’s fact-checkers are working overtime to separate fact from fiction. India’s Press Information Bureau Fact Check Unit (FCU), operating under the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, has flagged a total of 2,913 instances of fake news and misinformation linked to the Central Government, highlighting the growing scale of the information battle in the digital era.
Tasked with identifying misleading content from AI-generated videos and deepfakes to forged notifications, letters and spoofed websites, the FCU verifies claims using authorised sources before publishing corrections across its social media channels. These include platforms such as X, Facebook, Instagram, Telegram, Threads and WhatsApp, turning the government’s digital presence into a real-time myth-busting network.
But the effort is not just top-down. The FCU has also been nudging citizens to play detective, encouraging users to report suspicious content for verification. The idea is simple: in a landscape where misinformation travels faster than facts, crowd-sourced vigilance can act as an early warning system.
The scale of intervention became particularly visible during Operation Sindoor, when the unit identified and countered a surge of misleading and hostile narratives circulating online. Alongside publishing verified information, the Ministry directed the blocking of more than 1,400 URLs on digital platforms, an aggressive move aimed at containing the spread of false and potentially harmful content.
The broader regulatory backbone for this effort lies in the Information Technology Rules 2021, which set out a Code of Ethics for digital publishers and establish a three-tier grievance redressal mechanism. The framework is designed to hold publishers of news and online curated content accountable, even as the ecosystem grows increasingly complex.
The update was shared in the Lok Sabha by L. Murugan, minister of state for information and broadcasting, in response to a question raised by V. K. Sreekandan.
Together, the numbers tell a clear story: misinformation is no longer a fringe problem but a mainstream challenge. And as the lines between real and manipulated content continue to blur, the battle for credibility is being fought not just in newsrooms but across every screen in the country.
