iWorld
IGAP releases report on social media transparency and compliance
Mumbai – The Internet Governance and Policy Project (IGAP) has published its latest report, “Social Media Transparency Reporting: A Performance Review”, offering a detailed analysis of how Significant Social Media Intermediaries (SSMIs) are complying with India’s Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021. The report assesses the performance of major platforms, including Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, YouTube, Twitter/X, LinkedIn, Snap, ShareChat, and Koo, focusing on their content moderation practices and grievance redressal mechanisms between June 2021 and December 2023.
As concerns over harmful online content, including misinformation and hate speech, continue to grow, IGAP’s report highlights key gaps in transparency across these platforms and calls for enhanced accountability to Indian users. The study also provides a comparative analysis with international frameworks such as the European Union’s Digital Services Act and presents actionable recommendations for improving transparency and compliance practices.
Key Findings:
. Inconsistent reporting: While platforms like Facebook and YouTube offer relatively comprehensive reports, others such as Koo and LinkedIn provide limited data, making it difficult to evaluate their adherence to content moderation guidelines.
. Lack of clarity on automated monitoring: Platforms like Snap and ShareChat offer minimal disclosure on content proactively removed using automated tools, raising questions about the effectiveness of their systems in addressing harmful content such as hate speech and child exploitation.
. Complex grievance redressal mechanisms: Platforms such as Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter/X maintain both global and India-specific grievance systems, leading to confusion for users and inconsistencies in data reporting.
. Need for more granular data: The report emphasizes the importance of providing more detailed disclosures, particularly on content moderation in regional Indian languages, law enforcement requests, and actions against repeat offenders.
Recommendations: IGAP’s report outlines several key reforms to improve transparency and ensure better accountability:
. More granular disclosures: Social media platforms should provide detailed data on user complaints, content removals, and the diversity of Indian languages to ensure fair and equitable moderation practices.
. Standardized reporting formats: Platforms should adopt consistent and uniform reporting formats to improve accessibility and comparison of data across different platforms.
. Improved oversight of automated tools: The report calls for clearer reporting on the types of content flagged and removed by automated systems, with a focus on emerging concerns such as misinformation, deepfakes, and synthetic media.
Lead Author, and former senior director and group coordinator (cyber laws and data governance division), Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), Rakesh Maheswari stated, “Social media platforms have a responsibility to create a transparent and accountable digital environment, especially given their influence on public discourse. This report underscores the need for uniform, more granular reporting in line with the intent of IT Rules, 2021 and aims to help bridge the gaps in content moderation practices across platforms operating in India.”
The Report is accessible at: https://igap.in/social-media-transparency-reporting-a-performance-review/
iWorld
Why Peaky Blinders is one of television’s biggest hits that still deserves more attention
Six seasons, multiple awards and the release of Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man bring the Shelby saga back into the spotlight
In the crowded universe of streaming content, only a handful of shows manage to leave a lasting cultural footprint. Peaky Blinders is overwhelmingly considered one of the biggest global hits of the past decade. Yet many viewers still haven’t fully explored the dark, gripping world of the Shelby family.
Originally produced for the UK’s BBC and later finding a massive global audience through Netflix, the series quietly grew from a British period drama into a worldwide streaming phenomenon.
Created by Steven Knight, the show follows the rise of the Shelby crime family in post-First World War Birmingham. What begins as a gritty street-gang story gradually expands into a sweeping narrative about ambition, politics, power and survival.
At the centre of the saga is Thomas Shelby, portrayed with extraordinary depth by Cillian Murphy. The casting of Murphy is widely regarded as perfect for the role. With piercing eyes, restrained dialogue and an almost hypnotic screen presence, he transforms Shelby into one of the most unforgettable characters in modern screen storytelling.
Murphy’s brilliance lies in his restraint. He rarely shouts or performs theatrically. Instead, a quiet stare, a calculated pause or a subtle shift in expression conveys the emotional storms within the character. Beneath the ruthless gang leader is a war veteran carrying trauma, guilt and loneliness. Murphy captures this complexity with remarkable precision, making Thomas Shelby both terrifying and deeply human.
Beyond its central performance, Peaky Blinders stands out for its unfiltered portrayal of reality. The show does not romanticise crime. Instead, it exposes the harsh social conditions of early 20th-century Britain, from poverty and class struggle to political extremism and the psychological scars left by war.
The series also presents powerful female characters who hold their own within the Shelby empire. Polly Gray, played by Helen McCrory, is the strategic backbone of the family and one of the most formidable figures in the story. Women in the series shape decisions, influence power structures and challenge the rigid social norms of the time.
Across six seasons, the narrative grows dramatically in scale. What begins in the smoky streets of Birmingham evolves into a story involving political conspiracies, fascism and international criminal networks.
The series has also earned significant critical acclaim. It won the BAFTA Television Award for Best Drama Series in 2018 and multiple National Television Awards for Best Drama, cementing its reputation as one of Britain’s most celebrated modern shows.
Another defining feature of the series is its iconic music. The show’s opening theme, Red Right Hand by Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, became instantly recognisable and widely associated with the Shelby universe. Combined with a powerful soundtrack featuring artists such as Arctic Monkeys and Radiohead, the music helped shape the show’s dark, stylish identity and became hugely popular among fans.
And the Shelby story is not over yet.
In fact, its legacy is unfolding right now. The long-awaited feature-length continuation, Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man, was released on March 6, 2026, bringing the Shelby universe from streaming screens to cinemas and giving fans a new chapter in the saga.
For viewers who have not yet stepped into this world, the timing could not be better.
Six gripping seasons are ready to binge on Netflix. A new film has just arrived in theatres. And at the heart of it all stands one of the most magnetic performances in modern drama by Cillian Murphy.
So if Peaky Blinders has been sitting on your watchlist for years, this weekend is your moment.
So, by order of the Peaky fookin’ Blinders, consider this your cue to finally step into the ruthless world of Thomas Shelby. Pour yourself a drink, clear your schedule and press the play button. Because when the Peaky Blinders give an order, you listen.
